In the last few years, Hollywood has been hit by a wave of high-concept mystery films, includingRian Johnson’sKnives Outfranchise andKenneth Branagh’s adaptations ofAgatha Christienovels (Murder on the Orient Express,Death on the Nile,etc.)While those installments can be exciting and thrilling for audiences, they are straightforward mysteries; however, the genre often thrives when paired with the thriller. Whereas mystery films surround a specific problem or crime and find a solution, thrillers rely on evoking suspense and tension.
There has been plenty of crossover between the two genres throughout cinema history. Traditional mysteries with Sherlock Holmes, Boston Blackie, and Charlie Chan used thriller characteristics from time to time, while thriller films from the silent era used mystery as a context for suspense. With nearly 100 years of cinema to analyze,these mystery films successfully evoked the sensibilities of the thriller, resulting in the perfect balance.
10’Memento' (2001)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan’s breakout feature,Mementotakes a classic neo-noir mystery and injects it with science and grief. Based on his brotherJonathan Nolan’s short storyMemento Mori, the film follows Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), who suffers from anterograde amnesia, trying to solve the murder of his wife (Jorja Fox) by using a system of photographs, notes, and tattoos. Nolan’s high-wire act on memory and perceptionearned him the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2001 Sundance Film Festivaland an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
WhatmakesMemento’smystery enrapturingis the structure of non-linearity. Nolan publicly praisedPulp FictionforQuentin Tarantino’s non-linear story, so the influence is there. But Nolan takes it one step further,showing the flashback narrative chronologically and the present-day narrative in reverse order, merging both at the end to form one whole super-narrative. It creates a double mystery for the audience: will Leonard find the perpetrator of his wife’s murder? How do the two narratives relate to each other? Throw in Nolan’s penchant for gritty thriller sequences and camerawork and the result isa mind-melt of a mystery thriller that remains among Nolan’s best work.
9’Blow Out' (1981)
Directed by Brian De Palma
New Hollywood auteurBrian De Palmawas always the film-school generation’s master of thrills, interested in horror, suspense and crime films.Blow Outis his finest hour as a prototypical “De Palma” film and an early example of postmodernism. FusingFrancis Ford Coppola’s thrillerThe ConversationandMichelangelo Antonioni’s mystery filmBlowup, the film follows Jack Terry (John Travolta), a sound technician for low-budget horror films, who accidentally records the assassination of a presidential nominee. Where Coppola and Antonioni lead the audience to nowhere, De Palma opens a can of worms into political corruption.
Similarly to whatMementodoes,Blow Outoffers a double mystery, or rather one of information and pursuit. Will Jack Terry uncover the truth, or will the perpetrators silence Terry? The other major difference is De Palma’s trademark style in his neo-Hitchcock tradition: elaborate tracking shots, split screens, split diopter lenses, and a loose evocation of his favorite horror films. While unnoticed upon release by audiences,Blow Out’sstatus grew over the yearswith high praise fromRoger Ebert,Pauline Kael, and Tarantino, plus a home media release by the Criterion Collection. A bonafide classic,Blow Outis often considered amongBrian De Palma’s finest directorial efforts.
8’Blue Velvet' (1986)
Directed by David Lynch
David Lynchfound his niche in avant-garde mystery thrillers.Twin Peaks,Lost Highway,Mulholland Drive, andInland Empireare all considered some of the best mystery and thriller films of their time. Yet, it’sLynch’s 1986 classicBlue Velvetthat remains his most straightforward, thrilling, and personal. When Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) discovers a human ear in a field on a home visit, he uncovers an underworld conspiracy and falls in love with a lounge singer (Isabella Rossellini).
Much has been discussed surroundingBlue Velvet’sthemes and symbolism, but the film’s core lies in its fusion of mystery noir and horror thriller. Lynch uses classic noir archetypes — the femme fatale, a questionable moral hero, an unstoppable villain — to examine psychoanalytic behaviors, which is a mystery in itself.Blue Velvetis a rare film that begins as an informational mystery before devolving into a psychological thriller. In the first ten minutes, the audience wonders what Jeffrey will uncover; an hour and ten minutes in, they pray that Jeffrey will get out of the underworld he took himself into.
