Psychological thriller

Short description: Genre combining thriller and psychological fiction

Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting.

In terms of context and convention, it is a subgenre of the broader ranging thriller narrative structure,[1] with similarities to Gothic and detective fiction in the sense of sometimes having a "dissolving sense of reality". It is often told through the viewpoint of psychologically stressed characters, revealing their distorted mental perceptions and focusing on the complex and often tortured relationships between obsessive and pathological characters.[2] Psychological thrillers often incorporate elements of mystery, drama, action, and paranoia. The genre overlaps with the psychological drama and psychological horror genres, the latter generally involving more horror and terror elements and themes and more disturbing or frightening scenarios.[3]

## Contents

* 1 Definition
* 2 Literary devices and techniques
* 3 Themes
* 4 Examples
* 4.1 Screenwriters and directors
* 4.2 Film
* 4.3 Television
* 4.4 Literature
* 4.5 Animated series
* 4.6 Anime and manga
* 4.7 Video games
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## Definition

Peter Hutchings, a screenwriter and director, states the following about psychological thrillers: "narratives with domesticated settings in which action is suppressed and where thrills are provided instead via investigations of the psychologies of the principal characters."[4] A distinguishing characteristic of a psychological thriller is its emphasis on the mental states of its characters: their perceptions, thoughts, distortions, and general struggle to grasp reality.[5]

According to director John Madden, psychological thrillers focus on story, character development, choice, and moral conflict; fear and anxiety drive the psychological tension in unpredictable ways. However, the majority of psychological thrillers have happy endings. Madden stated their lack of spectacle and strong emphasis on character led to their decline in Hollywood popularity.[6] Psychological thrillers are suspenseful by exploiting uncertainty over characters' motives, honesty, and how they see the world.[7] Films can also cause discomfort in audiences by privileging them with information they wish to share with the characters; guilty characters may suffer similar distress by virtue of their knowledge.[5]

However, James N. Frey defines psychological thrillers as a style, rather than a subgenre; Frey states good thrillers focus on the psychology of their antagonists and build suspense slowly through ambiguity.[8] Creators and/or film distributors or publishers who seek to distance themselves from the negative connotations of horror often categorize their work as a psychological thriller.[9] The same situation can occur when critics label a work to be a psychological thriller in order to elevate its perceived literary value.[8]

## Literary devices and techniques

* Plot twist – Films such as Psycho and The Skeleton Key have advertised the fact that they contain plot twists and asked audiences to refrain from revealing spoilers. Psychological thrillers with poorly received plot twists, such as The Village, have suffered in the box office.[10]
* Unreliable narrator – Andrew Taylor identifies the unreliable narrator as a common literary device used in psychological thrillers and traces it back to Edgar Allan Poe's influence on the genre. Criminal insanity may be explored as a theme.[11]
* MacGuffin – Alfred Hitchcock pioneered the concept of the MacGuffin, a goal or item that initiates or otherwise advances the plot. The MacGuffin is frequently only vaguely defined, and it can be used to increase suspense.[12]
* Red herring – The term was popularized by William Cobbett and is defined as a kind of fallacy that is an irrelevant topic introduced to divert the attention of the audience. A red herring is used to lead the audience to make false assumptions and mislead its attention.[13]

## Themes

Many psychological thrillers have emerged over the past years, all in various media (film, literature, radio, etc.). Despite these very different forms of representation, general trends have appeared throughout the narratives. Some of these consistent themes include:[5]

* Death
* Existence/Purpose
* Identity
* Mind
* Perception
* Reality

In psychological thrillers, characters often have to battle an inner struggle. Amnesia is a common plot device used to explore these questions. Character may be threatened with death, be forced to deal with the deaths of others, or fake their own deaths.[5] Psychological thrillers can be complex, and reviewers may recommend a second or third viewing to "decipher its secrets".[14] Common elements may include stock characters, such as a hardboiled detective and serial killer, involved in a cat and mouse game.[15] Sensation novels, examples of early psychological thrillers, were considered to be socially irresponsible due to their themes of sex and violence. These novels, among others, were inspired by the exploits of real-life detective Jack Whicher.[16] Water, especially floods, is frequently used to represent the unconscious mind, such as in What Lies Beneath and In Dreams.[17]

Psychological thrillers may not always be concerned with plausibility. Peter Hutchings defines the giallo, an Italian subgenre of psychological thrillers, as violent murder mysteries that focus on style and spectacle over rationality.[18] According to Peter B. Flint of The New York Times, detractors of Alfred Hitchcock accused him of "relying on slick tricks, illogical story lines and wild coincidences".[19]

