There are several reasons why you might not need to see a film again. One reason may be that it was such rubbish that you struggled to get to the end. Another may be that the film affected you so deeply that you do not need to watch it again. Or it grips you so much that you watch it again, or just certain parts of it. The best psychological films are exactly this type of film.
Why do psychological films grip us so much? Why are they able to affect us so deeply that we remember the feelings we had while watching them as if we had seen the film yesterday (even though it may have been several or even dozens of years ago)? Film in general is a medium that draws people in, much like theatre does. And psychological films draw people into the story more than any other kind. Viewers often find themselves reflecting on the plot of the film. They may even ask themselves questions such as ‘What would I do?’ or ‘What would I think about this behaviour?’.
Many questions like these, and others, come to mind when we watch films with a psychological plot. They often involve following the thoughts of a criminal, or a search for oneself. If you want to make this search, or your life, a little easier, take a look at our article. Sometimes even we are caught off guard by how the story develops. The most common type of psychological film is the psychological thriller, which combines a psychological film with a thriller. Their shared features are themes dealing with human nature, physical experiences and mental processes, combined with suspense.
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Table of contents
The best psychological films
In this article, we bring you the best psychological films of all time. You will find films released quite a long time ago (as far back as 1960), as well as films from more recent years (2010). It was not easy to choose these seven films for you. After a long debate, our editorial team agreed on these particular films.
SE7EN (1995)
The American thriller Se7en (Se7en or Seven in the original English) was made in 1995 and directed by David Fincher. The film was nominated for an Oscar. The lead roles were played by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. However, it was not originally meant to be that way. The role of Detective Mills was first offered to Denzel Washington, who turned it down, saying the film was far too dark and frightening (he later regretted his decision). Morgan Freeman’s role was not originally meant to be his either. Fincher chose Al Pacino for the role of Agent Somerset. He also turned the role down.
The film tells the story of two detectives investigating a series of murders inspired by the seven deadly sins. The number seven runs through the whole film. The house numbers at the start of the film begin with the digit seven. Detective Somerset’s metronome ticks seven times. The fateful delivery arrives at 7:07, and the name John Doe also has seven letters. Se7en certainly ranks among the best psychological films of all time.
PSYCHO (1960)
Psycho was made in 1960. It was directed by the world-famous director Alfred Hitchcock, who was inspired by a novel by Robert Bloch. Something unusual happened after this film was made. When a film is based on a book, the book is often of much higher quality and more fully developed than the film adaptation. With this film, it was the other way round. The book is much weaker than the film version (it was certainly not one of the best-selling books).
The film tells the story of Marion. Marion is a young woman who steals a large sum of money from her employer and then flees the city. While on the run, she stops for the night at a motel. This proves fatal, as she is murdered at the motel. The rest of the film is about solving this mysterious murder. Marion’s sister Lila and her lover Sam join the search. Searching for her missing sister almost costs Lila her life. Who is the mysterious killer of her sister Marion?
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST (1975)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a film from 1975. It is an American film, but its director was the Czech-born Miloš Forman. The film was based on Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Jack Nicholson gave a fantastic performance in the lead role. The original candidates for the role of McMurphy were James Caan, Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman. The film was nominated for nine Oscars in total. In the end, it won five of them, including the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Jack Nicholson) and the Oscar for Best Director.
The film tells a story set in a psychiatric hospital. Professional card player Randall Patrick McMurphy pretends to be mentally ill to avoid a prison sentence. He looks forward to enjoying a quiet and peaceful life in the hospital. This idea is shattered by the methods of the despotic nurse Mildred Ratched, who rules the ward with an iron fist. McMurphy tries to bring the apathetic men back to life. His next plan is to escape from the hospital with one of his fellow inmates. Will he succeed? Or will he stay trapped in the hospital forever?
BLACK SWAN (2010)
Another film that ranks among the best psychological films is Black Swan. It is an American film directed by Darren Aronofsky. The lead roles in this hugely successful and controversial film were played by Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis. The film won one Oscar, for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Natalie Portman). Natalie Portman started preparing for her role in this film a whole year before filming began. She says she regularly trained for up to fifteen hours a day and was at the end of her strength by the time filming finished. Black Swan can also be seen as a somewhat dark motivational film about the power of the mind.
The psychological thriller Black Swan is set in the world of New York ballet. The main character is the ballerina Nina, who has devoted her whole life to dance. Her mother Erica, with whom Nina lives, plays a major role in her life. Erica is a former prima ballerina. Her dancing dreams were never fully realised, so she at least supports her daughter. The whole story revolves around a new premiere of Swan Lake. Nina is set to replace the current prima ballerina. However, a new ballerina, Lily (played by Mila Kunis), appears on the scene. How will this battle for the lead role end? Will Nina become a true black swan?
THE CREMATOR (1969)
Yes, even the 1968 Czechoslovak film by Juraj Herz can rank among the best psychological films of all time. Proof of the film’s quality is its submission for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category for 1969 (unfortunately, it did not make it to the nominations). At the Catalan international film festival, Rudolf Hrušínský Jr. received an award for his lead role in the film. Stanislav Milota also won an award there for best cinematography. The Cremator is one of the so-called “vault films” (that is, films banned by the communist regime).
The main character of this film is crematorium worker Karel Kopfrkingl. The film is based on the novella of the same name by Ladislav Fuks. The whole story focuses on the psychology of the main character. At the beginning, Mr Kopfrkingl is a respectable family man. By the end of the film, he becomes a twisted murderer of his beloved family and a member of the NSDAP. What drove an ordinary crematorium worker to turn into a monster?
FIGHT CLUB (1999)
When it was released, critics called Fight Club the most controversial film of its time. It only became a cult film after its release on DVD. The film was directed by David Fincher, who based it on Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel. The lead roles were played by Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter. Fincher is known for his evocative portrayal of violence in his films, and Fight Club is no exception.
The film’s main character, referred to as “He” (Jack), has trouble sleeping. He is not happy with his life. He feels that his life has been programmed by society, without any spontaneity or emotion. So he starts attending group sessions with people who are seriously ill. He feeds off their suffering, and this becomes his cure for insomnia. At that moment, two more people enter his life. Some say the director is mocking someone with this film. The question remains: who?
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
The last film that we think belongs among the best psychological films is The Silence of the Lambs. It is an American thriller directed by Jonathan Demme, based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris. The film won five Oscars, including Best Picture and awards for the outstanding performances of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Many actors turned down the role of Dr Hannibal Lecter, for example Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson and Jeremy Irons. After Irons saw the film, he said he was glad he had turned the role down. He said nobody could have played Dr Lecter as well as Anthony Hopkins.
The story follows FBI agent Clarice Starling as she tries to catch the serial killer Buffalo Bill. Her superior, Agent Crawford, sends Starling to see another serial killer, Dr Hannibal Lecter, nicknamed “Hannibal the Cannibal”. After each of his murders, Dr Lecter ate a piece of his victim. Will Agent Starling manage to build a successful connection with Dr Lecter, who also happens to be a psychiatrist? And if she does, what price will she pay for it?
Which do you think are the best psychological films of all time? Are they the same ones we chose, or are there others among your favourites? Share your opinion with us in the comments. If you haven’t seen any of the psychological films presented above, don’t hesitate to watch them in good resolution and with high-quality sound. The experience is definitely worth it!