Blue Velvet
7’Deep Red' (1975)
Directed by Dario Argento
Giallo films (translated to ‘yellow’ in Italian) blend the classic murder mystery with elements of horror, thriller, and low-budget exploitation films. Stylistic traits of shadowy killers, bold single-color cinematography, heightened production design, and gruesome content proved popular with audiences in the 1970s. To many,Dario Argentowas the greatest giallo director. WhileSuspiria,The Bird with the Crystal Plumage,andOperaare kinetic thrills in their own right, 1975’sDeep Redis closest to a mystery thriller.
StarringDavid Hemmingsas a jazz pianist who investigates a series of murders after witnessing one, the mystery is fairly straightforward of a whodunit. But what separates it from the pack is its brutal murder scenes that became a staple in slashers and physical horror films.SawcreatorJames Wan, who specifically quotedDeep Redas an inspiration for Billy the Puppet, especiallythe scary scene with the dollthat has become its most iconic.Deep Redrepresented the peak of the giallo craze in Italyand has remained one of the best films in the genre and Argento’s filmography.
After witnessing the murder of a psychic, jazz pianist Marcus Daly teams up with reporter Gianna Brezzi to solve the case. As they delve deeper, they uncover a web of secrets and encounter more murders. The investigation leads to a chilling revelation about the true identity of the killer.
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6’Caché' (Hidden) (2005)
Directed by Michael Haneke
Michael Hanekeis not a filmmaker who immediately comes to mind with mystery films. The majority of his oeuvre consists of psychological dramas likeThe Piano Teacher,The White Ribbon, andAmourand slow horror films like theGlaciation TrilogyandFunny Games. The one film that sticks out as a unique mystery thriller isCaché, starring Haneke’s regularJuliette BinocheandDaniel Auteuil. Georges (Auteuil) and Anne (Binoche) receive unknown videotapes that indicate they are under surveillance before clues within the tapes lead to haunting memories of Georges' past.
Interpreted as a film about collective memory and guilt,Cachécreates multiple mysteries. Who sent the tapes? What do the memories indicate? Are any of the memories true? Scholars define Haneke’s static camerawork and claustrophobic production design as buying into the aesthetic of surveilling Georges and Anne. Haneke withholds information from the audience rather than utilizing dramatic irony, refusing to provide any clear answer. It’s a classic mystery framework that’s more interested in dread, the other end of the thriller spectrum.Cachéreceived rapturous acclaim upon release but was disqualified from the Oscars Foreign Language Film award because itdidn’t use Haneke’s first language, Austrian, opting for French instead. Realizing the slight, the Academy revised the rules for world films to be submitted from the director’s country of origin and not language.
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5’L.A. Confidential' (1997)
Directed by Curtis Hanson
In the postmodern and ironic treasure trove of 90s cinema,L.A. Confidentialsomehow gets forgotten among the crowd, yet it remains one of the most dazzling and slick mystery films of all time. Anchored by the then-unknowns Guy Pearce andRusell Crowe, the film follows LAPD officers investigating a series of murders that lead to a complex web of celebrities, vices, corruption, and violence.
L.A. Confidentialis a perfect example ofthe genre concept of the neo-noirmystery. Neo-noir expands upon the film noir characteristics of low-key lighting, blurred intentions, and general imbalance with a differing focus on the sociological elements of the story and mystery;L.A. Confidentialfalls into that definition. Sometimes, audiences can deduct what will be revealed, solved, etc. Neo-noir takes it to the next logical level of “how will the mystery affect the characters AND their identity?” Changing the audience mindset from a “who” to a “how"makesL.A. Confidentiala mystery crime thriller with more intelligence than most.
L.A. Confidential
4’M' (1931)
Directed by Fritz Lang
The greatFritz Langis one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, and for good reason; after all, 1927’sMetropolisset the groundwork for science fiction in popular culture. Yet, it’shis follow-up four years later that defined the visual cinematic language in mystery thrillers. 1931’sMcenters on the manhunt for child serial killer Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre) from both the police force and the criminal underworld, setting the basis for procedural dramas on film and television.
Lang and co-writerThea von Harbourspecifically avoided heavy dialogue to move the plot forward, using sound to motivate the character’s actions. Lang’s cinematic innovations include offscreen sound effects, fluid tracking shots, and a leitmotif of “In the Hall of the Mountain King” to signify the presence of Beckert. Most astounding is Lang’s ability to weave the chaotic era of the Weimar Republic into the film. Despair, disorder, and fear run rampant within the grotesque characters, a subtle jab at the state of Germany that, in less than two years, would fall to Nazism. Lang proved that mystery and thrills are developed within and that to fan the flames is to elicit primal reactions from the gut.
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3’The Third Man' (1949)
Directed by Carol Reed
Britain’s connection to mystery thrillers dates back to the days ofArthur Conan Doylewriting novellas for theSherlock Holmesseries. With films such asThe 39 Steps,Sleuth,andThe Prestige, Brits know how to craft mysteries and thrills. But they all stand before the masterpiece of British cinema,The Third Man. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) arrives in Vienna to accept work from his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles) but learns that Lime died before he arrived. Sensing trouble, Martins investigates Lime’s death, going down a rabbit hole of twists and turns in post-war Austria.
What can be said aboutThe Third Manthat isn’t already in a Film 101 textbook? The cinematography is atmospheric to the point of transcendence. Cold and bombed-out production design exhaust cynicism. Famed authorGraham Greene’s script has danger lurking around every corner. Cotten, Welles,Alida Valli, andTrevor Howardare pitch-perfect in their performances. There isn’t a wrinkle in the mystery or the thrills;it’s just a damn near perfectly executed film. AsSteven Soderberghonce said, “One of the amazing things aboutThe Third Manis that it really is a great film, in spite of all the people who say it’s a great film.”
The Third Man
2’Touch of Evil' (1958)
Directed by Orson Welles
By the late 1950s, the American film noir had dwindled in popularity in favor of television and big-budget widescreen epics. So, whenCharlton Hestonsigned on to star in the adaptation ofWhit Masterson’s novelBadge of Evil, he suggested the iconoclastic Orson Welles write and direct. As his first Hollywood film in ten years, Welles captured the sleaziest, most mysterious and thrilling noir of the decade. When a bomb goes off in a border town on his honeymoon, prosecutor Miguel Vargas (Heston) subtly investigates the matter, revealing a story of kidnapping and corruption with police captain Hank Quinlan (Welles).
Using his experience withGregg TolandonCitizen Kaneas a source, Welles and DPRussell Mettyutilize deep focus and low-angle shots to emphasize depth, an aspect of mystery films that goes a long way to creating questions and tension. Of course,the four-minute crane shotthat opens the film brings immediate mystery and thrill to the screen and visually tells the audience everything to know for the next hour and 53 minutes. It took a few years for American audiences and critics to catch on (Europeans immediately saw the genius), butTouch of Evilremains one of the most stylistic and dark-as-oil mystery thrillers of the 20th century.
Touch of Evil
1’Rear Window' (1954)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
No director in history has been able to touchAlfred Hitchcock’s mastery of tension, mystery, and sleight of hand in cinema. Any of his films could be argued as a masterpiece:Vertigo,North by Northwest,Dial M for Murder, etc. However, only one rises above as a straightforward yet twister mystery thriller:Rear Window. Photographer L.B. Jeffries (James Stewart) uses a wheelchair because of a broken leg, spending his days in his Manhattan apartment. Jeff observes his neighbors, but when he sees what could be a murder, he and his socialite girlfriend, Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly), attempt to catch the murderer before being killed themselves.
Rear Windowis Hitchcock at its liminal peak. Setting the entire thriller in the apartment restricts safety andemphasizes the dark side of voyeurism. Hitchcock’s camera is all about fascination with people, murder, and pleasure. Just likeTouch of Evil,Rear Window’sopening long take reveals what the audience needs to know. From that point on, they are directly tied to Jeffries' hip. What Jeffries sees is what the audience sees. The direct placement of the main character’s POV in the hands of the audience forebears future thrillers (includingMementoandBlue Velvet)and horror films. No filmmaker could craft a mystery thriller like Hitchcock, andRear Windowmay just be his best combination of the two.