## Examples

### Screenwriters and directors

* Brad Anderson – Ethan Anderton of firstshowing.net describes Anderson's psychological thrillers as "unique" and covering the theme of memory loss.[20]
* Dario Argento – Italian director known for his cult films in giallo, horror, and psychological thrillers. He is often referred to as "the Italian Hitchcock".[21]
* Darren Aronofsky – Frequently covers themes of madness, pursuit of perfection, and psychology.[22][23]
* Park Chan-wook – Korean director who explored the genre in his "vengeance trilogy" (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance), Stoker, and The Handmaiden[24]
* David Cronenberg – Philip French states that Cronenberg is a "prime exponent" of a subgenre of psychological thrillers, body horror: "stories of terror involving parasites, metamorphoses, diseases, decomposition and physical wounds".[25]
* Brian De Palma – Called a cineaste by Vincent Canby, de Palma is known for his psychological thrillers and horror films influenced by Alfred Hitchcock.[26]
* Alfred Hitchcock – Hitchcock often applied Freudian concepts to his thrillers, as in Jamaica Inn, Rebecca, Spellbound, Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho and Marnie.[27]
* Satoshi Kon – Japanese anime director known for making psychological thrillers, such as Perfect Blue and Paprika.[28]
* David Lynch – His surreal films have inspired the descriptor "Lynchian", which Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly defines as "bizarrely banal, or just plain trippy."[29]
* Christopher Nolan – British-American director whose films deal with the mind, memory, and the line between fantasy and reality.[30]
* Roman Polanski – Described as a "world class director" by Sheila Johnston of The Independent, she states that his reputation was established by his "superb early psychological thrillers".[31]
* Martin Scorsese – American director known for psychological thrillers such as Taxi Driver, Cape Fear and Shutter Island.[32]
* M. Night Shyamalan – Indian-American director known for making psychological thrillers that often have a twist ending in them.[10]
* David Fincher – American director known for his mainstream thriller films with psychological elements including Se7en and Gone Girl.[33]
* Paul Verhoeven – Dutch director known for psychological thrillers that explore obsession, sexuality, and power, often blending provocation with social satire, as seen in Basic Instinct, The Fourth Man (1983 film) and Elle (film).[34]

### Film

* Alice, Sweet Alice[35]
* American Psycho[36]
* Basic Instinct[37]
* Black Mirror: Bandersnatch[38]
* Black Swan[39]
* The Brave One[40]
* Burning[41]
* Cape Fear[42]
* Cat's Eye[43]
* Chronicle
* Climax[44]
* The Conversation[45]
* Cure[46]
* Dead Ringers[47]
* Donnie Darko[48]
* Don't Worry Darling[49]
* Elle (film)[50]
* Enemy[51]
* Eraserhead[52]
* Fatal Attraction[53]
* Fight Club[54]
* The Fourth Man (1983 film)[34]
* Funny Games
* The Game[55]
* Gerald's Game[56]
* Get Out[57]
* The Gift[58]
* Gone Girl[59]
* Goth[60]
* The Handmaiden[61]
* Hard Candy[62]
* Hereditary[63]
* Hider in the House[64]
* The Hitcher[65]
* Horse Girl[66]
* I'm Thinking of Ending Things[67]
* Inception[68]
* Insomnia[69]
* The Jacket[70]
* Jacob's Ladder[71]
* The Lighthouse[72]
* The Machinist[73]
* Martha Marcy May Marlene[74]
* Memento[75]
* Misery[76]
* Mulholland Drive[77]
* Nightcrawler[78]
* Nocturnal Animals[79]
* Obsession[80]
* Oldboy[81]
* Only God Forgives[82]
* Paprika[83]
* Parasite[84]
* Perfect Blue[85]
* Persona[86]
* Pi[87]
* Psycho[88]
* Rashomon[89]
* Rear Window[90]
* Repulsion[91]
* Requiem for a Dream[92]
* The Screaming Skull[93]
* Se7en[94]
* The Shining[95]
* The Silence of the Lambs[96]
* Sisters[97]
* The Sixth Sense[98]
* Shutter Island[99]
* Signs
* Spider[100]
* Stay[101]
* Stoker[102]
* Taxi Driver[103]
* The Thing[104]
* The Third Secret[105]
* Tom at the Farm[106]
* Us[107]
* Vanilla Sky
* Vertigo[108]
* The Woman in the Window

### Television

* Damages[109]
* Dexter[110]
* Dollhouse[111]
* Exile[112]
* The Following[113]
* Hannibal
* Homeland[114]
* Jessica Jones[115]
* Mad Dogs[116]
* Mr. Robot[117]
* You[118]

### Literature

* Humayun Ahmed – Known for a series of Bengali psychological thrillers based on a professor of psychology named Misir Ali, which The Daily Star called unique in Bengali literature.[119]
* Nicci French – The pseudonym of husband-and-wife team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French, authors of eleven best-selling psychological thrillers.[120]
* Patricia Highsmith – Reuters described her psychological thrillers as "intricately plotted" which existed in a "claustrophobic and irrational world".[121]
* Henry James – Known for The Turn of the Screw and other horror stories.[11]
* Jonathan Kellerman – The Baltimore Sun described Kellerman's Alex Delaware novels as "taut psychological thriller[s]".[122]
* Stephen King – John Levesque of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer called Stephen King a "master of the psychological thriller".[123]
* Minette Walters – The Sun-Sentinel stated that Walters has gained a cult following for her "dark, well-constructed psychological thrillers."[124]
* Freida McFadden – The New York Times published an article on "how Freida McFadden Conquered the Thriller Genre." She is one of the most popular and bestselling authors of psychological thrillers with more than 7 million copies sold across ebook, paperback and audio.[125]

### Animated series

* 12 oz. Mouse
* Arcane
* Astronaut
* The Boys Presents: Diabolical
* Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix
* Courage the Cowardly Dog
* Creature Commandos
* Hazbin Hotel
* Helluva Boss
* Invincible
* Knights of Guinevere[126]
* Primal
* Rick and Morty
* Samurai Jack
* South Park
* Velma

### Anime and manga

* Death Note[127]
* Puella Magi Madoka Magica[128]
* Neon Genesis Evangelion[129]
* Tomodachi Game
* Akira
* Beastars
* Classroom of the Elite
* Garo: The Animation
* Ghost in the Shell
* Kakegurui
* Naruto
* Serial Experiments Lain
* Monster
* Blood on the Tracks
* Homunculus
* Psycho-Pass
* Wonder Egg Priority
* BanG Dream! Ave Mujica

### Video games

* Alan Wake – Combines psychological thriller with shooter gameplay.[130]
* Heavy Rain – Time called Heavy Rain a combination of Choose Your Own Adventure and psychological thriller in which players hunt down a serial killer.[131]
* Hotline Miami – An independent top-down game with psychological aspects of crime-thriller genre influenced by several films.[132]
* Silent Hill series as a whole.

## References

1. ↑ Dictionary.com, definition, psychological thriller (definition) , Accessed November 3, 2013, "...a suspenseful movie or book emphasizing the psychology of its characters rather than the plot; this subgenre of thriller movie or book – Example: In a psychological thriller, the characters are exposed to danger on a mental level rather than a physical one....",
2. ↑ Christopher Pittard, Blackwell Reference, Psychological Thrillers, Accessed November 3, 2013, "...characteristics of the genre as 'a dissolving sense of reality; reticence in moral pronouncements; obsessive, pathological characters; the narrative privileging of complex, tortured relationships' ( Munt 1994)..."
3. ↑ "Defining the Thriller Genre in Movies and TV". 5 November 2020. https://nofilmschool.com/thriller-genre-in-movies-and-tv-shows.
4. ↑ Hutchings, Peter (2009). The A to Z of Horror. Scarecrow Press. p. 253. ISBN 9780810870505. https://books.google.com/books?id=N_5DPHOVG7YC&pg=PA253.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Packer, Sharon (2007). Movies and the Modern Psyche. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 87–90. ISBN 9780275993597. https://books.google.com/books?id=CX4goUP_yh0C&pg=PA87.
6. ↑ Bowie-Sell, Daisy (2012-01-23). "John Madden on Psychological Thrillers". Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/starsandstories/9032326/John-Madden-on-psychological-thrillers.html.
7. ↑ Whitney, Erin (2012-11-15). "Gretchen Mol Returns to the Stage in 'The Good Mother'". Backstage. https://www.backstage.com/interview/gretchen-mol-returns-stage-modern-thriller-good-mother/. ""element of a psychological thriller because ... suspenseful feeling of who did what, who's being honest ... about perception...""
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Frey, James N. (2010). How to Write a Damn Good Thriller. Macmillan Publishers. pp. 15–19. ISBN 9781429913638. https://books.google.com/books?id=POPvQNgZYIQC&pg=PA15.
9. ↑ Barton, Steve (2008-05-27). "Six Things that Still Drive Me Psycho". DreadCentral. https://www.dreadcentral.com/story/six-things-that-still-drive-me-psycho.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Breznican, Anthony (2005-08-11). "This Shocking Twist Is ... Secret". USA Today. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-08-11-skeleton-key-main_x.htm.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Taylor, Andrew (2009-01-16). "The DNA of detection". BBC. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7833135.stm.
12. ↑ Santoski, Teresa (2012-08-13). "The Week in Preview: "I am a typed director. If I made Cinderella, the audience would immediately be looking for a body in the coach." – Alfred Hitchcock". The Nashua Telegraph. https://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/971272-196/the-week-in-preview-i-am-a.html.
13. ↑ "Red Herring". 2020. https://literarydevices.net/red-herring/.
14. ↑ Holden, Stephen (2011-04-14). "Romance or Film Noir? Both, and a Thriller". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/15/movies/the-double-hour-italian-thriller-review.html.
15. ↑ Wright, Chris (2011-07-31). "Your Psychological Thriller". Boston Globe. https://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/07/31/your_psychological_thriller/.
16. ↑ Summerscale, Kate (2008-04-04). "The Prince of Sleuths". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/apr/05/featuresreviews.guardianreview29.
17. ↑ Indick, William (2004). Movies and the Mind. McFarland & Company. p. 70. ISBN 9780786480920. https://books.google.com/books?id=kU8B-6Bvb94C&pg=PA70.
18. ↑ Hutchings, Peter (2009). The A to Z of Horror Cinema. Scarecrow Press. pp. 141–143. ISBN 9780810870505. https://books.google.com/books?id=N_5DPHOVG7YC&pg=PA141.
19. ↑ Flint, Peter B. (1980-04-30). "Alfred Hitchcock Dies; A Master of Suspense". The New York Times. https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0813.html.
20. ↑ Anderton, Ethan (2010-05-14). "Brad Anderson Helming an Amnesiac Serial Killer Film 'Jack". FirstShowing.net. https://www.firstshowing.net/2010/brad-anderson-helming-an-amnesiac-serial-killer-film-jack/.
21. ↑ Hutchings, Peter (2003). "The Argento Effect". in Jancovich, Mark; Reboll, Antionio Lázaro; Stringer, Julian et al.. Defining Cult Movies: the Cultural Politics of Oppositional Taste. Manchester: Manchester University Press. pp. 128–132. ISBN 978-0-7190-6631-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=cVVxu6D-ARgC&pg=PA128.
22. ↑ Vilkomerson, Sara (2010-12-10). "Darren Aronofsky: The Swan King". Entertainment Weekly. https://ew.com/article/2010/12/10/darren-aronofsky-swan-king/. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
23. ↑ Morgan, Jason (2008-04-08). "Aronofsky Thrilled by Psychology". Cinema Blend. https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Aronofsky-Thrilled-By-Psychology-8429.html.
24. ↑ French, Philip (2013-03-02). "Stoker – review". https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/mar/03/stoker-chan-wook-review.
25. ↑ French, Philip (2012-02-11). "A Dangerous Method – review". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/feb/12/dangerous-method-david-cronenberg-review.
26. ↑ Canby, Vincent (2004). "Dressed to Kill". in Nichols, Peter M.; Scott, A.O.. The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 9780312326111. https://books.google.com/books?id=55qlWjbs14sC&pg=PA279.
27. ↑ Crowther, Bosley (1941-11-21). "Suspicion a Hitchcock Thriller at Radio City". The New York Times. https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/112141hitch-suspicion-review.html.
28. ↑ de Semlyen, Phil (2010-08-27). "Satoshi Kon Dies At 46". Empire. https://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=28778. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
29. ↑ Jensen, Jeff (2006-12-01). "David Lynch wants to get in your bloodstream". Entertainment Weekly. https://ew.com/movies/2006/12/01/catching-david-lynch/. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
30. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (2010-07-16). "With 'Inception,' Chris Nolan's head games continue". USA Today. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-07-15-inception15_CV_N.htm.
31. ↑ Johnston, Sheila (1995-04-13). "Great Minds Share a Cesspool". The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/great-minds-share-a-cesspool-1615451.html.
32. ↑ "Martin Scorsese" (in en-US). https://www.psychologicalthrillers.net/director/martin-scorsese/.
33. ↑ "The 25 Best Psychological Thrillers of All Time" (in en-US). 2021-01-02. https://collider.com/best-psychological-thrillers/.
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "The 100 Best Films of World Cinema – 93. The Fourth Man". Empire. 23 September 2019. https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/100-greatest-world-cinema-films/.
35. ↑ "Alice, Sweet Alice (1977) - Alfred Sole | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". https://www.allmovie.com/movie/alice-sweet-alice-v1483.
36. ↑ Ahmed, Nafees (2018-08-13). "American Psycho Explained" (in en-US). https://www.highonfilms.com/american-psycho-explained/.
37. ↑ Kohn, Eric (25 November 2014). "How Paul Verhoeven Survived 'Showgirls' and Turned His Back on Hollywood". https://www.indiewire.com/article/how-paul-verhoeven-survived-showgirls-and-turned-his-back-on-hollywood-20151125?page=3.
38. ↑ Taylor, Jasmin. "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, an attempt at innovation or a total fail?". https://standard.asl.org/11679/culture/black-mirror-bandersnatch/.
39. ↑ MacAulay, Alastair (2011-02-10). "The Many Faces of 'Black Swan,' Deconstructed". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/arts/dance/10swan.html.
40. ↑ "The Brave One". 2007-09-30. https://theguardian.com/film/2007/sep/30/thriller.features.
41. ↑ "New Haruki Murakami Adaptation 'Burning' Is A Feverish Psychological Thriller". 2018-10-09. https://adelaidefilmfestival.org/2018/10/new-haruki-murakami-adaptation-burning-is-a-feverish-psychological-thriller/.
42. ↑ "Cape Fear". 1991-11-15. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/capefearrhinson_a0a719.htm.
43. ↑ "Cat's Eye (1985) - Lewis Teague | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". https://www.allmovie.com/movie/v8607.
44. ↑ Bean, Travis. "Exploring The Meaning Of Gaspar Noe's 'Climax'" (in en). https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbean/2019/05/30/existence-is-a-fleeting-illusion-exploring-the-meaning-of-gaspar-noes-climax/.
45. ↑ TheHaughtyCulturist (2020-04-19). "The Conversation (1974) and the art of betrayal" (in en-GB). https://www.thehaughtyculturist.com/films/the-conversation-themes-analysis-explained/.
46. ↑ "Cure (1997) - Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". https://www.allmovie.com/movie/cure-v160659.
47. ↑ "Dead Ringers | Synopsis & Analysis" (in en). https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dead-Ringers.
48. ↑ "Why Donnie Darko Was So Ubiquitous In The Early 00s" (in en-US). 2020-04-15. https://creepycatalog.com/donnie-darko-explained-analysis/.
49. ↑ "'Don't Worry Darling' is a psychological journey for the modern thriller fan" (in en). 2022-09-27. https://dailyiowan.com/2022/09/27/review-dont-worry-darling-is-a-psychological-journey-for-the-modern-thriller-fan/.
50. ↑ Kohn, Eric (25 November 2014). "How Paul Verhoeven Survived 'Showgirls' and Turned His Back on Hollywood". https://www.indiewire.com/article/how-paul-verhoeven-survived-showgirls-and-turned-his-back-on-hollywood-20151125?page=3.
51. ↑ (in en) Enemy, https://a24films.com/films/enemy, retrieved 2021-09-27
52. ↑ Kronberg, Joe. ""Eraserhead" – a surreal and psychological thriller that will keep you guessing". https://jhsblackandwhite.com/eraserhead-a-surreal-and-psychological-thriller-that-will-keep-you-guessing/.
