Notable Thriller Directors

Alfred Hitchcock
Most well-known for his film-noir and suspense/psychological thriller films, Hitchcock directed over 50 films during his career, with his peak being during the 1950s. Some of his most famous films include Vertigo (1958), Psycho (1960) and North by Northwest (1959). Hitchcock was known as 'The Master of Suspense' as he used this element all the time in his films to create tension for audiences. Typical plot devices of his are placing an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances; or using mistaken identity where characters are falsely accused. Charming or sympathy-evoking villains are also a convention of Hitchcock's. Although Hitchcock's work is from the 20th century, it offers some inspiration for the thriller genre and may have influenced many other directors' work in the past.

David Fincher
Also a well-known thriller director, Fincher's work includes Gone Girl (2014), Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011). He began his career by directing television adverts and music videos, and his first feature film was Alien 3 (1992) which was not received well by film critics. Despite this film's unsuccessful reception, Fincher released Se7en years later to much more success. A typical feature of his films is his confusing camerawork: as Fincher likes to be heavily involved with computer-generated imagery post-production, the camerawork is often difficult to tell apart from hand-held, motion-controlled or CGI. Close-ups and extreme close-ups are also typical of Fincher.

Christopher Nolan
Though Nolan is famous for other films as well as his thrillers, the thriller films he has directed have been incredibly successful. Memento (2000) and Insomnia (2002) are perhaps his most notable thrillers, as they achieved success in both the box office and reviews. The unique narrative of Memento meant that the film was raved about, some even stating that the script was 'the most innovative ever seen.' Nolan also directed the Dark Knight series, and these films have made him one of the highest grossing directors in history. He admits his influence from the film-noir genre, and his work often features a protagonist who is psychologically damaged and/or out for revenge. He uses hand-held cameras and shots such as point-of-view shots to convey realism and let the audience become immersed. 

Jonathan Demme
Demme directed a number of comedy and drama films, but the work he is most well-known for is the famous psychological thriller Silence of the Lambs (1991). This film was one of the only films to win Academy Awards in all 5 top categories, and the first 'horror' film to ever win 'Best Picture'. Demme also directed 2 episodes of the TV crime drama The Killing and the drama Philadelphia (1993) featuring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington.