Thriller Directors

As part of my research into the thriller genre, I have conducted some research into some famous thriller directors.

Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Hitchcock was born in England, in August 1899, and died in April 1980. As a film director and producer, he pioneered what are now very famous techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. For this, he gained the title “Master of Suspense” in the film world. He had an incredibly successful career in British cinema and was known as England’s best director. After this success, he moved to Hollywood in 1939. Some of Hitchcock’s most recognisable trademarks in film are using camera movement that mimics a person’s gaze, and framing shots to maximise anxiety, fear or empathy. 3 of his top rated films are: ‘Rear Window’, ‘Psycho’ and ‘Vertigo’.

Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg was born in Ohio, America, in 1946, and is a director, producer and screenwriter. Spielberg is seen as one of the most popular directors in film history, and viewed as one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era. His work spanned many genres, and he has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice, and was nominated another five times. The combined gross of the films he has directed makes him the highest grossing director in history, with the total topping $9 billion worldwide. 3 of his top rated films are: ‘Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark’, ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ and ‘Jaws’. Spielberg’s films are often produced by Universal Studios.

James Cameron

James Cameron was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1954, and is a filmmaker, director, producer and screenwriter. His first successful film was “The Terminator”, and after this success, he became a popular Hollywood director. Cameron directed ‘Titanic’ and ‘Avatar’, which are the two highest grossing films of all time, and he holds the achievement of being the director of 2 out of the 3 films in history that have grossed over $2 billion worldwide. As a director, his films have grossed approximately $6 billion worldwide. For ‘Titanic’, he won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing. The studio which often produces Cameron’s films is 20th Century Fox. 

Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino was born in Tennessee, America, in 1963, and is a director, screenwriter, producer and actor. Some recognisable characteristics of Tarantino’s films are non-linear storylines, satirical subject matter and aestheticization of violence. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay twice, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director twice, too. Tarantino’s use of graphic gore and violence has proved controversial and he has been criticised for using it in ‘an entrancing yet simultaneously impulsive way’. The director says that a  hallmark office films is getting the audience to laugh at things that are not funny, with a difference sense of humour in each of his films. 3 of his top rated films are: ‘ Pulp Fiction’, ‘Kill Bill: Volume 2’ and ‘Reservoir Dogs’.