53. ↑ Wiggins, Brent (November 4, 2022). "Fatal Attraction: Why it's Still One of the Best Thrillers After 35 Years". MovieWeb. https://movieweb.com/fatal-attraction-best-thriller-35-years/.
54. ↑ Frazer, Bryant (1999-10-19). "Fight Club" (in en-US). https://deep-focus.com/fight_club_1999_1/.
55. ↑ Evangelista, Chris (7 September 2017). "David Fincher's "The Game" Turns 20 | Features | Roger Ebert" (in en). https://www.rogerebert.com/features/david-finchers-the-game-turns-20.
56. ↑ Leydon, Joe (25 September 2017). "Film Review: Gerald's Game" (in en). https://variety.com/2017/film/festivals/geralds-game-review-stephen-king-1202570269.
57. ↑ "'Get Out' an outstanding, twisted psychological thriller" (in en). https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2017/04/01/get-out-an-outstanding-twisted-psychological-thriller.html.
58. ↑ Ebiri, Bilge (8 August 2015). "The Gift Lives Up to the Term 'Psychological Thriller'" (in en-us). https://www.vulture.com/2015/08/gift-earns-the-term-psychological-thriller.html.
59. ↑ "Gone Girl: what makes Gillian Flynn's psychological thriller so popular?" (in en). 2013-03-19. http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/mar/19/gone-girl-gillian-flynn-thriller.
60. ↑ "Goth (2003) - Brad Sykes | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". https://www.allmovie.com/movie/goth-vm302350417.
61. ↑ Sims, David (2016-10-21). "'The Handmaiden' Is a True Cinematic Masterpiece" (in en). https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/10/the-handmaiden-review/504992/.
62. ↑ "Hard Candy (2005) - David Slade | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". https://www.allmovie.com/movie/v313594.
63. ↑ Hagen, Kate (2019-10-30). "Essential Psychological Thrillers: Mallika Pal on HEREDITARY" (in en). https://blog.blcklst.com/essential-psychological-thrillers-mallika-pal-on-hereditary-3f0fe7ac3c4b.
64. ↑ Variety Staff (December 31, 1988). "Hider in the House". https://variety.com/1988/film/reviews/hider-in-the-house-1200427958/.
65. ↑ "The Hitcher 1986 Captured the Essecnce of Terror on the Open Highway". 20 June 2019. https://wickedhorror.com/horror-reviews/the-hitcher-1986-review-vehicular-terror/.
66. ↑ "Horse Girl Explained - What really happened" (in en). 18 April 2020. https://www.thisisbarry.com/film/horse-girl-ending-explained-director-netflix-movie-meaning/.
67. ↑ Kohn, Eric (2020-09-04). "Charlie Kaufman's Guide to 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things': The Director Explains Its Mysteries" (in en). https://www.indiewire.com/2020/09/charlie-kaufman-explains-im-thinking-of-ending-things-1234584492/.
68. ↑ "Inception: Making Christopher Nolan's Psychological Action Epic". 18 August 2020. https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/inception-making-christopher-nolan-psychological-action-epic/.
69. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Insomnia movie review & film summary (2002) | Roger Ebert" (in en). https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/insomnia-2002.
70. ↑ "The Jacket (2005)". March 4, 2005. https://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film186063.html.
71. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Jacob's Ladder movie review & film summary (1990) | Roger Ebert" (in en). https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jacobs-ladder-1990.
72. ↑ Randi Altman (2019-11-25). "Director Robert Eggers talks about his psychological thriller The Lighthouse" (in en-US). https://postperspective.com/director-robert-eggers-talks-about-his-psychological-thriller-the-lighthouse/.
73. ↑ Oksenhorn, Stewart (7 December 2004). "'The Machinist': a haunting psychological thriller" (in en-US). https://www.aspentimes.com/news/the-machinist-a-haunting-psychological-thriller/.
74. ↑ "Martha Marcy May Marlene – review" (in en). 2012-02-05. http://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/feb/05/martha-marcy-may-marlene-review.
75. ↑ "Film Advent Calendar: Memento is a psychological thriller that finds the perfect way to tell its story | The Northern Quota". 22 December 2018. https://thenorthernquota.org/entertainment/film-advent-calendar-memento-psychological-thriller-finds-perfect-way-tell-its-story.
76. ↑ "Misery (1990) - Rob Reiner | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". https://www.allmovie.com/movie/misery-v32861.
77. ↑ "Mulholland Drive at 20: David Lynch's audacious puzzle remains a mystery" (in en). 2021-10-12. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/oct/12/mulholland-drive-at-20-david-lynch-audacious-puzzle-remains-a-mystery.
78. ↑ Gelbart, Bryn (2021-08-13). "Movies Like Nightcrawler Psychological Thriller Fans Need To See" (in en-US). https://www.looper.com/487633/movies-like-nightcrawler-psychological-thriller-fans-need-to-see/.
79. ↑ "Nocturnal Animals - Understanding That Ending" (in en). 29 March 2017. https://www.thisisbarry.com/film/nocturnal-animals-2016-movie-plot-ending-explained/.
