Westerns is one of the oldest genres in cinematic history, yet some people forget how versatile it can be. From classical westerns like The Searchers and Red River, to Spaghetti westerns like Django and They Call Me Trinity, to even “anti-westerns” such as McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Little Big Man.

Much like its subgenres, westerns can also be quite flexible on which viewing experience you want. Many have the bloody shootouts and music fuelled showdowns you crave. Some have deeper meanings and rely on breath-taking performances. This list explores 10 great classics westerns that everybody should see, yet maybe have been over looked in the past.

1. Sacred Ground (Charles B. Pierce, 1983)

In 1861 Oregon, a mountain man and his Native American wife come across a half-built cabin and decided to make it their home. With some work, they finish the cabin, without realizing that it sits on a scared Paiute burial ground. After a burial party violently collides with the couple, the wife is left wounded whilst in the middle of childbirth. The mountain man decided to take action by stealing a Paiute woman (who had recently lost a baby) to help him with his new born baby.

Written and directed by Charles B. Pierce, the film battles with cultural heritage, land rights and the argument of modernization versus traditional values. Charles B. Pierce shoots the film beautifully, using the vast Oregon landscape as his film set. At times, the film has such spectacular shots, that one can easily put it up with any of John Ford’s spectacular frames. The film holds many familiar faces within its casting, such as Tim Mclntire and L.Q Jones. The film definitely leaves you with a lot to think about in terms of how westerns have changed and the different routes the genre has gone through, but the original Native American revenge type storyline is what keeps the film memorable.

2. Rustler’s Rhapsody (Hugh Wilson, 1985)

Tom Berenger stars as the fast drawing, guitar playing, singing cowboy hero, Rex O’Herlihan. His character is quite obviously and deliberately based on the Hopalong Cassidy cowboy character and many of Roy Rodger’s too. Rex is a character who has lived and starred in many serial matinee films, he just doesn’t know it…Yet. When he begins to learn that somehow, he always wins every gun fight, he saves every town he rides into, and always rides off into the sunset with victory, he begins to understand somethings up.

The film is written and directed by Hugh Wilson. After the success of Police Academy, Wilson was given the green light to make whatever he wanted, and a heavily meta, slightly spoof of 40’s westerns was exactly what he wanted. The film also has a stellar supporting cast with Andy Griffith as the corrupt Colonel, G. W. Bailey as his drunk sidekick, Sela Ward as the Colonel’s daughter and Marilu Henner as the saloon girl. The film is very much a comedy, with similar humour reminiscent of Police Academy, but its parody elements are where the film excels. The film doesn’t just parody westerns for laughs, it understands them so much to the point that it uses the parody to move the story forward. The film loves and respects westerns, from the serial matiness of the 40’s, to Spaghetti Westerns.

3. Man of the West (Anthony Mann, 1958)

Gary Cooper stars as Link Jones, a former outlaw who finds himself abroad a train that gets assaulted by his old gang. In order to protect civilian’s lives he agrees to go along with the criminals for one last job. The film is written by Will C. Brown and Reginald Rose, being directed by legendary director, Anthony Mann.

Man of the West delivers one of Gary Cooper’s greatest westerns performances. Cooper charms us throughout the film, as well as humouring us with his comedic skills, yet we’re also dragged into his dark side through his criminal backstory haunting him. The film received great reviews in France, especially by a young (at the time) critic, named Jean Luc Goddard. The film has a stellar supporting cast including Lee J. Cobb, Julie London and Arthur O’Connell. The film is surprisingly sad and violent. Mann focuses on each death and its murderer as Cooper’s inner demons torture him throughout the film.

Man of the West isn’t the greatest western ever made, nor is it Mann’s best. Some may consider Mann’s Winchester ’73, or Cimarron higher in their “Mann Western” list, but Man of the West is definitely one that lingers in your mind after viewing it. Whether it be the extraordinary wide shots of the west, or Cooper and Cobb’s performances, it’s definitely a western to remember.

4. Ulzana’s Raid (Robert Aldrich, 1972)

Upon receiving news that the Apache warrior Ulzana (Joaquín Martínez) has gathered a group for war and departed the reservation, the American army assigns veteran tracker Mclntosh (Burt Lancaster) and Apache Ke-Ni-Tay (Jorge Luke) to guide a young, naive and biased lieutenant (Bruce Davidson) and his men in pursuit to find Ulzana. Challenged by the foreign terrain, the cavalry faces a difficulty from stopping the angered Apaches from causing havoc in thoughtless acts of violence, reflecting years of mistreatment and agony.

Written by Alan Sharp, the film has a strong exciting set up that doesn’t disappoint throughout. With the help of the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Gene Siskel, the film has now been regarded as one of the best and underrated westerns. The film has an anarchic and lawless view which is obvious in almost every frame and facial expression by the characters. Lancaster’s character is worn out, he’s jaded, tired and Lancaster excels in projecting this throughout.

The film’s subtle (or not so subtle) subtext of America’s involvement in the Vietnam war gets clearer as the film moves on. As the men in the film head out to find Ulzana, one can’t help but think of the American soldiers treading through Vietnam fighting the Viet Cong. Like most of his films, Ulzana’s Raid promises great performances by equally great actors, thrilling scenes and leaves you with something to think about.

5. The Tin Star (Anthony Mann, 1957)

Henry Fonda stars in yet another great Anthony Mann western, as the tough gunslinger, Morgan Hickman. Morgan is a tough, yet responsible gunslinger, but even that is put on the line when he wanders into a small town where the local lawman has been murdered. That’s where he finds the temporary Sherriff, Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins) who seems to be struggling in the role. Morgan decides to toughen Ben up and teach him his exceptional gun skills in hoping to make him an effective Sherriff the town can respect.

The real jewel of the film is the relationship between the Henry Fonda and Anthony Perkins. The contrast between the two characters: Fonda being a strong yet weary gunslinger and Perkins a fresh minded yet naïve young man, is perfect. The film was written by Barney Slater, Joel Kane and Dudley Nichols, and quite surprisingly (at the time) received an Oscar nomination for its screenplay. The film is also exceptionally shot by the great cinematographer Loyal Griggs who shot certain magnificent looking classics such as White Christmas, The Ten Commandments, The Greatest Story Ever Told and In Harm’s Way.