80. ↑ cinephiliabeyond (2016-05-02). "'Obsession': When De Palma Stepped Out of Hitchcock's Shadow • Cinephilia & Beyond" (in en-US). https://cinephiliabeyond.org/obsession-de-palma-stepped-hitchcocks-shadow/.
81. ↑ La, Christina (2020-10-21). "4 Korean Psychological Thriller Movies To Watch This Spooky Season". https://www.kpopfoods.com/blogs/thesauce/korean-psychological-thriller-movies.
82. ↑ "Only God Forgives" (in en). 22 May 2013. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1602613/.
83. ↑ Brei, Elizabeth (2020-05-28). "Paprika: 5 Reasons Why It's The Perfect Psychological-Thriller Anime (& 5 Better Alternatives)" (in en-US). https://www.cbr.com/paprika-best-psychological-anime-alternatives/.
84. ↑ Stringfellow, Jonathan. "Parasite: Home Invasion on a New Psychological Level". https://uproarcsu.com/entertainment/parasite-home-invasion-on-a-new-psychological-level/.
85. ↑ Kurland, Daniel (2021-11-06). "Perfect Blue: 10 Ways It's Still The Perfect Psychological Horror Movie" (in en-US). https://www.cbr.com/perfect-blue-perfect-psychological-horror-anime/.
86. ↑ cinephiliabeyond (2017-01-19). "'Persona': Ingmar Bergman's Psychological Masterpiece as the White Whale of Critical Analysis • Cinephilia & Beyond" (in en-US). https://cinephiliabeyond.org/persona-ingmar-bergmans-psychological-masterpiece-white-whale-critical-analysis/.
87. ↑ Rutherford, James (2019-06-08). "'Pi': A Brilliant Psychological Thriller From the Mind of Darren Aronofsky" (in en). https://www.brooklynfilmfanatic.com/post/___pi.
88. ↑ "How Alfred Hitchcock film 'Psycho' changed horror forever" (in en-US). 2021-06-16. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-alfred-hitchcock-psycho-changed-horror-forever/.
89. ↑ Welch, Alex (2025-10-19). "The 7 Best Psychological Thrillers on HBO Max in October 2025" (in en-US). https://www.thewrap.com/best-psychological-thrillers-on-hbo-max-october-2025/.
90. ↑ cinephiliabeyond (2016-05-11). "'Rear Window': Hitchcock's Cinematic Exploration of Voyeurism Disguised as a Top-Notch Thriller • Cinephilia & Beyond" (in en-US). https://cinephiliabeyond.org/rear-window-hitchcocks-cinematic-exploration-voyeurism-disguised-top-notch-thriller/.
91. ↑ "Repulsion" (in en). https://www.criterion.com/films/404-repulsion.
92. ↑ "Jared Leto Was Never The Same After Requiem For A Dream" (in en). 21 March 2022. https://www.slashfilm.com/805861/jared-leto-was-never-the-same-after-requiem-for-a-dream/.
93. ↑ "The Screaming Skull (1958) - Alex Nicol | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-screaming-skull-vm1093765.
94. ↑ "Seven (Se7en)" (in en-US). https://www.psychologicalthrillers.net/movie/seven/.
95. ↑ "Why 'The Shining' is the best psychological horror film" (in en). 5 May 2016. https://www.yourclassical.org/story/2016/05/05/shining-best-psychological-horror-film.
96. ↑ Goyal, Sarthak (2016-07-09). "'The Silence of the Lambs': The Quintessential Psychological Thriller" (in en-US). https://thecinemaholic.com/the-silence-of-the-lambs/.
97. ↑ Rickey, Carrie. "Sisters: Psycho-Thriller, Qu'est-ce Que C'est?" (in en). https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/5994-sisters-psycho-thriller-qu-est-ce-que-c-est.
98. ↑ "The Sixth Sense". http://www.filmcritic.com.au/reviews/s/sixth_sense.html.
99. ↑ Meyer, Joshua (2021-09-17). "Shutter Island Ending Explained: Scorsese's Psychological Thriller Delivers A Masterful Twist" (in en-US). https://www.slashfilm.com/607850/shutter-island-ending-explained-scorseses-psychological-thriller-delivers-a-masterful-twist/.
100. ↑ "Spider : Production Notes". https://www.cinema.com/articles/2016/spider-production-notes.phtml.
101. ↑ "'Stay' for a clever visual strategy". https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/stay-2005#google_vignette/.
102. ↑ "Stoker: A Tale of Female Maturescence with a Tinge of Hitchcock | Re:Views Magazine". 12 December 2018. http://reviewsmagazine.net/stoker-a-tale-of-female-maturescence-with-a-tinge-of-hitchcock/.
103. ↑ "Taxi Driver" (in en-US). https://www.psychologicalthrillers.net/movie/taxi-driver/.
104. ↑ Greene, Vincent (2020-03-25). "The Thing (1982): Suspense-filled, Psychological Horror at Its Savage Best | 25YL" (in en-US). https://horrorobsessive.com/2020/03/25/the-thing-1982-suspense-filled-physcological-horror/.
105. ↑ "The Third Secret". British Film Institute. https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150054205.
106. ↑ "Why you should watch: 'Tom at the Farm'" (in en). 2018-04-03. https://www.sbs.com.au/movies/article/2018/04/03/why-you-should-watch-tom-farm.
107. ↑ Emma (2019-03-22). ""Us" Review: A Terrifying Awesome Psychological Thriller" (in en-US). https://www.fanbolt.com/95440/us-review-a-terrifying-awesome-psychological-thriller/.
108. ↑ Tomastik, Joseph (2022-04-03). "Vertigo (Review): Hitchcock's Perfect Descent into Madness" (in en-US). https://loudandclearreviews.com/vertigo-review-alfred-hitchcock-film-1958/.
109. ↑ McNamara, Mary (2007-07-24). "This lawyer earns her fee". Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jul-24-et-damages24-story.html.
110. ↑ Barney, Chuck (2008-02-15). "There will be blood on CBS via 'Dexter'". San Jose Mercury News. https://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8270130.
111. ↑ "Fox takes chances with Fringe, Dollhouse". 2008-07-14. http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=03978317-3343-471e-bda1-9b1a059003e9&sponsor=.
112. ↑ "Exile, BBC One, final episode, preview". Daily Telegraph. 2011-05-03. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8489426/Exile-BBC-One-final-episode-preview.html.
113. ↑ Ng, Philiana (2013-01-21). "'The Following': Natalie Zea Previews Fox's Psychological Thriller From Kevin Williamson". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/the-following-natalie-zea-claire-414083. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
114. ↑ Levin, Gary (2011-09-29). "At heart of 'Homeland' is a psychological thriller". USA Today. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/LIFE/usaedition/2011-09-29-Homeland-feature--_ST_U.htm.
115. ↑ Boone, John (2015-11-20). "Everything You Need to Know Before Binge-Watching Marvel and Netflix's 'Jessica Jones'". Entertainment Tonight. https://www.etonline.com/news/176457_everything_you_need_to_know_about_marvel_jessica_jones.
116. ↑ de la Fuente, Anna Marie (2011-08-31). "DirecTV Latin America nabs 'Mad Dogs'". https://variety.com/2011/tv/news/directv-latin-america-nabs-mad-dogs-1118042039/.
117. ↑ Eyerly, Alan (2015-05-29). "TV Preview Wealth disparity, hackers and cyber threats in 'Mr. Robot'". Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-ca-st-tvpreview-robot-20150531-story.html.
118. ↑ "Netflix Thriller 'You' Is Part Gone Girl, Part American Psycho And It's Back For A Second Season". GQ. January 14, 2019. https://www.gq.com.au/entertainment/film-tv/netflix-thriller-you-is-part-gone-girl-part-american-psycho-and-its-back-for-a-second-season/news-story/b142bd459d6607c7989802d1a41daeab.
119. ↑ Feroze, Towheed (2012-07-28). "The night of eternal stars is yours . . .". The Daily Star. https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-243794.
120. ↑ Unsworth, Cathi (2011-07-13). "Blue Monday by Nicci French – review". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jul/13/blue-monday-nicci-french-review.
121. ↑ "Patricia Highsmith; U.S. Mystery Novelist". Los Angeles Times. Reuters. 1995-02-05. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-02-05-mn-28288-story.html.
122. ↑ Korbren, Gerri (1992-01-26). "Private Eyes". Baltimore Sun. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1992-01-26-1992026078-story.html.
123. ↑ Levesque, John (2002-01-24). "Stephen King's miniseries makes about as much sense as our traffic". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. https://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Stephen-King-s-miniseries-makes-about-as-much-1078330.php.
124. ↑ Cogdill, Oline H. (1997-03-23). "Homeless, Home to Die". Sun-Sentinel. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1997-03-23-9703180293-story.html.
125. ↑ Alter, Alexandra (2024-06-22). "How a Boston Physician Conquered the Thriller Genre". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/22/books/freida-mcfadden-thriller-best-seller.html.
126. ↑ Lang, Jamie (30 August 2025). "Dana Terrace's 'Knights of Guinevere,' The First 2D Series From Glitch Productions, Drops One Of The Year's Best Trailers". https://www.cartoonbrew.com/streaming/dana-terrace-kights-of-guinevere-glith-productions-253527.html.
127. ↑ jeager32 (2014-04-02). "Death Note: Gold Standard for Psychological Thriller Anime" (in en). https://stompcomp.wordpress.com/2014/04/01/death-note-gold-standard-for-psychological-thriller-anime/.
128. ↑ "Madoka Magica: Beginnings May Be Better Than the Series". October 9, 2012. https://kotaku.com/madoka-magica-beginnings-may-be-better-than-the-series-5950073.
129. ↑ Han, Karen (2021-08-13). "Why Neon Genesis Evangelion Is One of the Greatest Anime Ever Made" (in en). https://slate.com/culture/2021/08/evangelion-explained-streaming-netflix-amazon-prime.html.
130. ↑ Lammers, Dirk (2010-06-01). "'Alan Wake' combines psychological thriller with shooter". North Jersey Media Group. Associated Press. https://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/95293559_Fear_the_dark__Alan_Wake.html.
131. ↑ John, Tracey (2009-12-29). "Choose Your Own Adventure in Psychological Thriller 'Heavy Rain'". Time. https://techland.time.com/2009/12/29/choose-your-own-adventure-in-psychological-thriller-heavy-rain/. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
132. ↑ "'Hotline Miami' takes players on an acid trip into a realm of depravity" (in en-US). 2014-09-03. https://www.popoptiq.com/hotline-miami-takes-an-acid-trip-into-a-realm-of-depravity/.

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