Thrillers come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from films like Shadow of a Doubt to The Silence of the Lambs. Thrillers are interchangeable, sometimes dipping their toes in other genres such as action, horror, mystery, fantasy and western. But one thing any great thriller should have, is the audience’s attention. An effective thriller needs to be able to grab the audience from the get go, then it can decide whether to put the viewer through a two-hour nightmare or let it burn slowly until it’s climactic final scenes.

This list focuses on thrillers that perhaps the neutral occasional film viewer may never have come across. These films are rarely in the conversation of “best thrillers”, let alone be anybody’s favourite films as they get lost and forgotten the moment the words “The Godfather” or Kubrick are brought into conversation.

Whether the films on this list had poor marketing, or were released in the shadow of a heavy hitter, or for some reason (blame the uncertainty of film fate) just didn’t hit audiences as intended, they still remain great thrillers and deserve attention.

1. Breakdown (Jonathan Mostow, 1997)

Kurt Russel stars as Jeff Taylor, a man from Boston who’s travelling to California with his wife Amy (Kathleen Quinlan), in their new Jeep Grand Cherokee. Somewhere in New Mexico, they almost collide with a rough pickup truck driven by an equally rough driver. Later, at a gas station, the driver of the same pickup truck confronts Jeff, who although attempts to remain cool, retaliates with hostile words. The couple then resume their journey until their Jeep breaks down on a vacant road. Amy accepts a ride from a passing trailer truck to a nearby diner to call for help as Jeff stays with the Jeep. With closer inspection, Jeff discovers that someone (most probably the angered truck driver) has tampered with the car’s battery. Upon fixing them, Jeff drives to the diner, only to discover that Amy is in fact not there, and not only that, but no one has seen her…That is when the film truly begins its crazy course.

The film was co-written by Sam Montgomery and Jonathon Mostow, as well as being directed by Mostow. From the moment that Jeff arrives at the diner and discovers Amy’s disappearance, an imaginary countdown begins as the film becomes tenser, more uncomfortable and twisted. Like a true nightmare, it unfolds in ways you don’t expect and just keeps going until the very end. Not only that, but it’s filled with flawless acting from Russel himself, J.T Walsh, M.C Gainey, Jack Noseworthy and Kathleen Quinlan.

2. A Perfect Murder (Andrew Davis, 1998)

Michael Douglas stars as Steven Taylor, successful Wall Street financier who discovers that his wife is having an affair with David, an artist (Viggo Mortensen). After investigating him and following him around, Steven offers David a large amount of money to kill her in a perfectly planned revenge scheme…But if you’ve watched Hitchcock’s 1954 Dial M for Murder, which this film is based on, then you know it’s not going to be perfect.

The screenplay was written by Patrick Smith Kelly, based off Frederick Knott’s play Dial M for Murder. The film was directed by Andrew Davis who also directed the hit film, The Fugitive 5 years prior. Much like its predecessor, the film excels through its twists and turns caused by its incredibly well written characters. Michael Douglas shines as he always does, but its villainous roles like this that really show audiences how great of an actor he is. With films such as Wall Street and Falling Down, he’s no stranger to throwing away his good guy face and putting on his equally charming yet deadly mask.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen both alert the audience that they’re part of the new face of Hollywood actors that are going to rule cinema in the upcoming years. With Great Expectations and Shakespeare in Love being released in the same year as A Perfect Murder, Paltrow was rapidly moving up to stardom, ultimately winning an Oscar in the following year. Mortensen had a similar situation to Paltrow, in the 90’s he had solid roles in equally solid films such as Boiling Point, Carlito’s Way and Crimson Tide, and eventually reach stardom with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings in 2001.

3. A Perfect World (Clint Eastwood, 1993)

Set in 1963, Texas, Robert “butch” Haynes (Kevin Costner) escapes prison with Terry Pugh (Keith Szarabajka) and they both break into a suburban house ala The Desperate Hours. The house they break into belongs to a devout Jehovah’s Witness woman with three children. As things get heated, mainly due to Terry’s animalistic and violent urges, the two prisoners flee the house after taking one of the young children, the eight-year-old Phillip (T.J Lowther) with them to aid their escape. The trio soon becomes a duo when Butch kills Terry after attempting to harm the boy. With the dead weight gone, Butch and the young boy hit the road.

The film was written by screenwriter/director John Lee Hancock and directed by the great Clint Eastwood who also stars as Texas Ranger Red Garnett who attempts to hunt Butch down. The film excels in everything that ultimately makes a great thriller drama: It has a range of excellent performances, from Eastwood himself to Costner, to Laura Dern and even the young T.J Lowther.

It also has many greatly written set pieces and scenes full of tension and drama. But what really makes it special, is that it has heart…Something that some filmmakers are weary of adding to their thrillers. But it doesn’t deviate the tension or the lower the stakes or make the action scenes any less exciting. Instead, it makes you care about the characters, even when you shouldn’t. Not only it makes you care, but it makes you remember them.

The tender friendship that Butch has with Phillip is so beautiful and delicate that it’s contrasted with the thriller and at times violent surrounding. The film ultimately projects a cycle of love and father figures (or lack of). Garnett cares for Butch, just like he cared for him years before when he arrested him for petty theft, he doesn’t want to see Butch dead or behind bars, and Butch cares for this fatherless boy he’s gotten to know.

4. Revenge (Tony Scott, 1990)

Revenge is one of Tony Scott’s films that stand out in his filmography. The film is one of his most violent, dirty yet sexy, and at times, very Peckinpah influenced. Scott takes away the glam from previous films like Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop 2 and True Romance, and leaves us with a gritty sun soaked but blood-stained thriller. The film follows retired US Navy pilot, Jay Cochran (Kevin Costner), who travels to Mexico to hang out with his successful yet corrupt businessman friend, Tibey Mendez (Anthony Quinn). That’s where he meets the beautiful Miryea (Madeleine Stowe), Tibey’s wife. As the two begin an affair, Tibey discovers this and sets out to get revenge on both of them.

The film has many plot points and turns, and much like most of Scott’s films, they never have a dull moment. The film feels sweaty, it makes the viewer anxious and the scenes unravel in the most entertaining ways. The film almost feels like a mix of Sam Peckinpah and Walter Hill, in the best of ways.

5. Cop Land (James Mangold, 1997)

Sylvester Stallone stars as Freddy Heflin, the Sheriff of Garrison, New Jersey, a town populated by New York City police officers, mainly led by Lt. Ray Donlan (Harvey Keitel). But when he discovers exactly how corrupt the town is, he forms a plan to expose the very people you’re supposed to trust. The film is written and directed by James Mangold, being one of his most personal films as he based the location on his own hometown of Washingtonville, New York, a town which most of its residents were retired or current working police officers.

The film is filled with great actors and equally great performances from Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, Robert Patrick, Michael Rapaport, Frank Vincent, Peter Berg, John Spencer, Cathy Moriarty and many, many more. But if there is a shining star in the film, it has to be Stallone, and not only due to his performance, but due to the fact he needed a role like this desperately. The 90’s were proving difficult for him, and with flop after flop, he needed a hit as bad as his character needed justice. It’s clear in the film, that struggle, that motivation in the third act, it’s the character but it’s also Stallone fighting back, letting the world know he’s back.

The film unfolds in exciting ways, never having a dull moment as its laced in thrilling action set pieces just as much as cleverly written dialogue heavy scenes. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is how much backstory and baggage the characters in the film not only have, but drag with them in every scene. In some scenes, the tension is so thick, it’s so awkward that its uncomfortable to watch…And that’s what makes it stand out.

By 1957, Life magazine called the 1950’s “the horrible decade” for Hollywood. This didn’t change for the first part of the 1960s. Major studios were pumping millions into aging historical epics and musicals such as Hello Dolly! Cleopatra and King of Kings. With the rise of the French New Wave, Japanese cinema and Spaghetti Westerns making a splash in the US, audience members (mainly the youth) were demanding something new from Hollywood. Something they could find meaning, something that had artistic value, something like Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow Up, a film with full-frontal nudity and distorted narrative structure. Or something like Bonnie and Clyde…

Arthur Penn’s crime film was the one that really knocked on Hollywood’s door step to say “out with the old, in with the new”. Soon, films like Midnight Cowboy, The Graduate, The Wild Bunch, Faces, The Trip and Easy Rider weren’t just filling movie theatres, but they were making money, creating a whole new brand of stardom, but also winning Oscars…New Hollywood was born.

The 1960’s remains one of, if not, the most important and significant decade of film history. This list explores 10 great films from 60s that are sometimes overlooked or underrated compared to heavy hitters.

1. The Swimmer (Frank Perry, 1968)

Burt Lancaster stars as Ned Merrill, a successful ad man who visits his friend in suburban Connecticut. When he notices the large amounts of backyard swimming pools in the area, Ned decides that he’d like to make his way back home by swimming across every pool in town. As Ned swims in each pool, he’s confronted with a reminder of his failures. The story was based on the 1964 short story of the same name by John Cheever, which appeared in the July 18, ’64 issue of The New Yorker. The screenplay was written by Eleanor Perry and directed by her husband, Frank Perry.

Although not smashing any box office records, or gaining any memorable praise from critics from the time, in recent years the film has gained cult film status. Roger Ebert described the film as “a strange, stylized work, a brilliant and disturbing one”. Vincent Canby in The New York Times wrote: “although literal in style, the film has the shape of an open-ended hallucination. It is a grim, disturbing and sometimes funny view of a very small, very special segment of upper-middle-class American life”.

Burt Lancaster is no stranger to great performances, but his portrayal of Ned, a man who attempts to keep a smile on his face, no matter how many times he’s reminded of his regrets and failures, is truly breath-taking. His large, broad, manly appearance, his charismatic manners and speech, is all just a mirage leading to the final devastating scene. The Swimmer is one of those films where the premise seems quite simple yet you stay for the character, and then you’re truly starstruck by its climax.

2. Two Thousand Maniacs! (Herschell Gordon Lewis, 1964)

Three Yankee couples are lured into the small Southern town of Pleasant Valley for a Centennial celebration. The trip takes a dark bloody turn when the residents begin killing the tourists one by one, as revenge for the town’s destruction during the Civil War. The film was written and directed by “The Godfather of Gore”, Herschell Gordon Lewis, a term given to him due to his ruthless exploitation films. The film stars 1963 Playboy Playmate Connie Mason, who also starred in another one of Lewis’ bloody horrors, Blood Feast, the year before.

The film was one of the first to introduce audiences to the “Southern Gore” and “Hicksploitation” sub-genres of films: the device which saw Northern outsiders stranded in the rural South who are then violently murdered by malignant, backwoods Southerners. The film was incredibly influential on Tobe Hooper’s classic horror, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as well other films such as Deliverance, Eaten Alive and The Hills Have Eyes.

What makes the film quite special is that they shot it in the small town of St. Cloud, Florida, and had the entire town’s residents participate in the film as actors and extras. This gave the film that extra authenticity which added to the “fish out of water” storyline that the characters from up North were experiencing.

The film was heavily cut by the MPAA for its release which resulted in it hardly being screened across the country. Instead, the film mostly played at drive-in theatres and did considerably well, especially in the Southern states. The crude, gory violence is what makes the film special. It starts off as a positive trip, full of laughter, fun, celebration and that stereotypical Southern hospitality. Then, it soon turns into a violent nightmare of vengeance. What really makes the film horrifying, is the way the Southern characters act. They’re rarely angry, or show their emotions of revenge. Instead, they follow out their violent plan with a smile, containing their hospitality.

3. Point Blank (John Boorman, 1967)

After being double-crossed and left for dead, a ruthless gangster named Walker (Lee Marvin), swears revenge as he goes on a violent journey to retrieve the money that was taken from him. The script was written by Alexander Jacobs, David Newhouse and Rafe Newhouse, and was based on the 1963 crime noir pulp novel The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake (as Richard Stark).

The film was met with good reviews upon its release. Legendary film critic, Pauline Kael, wrote “A brutal new melodrama is called Point Blank, and it is…intermittently dazzling”. Roger Ebert also praised the film, giving it three out of four stars and said “as suspense thrillers go, Point Blank is pretty good”.

The film stood out in 1967 as it experimented with various styles and techniques. It blended film styles such as film noir and French New Wave as well as having a broken time-line due to the novel having a non-linear structure. The film also plays with narrative rhythm as it has long quiet scenes suddenly juxtaposed with bursts of violence. Boorman and Marvin worked very closely on the film, with equal parties coming up with ideas on how to shoot scenes and which visual metaphors to use.

The film has been an inspiration for many other movies and filmmakers, most notably Steven Soderbergh, who did the commentary on the DVD release of Point Blank. You can see many similarities in style, character and use of Los Angeles with Point Blank and Soderbergh’s The Limey. Brian Helgeland’s Payback, starring Mel Gibson was also based on the novel, The Hunter, although wasn’t as ground-breaking or critically acclaimed as Point Blank.

4. The Big Gundown (Sergio Sollima, 1966)

Lee Van Cleef stars in this Spaghetti Western as retired bounty hunter, Jonathan “Colorado” Corbett, on the hunt for a ruthless Mexican peasant, Cuchillo (Tomas Milian), who is accused of raping and killing a 12-year-old girl. Thinking it’s going to be an easy task; Corbett finds himself in more of a struggle than he thought as Cuchillo seems to be one step ahead of him. As the story progresses, Corbett discovers certain truths and revelations that change the motivation of his journey.

The film was directed by Italian exploitation director, Sergio Sollima, known for films such as the mafia flick The Family starring Charles Bronson, police thriller Revolver starring Oliver Reed, and Spaghetti Western Face to Face starring Tomas Millian and Gian Maria Volontè. The script was penned by Sollima and Sergio Donati, who wrote the Sergio Leone films For a Few Dollars More, Once Upon a Time in the West and A Fistful of Dynamite. He then went on to write and work on some heavy hitters in the 80s such as Raw Deal, Renegade and Man on Fire.

The film’s twists and turns are satisfying yet expected with both the genre and the filmmakers, but what really makes the film special is the on-screen relationship Lee Van Cleef and Tomas Millian have. Millian’s juvenile and despicable behaviour matched with Cleef’s strict, straight faced, determination creates a two-man brand that could have worked wonders in comedies similar to that of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer’s.

The film’s secret sauce that really makes it stand out is its score, composed by the great and irreplaceable, Ennio Morricone. The score is emotional, yet grand and thrilling. Morricone’s contribution to not only westerns but films of all genres, was and will be forever unmatched. He could boost a film’s quality up to ten just by simply adding some of his masterful themes into a scene.

Although The Big Gundown isn’t the greatest Spaghetti Western ever made, it sure is one of the most entertaining and satisfying to watch, especially when you have Lee Van Cleef at the top of his game, dominating the screen.

5. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (Paul Mazursky, 1969)

Bob (Robert Culp) and Carol (Natalie Wood) are a trendy hip Los Angeles couple who begin having an open relationship due to them both having affairs. Attempting to take it further, they try to involve their uptight friends Ted (Elliot Gould) and Alice (Dyan Cannon) into their relationship. The film was penned by Larry Tucker, known for Alex in Wonderland and I Love you, Alice B. Toklas! As well as Paul Mazursky who also directed the film.

Mazursky is one of the crucial directors that led the New Hollywood movement with films such as Alex in Wonderland, Blume in Love, Harry and Tonto, Next Stop Greenwich Village and An Unmarried Woman. In both his writing and directing, Mazursky marvelled in capturing the late 60s, early 70’s hippie rebellion as well as the opposite side who didn’t understand it, which is exactly what the characters in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice share. Bob and Carol are open to the hippie movement, open to trying new things and exploring the new age of meditation and mindset. Yet, Ted and Alice have a minor stiff upper lip that prevents them from doing the same.

Like most of Mazursky’s work, the film has a good amount of humour which works in most of the actor’s favour, such as Gould who would act in the ground-breaking, Oscar worthy comedy M.A.S.H the following year. Although criticised at the time, the film’s ending is really what ties the film together. The audience gets to a place near the end of the film where it’s expecting the obvious outcome, yet it doesn’t deliver, but deep down, the audience is glad it doesn’t. With a nod to Fellini’s 8 ½, the film’s ending uses Jackie DeShannon performing Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love”, in the most elegant way.

What makes Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice a uniquely great film, and especially that of the 60s, is it understands the complex moral confrontation that Americans in the age group of the film’s characters have. Similarly, to The Graduate, the film decides to show this in a comedy, which deep down dramatizes it in a way far more superior than if you were to strip the humour away.

Heist films have been around since ever since the creation of film and cinema. Edwin S. Porter’s 1903 silent film The Great Train Robbery is the earliest example of heist films. George Fitzmaurice and Harry d’Abbadie d’Arrast’s 1930 pre-code film Raffles, was the first film that was able to be classed as a “heist” film, working in the “heist” subgenre.

One thing is clear, heist films have always been, and always will be thrilling. It’s about breaking the law, the gamble of either walking away rich, or having your life end. It’s about the planning, the stakes, the risks, the location, the products, the life afterwards…The disguises!

Whether it be banks, jewellery, artwork, cars, or poker games, audiences have made their love of the subgenre clear. Past and future filmmakers have, and always will, attempt to reinvent the subgenre, to break it down, dare to look at it in a way no one else has before them. Ultimately, it’s a full proof formula, and when done well, it’s an exciting piece of cinema.

Though nowhere near enough to jam all of the greats into one list, here you can find at least 20 of the greatest heist films ever made, ranked from great to greatest!

20. Out of Sight (Steven Soderbergh, 1998)

George Clooney stars as the charismatic bank robber who escapes prison and meets the ruthless female marshal, Jennifer Lopez. Things take a turn when he kidnaps her and they start falling for each other. Steven Soderbergh returns from his first hit, Sex, Lies & Videotapes, to remind audiences that he is the man to look out for when it comes down to crime capers…A few years later with the release of Ocean’s Eleven, not a single soul would doubt him.

The screenplay was written by Scott Frank, based on Elmore Leonard’s 1996 crime novel of the same name. The film cast also includes Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Dennis Farina, Nancy Allen, Steve Zahn, Catherine Keener, Albert Brooks and a special cameo by Michael Keaton, who reprises his role as Ray Nicolette from Tarantino’s Jackie Brown, another Elmore Leonard adaptation. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing and also led to a short-lived TV spinoff series in 2003 titled Karen Sisco.

19. Bottle Rocket (Wes Anderson, 1996)

Before the big budget, star filled, aesthetically dominant films of Wes Anderson hijacked movie theatres. A smaller, more personal yet powerful Wes Anderson film existed…Bottle Rocket. In one of the greatest directorial debuts strewn from a 13-minute short, Bottle Rocket tells the story of three friends who plan to pull off a simple robbery and go on the run.

The film introduced the Wilson brothers to the world, playing two goofy wannabe criminals staging a bunch of sloppy robberies across Texas. The film although probably at the bottom of some people’s Wes Anderson or even “heist” film lists, is a great example of staying true to your vision and telling the story you want to tell. Like most of his later films, the film has a great balance of comedy, witty dialogue, emotion and perfectly written characters that make you want to keep watching the film purely for them.

18. The Italian Job (Peter Collinson, 1969)

Michael Caine stars as Charlie, a Cockney ex con just released from prison who learns of his friend’s failed heist in Italy. Soon after, Charlie can’t help himself but attempt to do the heist himself. The film written by Troy Kennedy Martin and directed by Peter Collinson, has a great cast including English gentleman Noel Coward, comic Benny Hill, Raf Vallone, Tony Beckley and Margaret Blye. The soundtrack is also masterfully crafted by Quincey Jones.

Upon its release the film was a success, earning critical acclaim for its performances. The film is praised for its portrayal of late 60s British culture, becoming a cult symbol of British films. The climactic car chase, the cliff-hanger ending, and the use of the iconic red white and blue Mini Coopers are all valid reasons why The Italian Job stood out at the time, but also now.

17. Drive (Nicholas Winding Refn, 2011)

Drive catapulted Danish arthouse director Nicholas Winding Refn to Hollywood and international acclaim. The film’s style and aesthetic choices even led to a stylistic change in the decade, as retro/synthwave music became popular in later films, TV and commercials.

Ryan Gosling stars as an unnamed Hollywood stunt driver as well as a mechanic who moonlights as a getaway driver. Like a Samurai, Gosling’s character is the best at what he does by following a strict work ethic and set of rules. Things change when he forms a bond with his neighbour, a single mother (Carrey Mulligan) and her son Benecio (Kaden Loss). When the kid’s father, Standard (Oscar Isaac), is released from prison, he asks the getaway driver to help him get out of trouble with the mob. As you can guess…The so called “easy” heist doesn’t go as planned.

The film is a stylish yet at times gritty look into the criminal underworld of present Los Angeles. The nameless protagonist has echoes of past neo-noir characters such as Alain Delon’s character, Jef Costello in Melville’s Le Samouraï, Ryan O’Neal’s also unnamed character in Walter Hill’s The Driver and De Niro’s character, Travis Bickle, in Scorsese’s Taxi Driver.

16. Inside Man (Spike Lee, 2006)

Spike Lee directs this masterful and intelligent thriller which focuses on what happens inside the bank during the heist, as much as outside. A detective (Denzel Washington) attempts to negotiate with the leader of a bank robbery which soon turns into a hostage situation. The film holds an excellent cast such as Jodie Foster, Clive Owens, Willem Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Christopher Plummer.

The filmmaking is just as smart as the heist itself. With subtle editing and decoys in dialogue, the film manages to pull of its climactic twist just like a perfect magic trick, blowing all of our minds and forcing us to rewatch the film over and over again.

15. Thief (Michael Mann, 1981)

Michael Mann directs this classic neo-noir thriller as highly skilled jewel thief, Frank (James Caan), wishes to leave his crime filled life behind in order to settle down with his girlfriend, Jessie (Tuesday Weld). With only one last big score to do, Frank teams up with powerful Chicago gangster Leo (Robert Prosky). Things take a turn when Leo wants to keep Frank working for him due to his speciality, but Frank has other things in mind.

Written and directed by Michael Mann, the film remains a heavy hitter with a stellar supporting cast including Willie Nelson, Dennis Farina and James Belushi. The film is dark, gritty, and relies heavily on Caan’s performance which is one of his best. Caan has a desperation yet relentlessness about him as Frank. You can see it when he’s at work cracking safes, to when he attempts to open up to his girlfriend. The film not only reminded audiences in ’81 that Caan was a star, but that Hollywood had a new crime expert director ready to shake things up and his name was Mann.

14. The Getaway (Sam Peckinpah, 1972)

Convict Doc McCoy (Steve McQueen) is in his fourth year of a ten-year prison sentence. Sleazy Jack Beynon (Ben Johnson) scores him an early release in return for helping him with a bank robbery. Of course, the robbery doesn’t go as planned, so Doc is forced to go on the run across the border to Mexico with his wife (Ali MacGraw).

The film is the second collaboration between McQueen and director “bloody Sam” Peckinpah, the first being Junior Bonner. It’s an exciting ride through the sweaty, greasy and dangerous Texan underworld, with a script penned by Walter Hill based on Jim Thompson’s 1958 novel of the same name. The film leads us towards a climactic hotel shootout where Peckinpah can’t contain himself any longer, as he gives us the big bloody poetic mess Peckinpah fans crave.

13. The Town (Ben Affleck, 2010)

In a brutal and lean opening scene a group of Boston thieves rob a bank and hold the assistant manager, Claire (Rebecca Hall), hostage. Things take a turn, becoming far too complicated than expected when one of the crew members, Doug (Ben Affleck) falls in love with Claire. The Town is Ben Affleck’s second directed film after Gone Baby Gone. This film is really where Affleck shined as not only a director, but a director capable of also simultaneously delivering an excellent in a lead role. His next film, Argo, would go onto win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

The film has a strong cast including Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Pete Postlethwaite, Titus Welliver and Chris Cooper. The film takes us on an uncomfortable at times journey through Boston’s criminal underworld, finishing with a climactic heist attempt at Fenway Park. The film draws from other Boston-set crime movies such as The Boondock Saints, The Departed, Mystic River and most importantly, The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

12. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid (George Roy Hill, 1969)

Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) are two, at times goofy, free-spirited leaders of their Hole-In-The-Wall Gang. Though, when their plan to rob a bank goes wrong (surprisingly!) the two split away from their gang and flee to the only place Butch can think of…Bolivia. The film was written by screenwriting legend William Holden and directed by equal legend, George Roy Hill.

The film’s significance is hard to put into words without writing a twenty-page essay, but it was released in 1969, a time where New Hollywood had already invaded movie theatres, and Butch Cassidy was exactly the type of film audiences wanted to see. It was also one of the first “anti-westerns”, a sub-genre that was born in the mid 60s that described films set in the western setting, yet didn’t hold any of the conventions or share the same values that classic westerns did. The Wild Bunch, Little Big Man, The Shooting, McCabe & Mrs. Miller and El Topo are all examples of the “anti-western” subgenre. Ironically, Henry Hathaway’s classic western True Grit also came out in 1969 and gained a Best Actor Oscar for John Wayne. Though the Best Picture award went to a separate cowboy film that year, a cowboy film Wayne couldn’t believe was even allowed to be screen in theatres, let alone be nominated…Midnight Cowboy.

11. Point Break (Kathryn Bigelow, 1991)

FBI agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) begins infiltrating a group of surfers that are believed to be a gang of bank robbers by Utah’s older partner, Pappas (Gary Busey). Things take a turn when Utah is introduced to the charismatic and almost God-like leader of the surfers, Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). Written by Rick King and W. Peter Iliff (with some rewrites done by James Cameron), the script was directed masterfully by Kathryn Bigelow.

The most exciting part of writing a heist film, isn’t the actual heist, it isn’t the planning, or the getaway…It’s figuring out what the robber’s disguise is going to be. Will it be a pair of pantyhose? A balaclava? Hockey masks? Point Break chooses to go with their criminals’ wearing masks of past presidents, but what will they call themselves when they’re in character, robbing banks? You guessed it… “The Dead Presidents”.

The 1970s were a transformative decade for film, marked by innovative filmmakers and ground-breaking experiments. The decade is now widely celebrated for its significant contributions to the film-making craft, characterised by pushing boundaries in both storytelling and film-making techniques. Perhaps reflecting the cultural zeitgeist, the films became more thought provoking and socially conscious, with crime standing out as a genre of particular interest.

This list details 10 crime films of the 70s that are often overlooked but exemplify exactly why this decade is still so highly revered today.

1. The Long Goodbye (Robert Altman, 1973)

Elliot Gould plays Phillip Marlowe, a chain-smoking private detective who gives his friend Terry (Jim Bouton) a ride to Tijuana, Mexico. On his return, he becomes dangerously intwined in a murder mystery, accused of acting as accomplice (needs more). Adapted from Raymond Chandler’s 1953 novel of the same name, the screenplay was penned by Leigh Brackett who previous adapted The Big Sleep (1946), another Chandler classic, for the big screen. The film also features Sterling Hayden, Nina van Pallandt, Mark Rydell, Henry Gibson and a very early role from a young Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Long Goodbye received mixed reviews upon its release, mostly due to the modernisation of Marlowe’s character who has been carefully crafted by Brackett, Altman and Gould. One critic, Charles Champlin from the Los Angeles Times wrote “The problem is that the Altman-Brackett Marlowe … is an untidy, unshaven, semiliterate, dim-wit slob…”. However, acclaimed critic Pauline Kael praised the film, and hailed Gould’s performance as “his best yet”. Retrospectively, the film has been elevated to the status of cult classic, Gould’s interpretation of Marlowe is praised for breaking the mould set by his predecessors. Altman’s perspective on 70s L.A culture has influenced many modern films such as Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice.

The “Neo-Noir” genre was birthed on the sleazy contemporary streets of the 1970s, saying goodbye to the clean-cut, fast-talking smoothness of the 1940s. Films like Night Moves, Klute, The Late Show, Farewell My Lovely and the 1975 version of The Big Sleep, were all heavily influenced by, and adapted from, film noirs of the 40’s. Neo-noir saw the introduction of homosexuality, pornography, nudity and highly dangerous situations and rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the dead ‘noir’ genre.

The film, although an adaptation, truly becomes its own separate entity. Shot by Vilmos Zsigmond on the hazy streets of L.A, the film toys with the original source material adding smart, comedic elements and an audacious surprise ending for a “Marlowe” picture.

2. Rolling Thunder (1977)

When Maj. Charles Rane (William Devane) returns home after years in a Vietnam POW camp, he’s celebrated as a hero and awarded silver coins for his devoted service. Soon after, a gang of ruthless thugs invade his home for the coins and after brutally destroying his hand, they leave him and his wife and son for dead. Unfortunately for them, Rane survives and swears revenges. The film features Linda Haynes, James Best and a stern Tommy Lee Jones. Written by Paul Schrader, many directors turned down the opportunity to take on the project (including John Milius, who had gone so far as to proclaim it as Schrader’s best work) finding the material to be too dark. The script eventually landed in the capable hands of John Flynn.

The film was met with mixed reviews, with many seeming to agree that the ‘extreme’ violence and the climactic ending negatively affected the overall experience. Now, however, the film is praised for exactly those reasons. Quentin Tarantino famously cites the film as one of his favourites, even naming his production company, Rolling Thunder Pictures, after the film.

Like many films of the era, Rolling Thunder raises complex questions about heroism, the fragility of the human psyche, and the violent power of unbridled rage. Although most of the film centres on Maj. Rane’s journey of revenge, one of the most poignant and thought-provoking sequences is Rane’s attempt to reconnect with his son after years of being subjected to relentless violence in the POW camp and dealing with the effects of potential PTSD, these delicate scenes provide a glimpse into what many soldiers must have been dealing with after returning home from the Vietnam war.

3. Charley Varrick (1973)

Don Siegel directs this early 70’s bank heist thriller which follows a small-time crook (Walter Matthau) after he robs a bank with the help of his wife and a young friend. The bloody robbery results in a very large pay-out but tensions rise when they realise the money they’ve stolen belongs to the mob who send out a merciless hitman (Joe Don Baker fresh from the set of Walking Tall) to retrieve the money. Adapted from the novel, ‘The Looters’ by John H. Reese, the script was penned by Dean Riesner and Howard Rodman. Riesner was a frequent collaborator with Clint Eastwood, having worked on the films such as Play Misty for Me and High Plains Drifter. The cast of Charley Varrick includes Felicia Farr and Andy Robinson, the latter of whom is best known for playing twisted serial killer “Serpico” in Siegel’s 1971 film Dirty Harry.

A game of cate and mouse ensues between the cunning Varrick and the menacing hitman, Molly. Playing against his usual comedic type, this movie marked the first of four consecutive films that Matthau starred in that were not comedies. Charley Varrick explores the themes of survival and greed, highlighting the deadly consequences of desperate criminality. No matter the genre, Don Siegal masterfully creates atmospheric worlds in which his characters struggle with paranoia, disorientation and suffocation. Charley Varrick is no exception, its gritty portrayal of the criminal underworld and its intelligent exploration of the themes previously mentioned makes for a captivating watch.

Full of twists leading up to it’s climactic ending, Charley Varrick hits every mark for being a smart, action packed, engaging and mysterious crime film, worthy of recognition as one of the greats.

4. Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974)

After learning that his teenage daughter is pregnant with Alfredo Garcia’s child, a powerful Mexican rancher, known only at ‘El Jefe’ (The Boss), offers a $1 million bounty to whomever brings him Garcia’s head. Two hitmen clad in smart business attire visit Bennie, an American working as a bar manager and pianist in a Mexico City, in the hopes of discovering Garcia’s location. Bennie plays dumb and lies to the main, claiming not to know Garcia. After learning of Garcia’s death, Bennie devises his own plan to bring the head of Garcia to El Jefe himself and take the bounty as his own.

The film was directed by “Bloody” Sam Peckinpah, a nickname awarded to him for his abundant and unabashed use of violence throughout many of his films. After the commercial failure of his previous film, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia was shot on location in Mexico with a considerably low budget. Born from an idea of Peckinpah’s long-time screenwriting friend, Frank Kowalski. Peckinpah began writing the film whilst simultaneously shooting The Ballad of Cabal Hogue followed by Straw Dogs, in England. Amongst the cast are Robert Webber and Gig Young as the two well-dressed American hitmen and Kris Kristofferson also makes an appearance a ruthless biker, going against his usual good-guy roles in a shockingly disturbing scene.

A critical and commercial failure at the time, the film has now gained a cult resurgence in the time since its release as well as influencing the work of other filmmakers. Famed director of photography, Roger Deakins has stated that Alfredo Garcia provided visual inspiration whilst he worked on No Country for Old Men. The film has also been referenced in many films such as in Chevy Chase’s Fletch, Demolition Man, and Jim Reardon’s parody cartoon Bring Me the Head of Charlie Brown.

The film is a rough neo-western with romance and morals and a wicked sense of humour. The mission of trading the head for money tells us all we need to know about the characters morals and the reality of the environment they live in. Alfredo Garcia forces you to root for the protagonist despite his obvious faults but his persistent objective, no matter how dark, immoral or straight up disgusting, is what keeps the movie pushing forward. No Peckinpah film would be complete without a slow-motion shoot-out and Alfredo Garcia certainly doesn’t disappoint.

5. The American Friend (1977)

Dennis Hopper plays Tom Ripley, a wealthy American living in Hamburg who is involved in an elaborate forget art scheme. Ripley agrees to take part in a murder plot and when ordered to find a potential assassin he suggests Jonathan (Bruno Ganz), a picture framer dying from cancer. Jonathan is desperate to leave his wife and young son an inheritance and reluctantly accepts the dangerous job. However, Jonathan’s inexperience in killing for hire means that the job quickly goes wrong.

The character of Tom Ripley was Patricia Highsmith’s genius creation and is the protagonist of many of her novels. Wim Wenders, being a fan of Highsmith, wanted to adapt one of her novels. However, the rights to the novels Wenders originally wanted had already been sold, Highsmith offered him an unpublished manuscript of Ripley’s Game which thus became The American Friend. The cast includes performances from several film directors, such as, Gérard Blain, Nicholas Ray, and Samuel Fuller.

Wenders masterfully delves into the psychological complications of the characters while studying the consequences of moral compromise. The cinematography creates an almost spy-like intrigue as locations range from Hamburg, Paris and New York. Hopper carves out his unique version of Tom Ripley that differs greatly from other iterations of the character. Actors such as Alain Delon and Matt Damon, who played Ripley in Purple Noon and The Talented Mr Ripley respectively, portrayed Ripley closer to the original source material. Whereas Hopper, looking like Germany’s personal Marlboro Man complete with Cowboy hat, portrays an older, jaded Ripley. Under Wenders careful direction the audience is invited into the troubled and complex mind of the character as he confides his thoughts and secrets into a tape recorder. Alone, always.

The film is a beautifully shot neo-noir that consistently asks fascinating questions concerning morals, fear and death itself. The dying protagonist, turning to crime in a desperate attempt to provide for his family, could potentially be considered a predecessor to the infamous character of Walter White from Breaking Bad.

Many films utilise a tight 24-hour time-frame to create a sense of urgency and intensity by depicting events happening (as close as possible) in real-time. Examples of this technique has been used in many genres such as: romance, comedies, drama and westerns. However, some of the most energetic, gripping and exciting stories held within 24-hours are in the thriller genre.

1. Falling Down (Joel Schumacher, 1993)

William ‘D-Fens’ Foster (Michael Douglas) is an ordinary man frustrated with the defects he sees in society. One morning while he’s stuck in a traffic jam, he abandons his car in frustration and embarks on a violent mission to his ex-wife’s house. Robert Duvall plays Martin Prendergast, an LAPD department sergeant who, on the day of his retirement, attempts to track Fosters down. The film was penned by Ebbe Roe Smith, an actor mostly known for his roles in Turner & Hooch and The Big Easy. It was directed by the late Joel Schumacher, who with early films such as St. Elmo’s Fire and The Lost Boys, proved himself to be a unique yet commercially viable Hollywood director.

The supporting cast includes Tuesday Weld in a truly captivating performance as Duvall’s neurotic wife. The film was shot in Los Angeles in the spring of ’92 in the midst of the L.A riots. Many of the themes the film explores were similar to issues going on in 90s Los Angeles. Beyond the cameras, the city had also reached its boiling point and lashed out in violent anger, much like William Foster’s explosive rage. The film takes place over a few hours, from morning to afternoon. Forster travels on foot across L.A, adding to the hot, claustrophobic tension the film creates.

Falling Down has quasi-Kafkaesque elements as Foster encounters surprising characters and unfortunate situations on his violent journey. This is highlighted in a tense scene in which Foster seeks refugee in a leather goods store only to discover that the owner is far more dangerous than him. The film was a critical and box office success with many critics, such as Roger Ebert and Peter Travers, praising Michael Douglas’ performance. The actor himself went on to state that this was one of his favourite roles to date.

Foster’s meltdown can be read in several ways. He embodies elements of the ‘racist white male’ stereotype, as most of the people affected by his actions are people of colour. The writer of the film suggests that, “it represents the old power structure of the U.S. that has now become archaic, and hopelessly lost. For both of them, it’s adjust-or-die time”. A simple yet melancholic reading is that Foster is a sad, bitter soul beyond help. His rampage unplanned and sloppy, he wanders through the film just as confused as the people he’s affecting. Summed up perfectly in the films iconic climax when Foster mutters somewhat bewilderedly to himself, “I’m the bad guy?”.

2. Collateral (Michael Mann, 2004)

In this neo-noir crime thriller, Jamie Foxx plays Max, an L.A cab driver who finds himself the hostage of hitman Vincent (Tom Cruise). Max struggles to find ways to stop Vincent who forces him to drive him from hit to hit. The critically acclaimed script was written by Stuart Beattie, who came up with the idea for the film at only 17 years old when travelling home by taxi from Sydney airport and imagined a hitman riding a taxi from hit to hit.

Director Michael Mann is no stranger to the thriller genre, having directed atmospheric hits such as Thief, Manhunter and Heat. Mann takes the audience on a claustrophobic roller-coaster of increasingly tense scenes. The taxi is an unwitting player, the central tool used to imprison Max within this dangerous game. Comparison can be drawn with the Taxi driven by Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, which shows him the unsightly streets on New York. Collateral’s supporting cast includes Jada Pinkett Smith, Javier Bardem, and Mark Ruffalo as an undercover L.A.P.D detective hot on Vincent’s tail.

Two cinematographers shot Collateral, Paul Cameron and Dion Beebe. There’s a sense of desperation in the night time shots of Los Angeles. Much like the night time scenes in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, the streets are dark and desolate. At times it seems apocalyptic, shots of the taxi cruising through vacant streets add to the film’s anxious atmosphere and highlight the hitman’s limited time frame. This is juxtaposed with scenes featuring overcrowded settings such as a hospital, a nightclub, and a jazz bar.

The film was a critical and box office success, gaining Foxx and editors Jim Miller and Paul Rubell Oscar nominations. Collateral is full of exciting action set pieces, even in the quiet moments, the dialogue and performances create a nail-biting experience. Essentially the film seems like a conversation between Cruise and Foxx. They argue on morals and motives, each character attempting to understand the other, yet deep inside knowing they never will.

3. Training Day (Antoine Fuqua, 2001)

Jake (Ethan Hawke) is a rookie cop on his first day as a Los Angeles narcotics officer. He’s paired up with Alonzo (Denzel Washington), a rough yet seasoned detective who isn’t what he appears to be. The impressive supporting cast includes Tom Berenger, Scott Glen, Harris Yulin, Eva Mendes, Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg. The film was written by David Ayer who, the same year at Training Day, had another of his scripts made into a box office success, The Fast and the Furious. Ayer’s most noticeable trademark is his focus on criminal stories set in Los Angeles. Dark Blue, S.W.A.T., Harsh Times, and End of Watch all explore criminals and the police department in L.A.

The film was directed by Antoine Fuqua, a successful music video director who has since directed many big budget Hollywood films such as The Equaliser and The Magnificent Seven remake. Authenticity was significantly important for Fuqua when directing the film. He managed to shoot on location in L.A’s toughest gangland neighbourhoods, as well as having an L.A based gang technical advisor. Fuqua even hired real-life “Bloods” and “Crips” gang members for several scenes.

Ethan Hawke delivers an energetic performance as the rookie cop who comes to terms with his own morals and ethics in his attempt to bring justice against Alonzo. However, Denzel Washington truly steals the show in his portrayal of Alonzo. An intelligent and marvellous yet corrupt detective, his performance is breath taking from start to finish. The character of Alonzo is loosely based on Rafael Pérez, a real-life L.A narcotics. Pérez was involved in many scandals including the infamous Rampart scandal in the late 1990s. Washington grew a beard to psychically emulate Pérez’s appearance and spent countless of hours studying L.A.P.D detectives.

One cannot watch the film without thinking of Rodney King, the ’92 riots or the O.J. Simpson chase. It’s so true to its environmental history and perspective of the L.A.P.D. The film is a non-stop ride through the city’s violent streets with the most dangerous characters being the guide. Training Day not only succeeds in being a stylish yet gripping thriller but it also puts a spotlight on personal morals, justice, corruption and power.

4. Rope (Alfred Hitchcock, 1948)

Moments before hosting a dinner party with their friends, Brandon Shaw (John Dall) and Phillip Morgan (Farley Granger) strangle their friend to death with a rope. They hide the body in a chest and place a buffet dinner on top. They welcome in their guests including the victim’s parents, his fiancée (Joan Chandler), and their college professor (James Stewart). The film is an adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s 1929 play of the same name.

The film was directed by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Shot in 1948, this was his first Technicolour film as well as being the first of his and Sidney Bernstein’s Transatlantic Picture productions. The film is technically impressive as it takes place in real-time and is cleverly shot and edited to appear to be one continuous take. Naturally, due to the camera’s capacity, the film comprises of 10 takes, not including the opening credits. Hitchcock cleverly captures the anxiety and suspense by submitting to the idea that less is more. The film is almost entirely set in the living room of a Manhattan apartment, the cast is extremely limited and there’s minimal cuts which forces the audience to stay strictly in the world of the characters.

Just like most of his thrillers, Hitchcock constantly hints at the film’s essential drama through the camera. The audience is reminded of the dead body in the chest throughout the film. Hitchcock’s blocking adds to the tension as he directs characters to approach the chest, at times coming close to even opening it. The chest becomes a character in itself.

Shaw and Morgan’s motive for the murder isn’t revenge, jealousy or a sudden burst of anger. It derives from Nietzsche’s ‘Übermensch’, a concept that their professor, Rupert Cadell had used hypothetically. Essentially, the two students believe they have the right to murder someone that isn’t as superior as they. The film delves into themes such social inequality, sadism and the dangers of misreading one’s words.

5. Speed (Jan De Bont, 1994)

Keanu Reeves stars as an L.A.P.D. SWAT bomb disposal officer who must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a public bus, if the speed of the city bus drops under 50 mph, the bomb will be detonated. The film was penned by Graham Yost and was cinematographer Jan de Bont’s directorial debut. Jan de Bont shot many successful action movies before taking on the directorial roles in The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard and Basic Instinct.

Sandra Bullock stars as Annie, a passenger on the city bus, who takes over the driving after the bus driver is injured. Dennis Hopper delivers a menacing performance as Howard Payne, an extortionist bomber, who has already crossed paths with Keanu Reeve’s character. The supporting cast includes Jeff Daniels as Keanu’s partner, Joe Morton as L.A.P.D. Captain McMahon, and Alan Ruck who offers comedic relief as an annoying, out-of-his-depth tourist. The film was a box office success, remaining number 1 until Mike Nichols’ Wolf. It also did wonders critically; Roger Ebert gave the film 4 stars and praised its exciting action scenes.

Due to the film’s nail-biting opening scene, the film isn’t technically set over 24 hours. However, from the moment Reeves discovers the bomb on the bus, the film hits the gas, accelerating through suspenseful scenes and action set pieces, which take place over the course of a few hours. The film is one of those rare action films, much like Die Hard, where all of the components work brilliantly together. The dialogue is quick and witty, the characters are believable and likeable, the action is exhilarating and after watching it, you can easily understand why it’s a 90’s classic.