The thriller is perhaps the most popular and widespread movie genre--and the
most difficult to define. Thrillers can contain gangsters or ghosts, space
helmets or fedoras. They charge our familiar world with a spirit of exotic,
old-fashioned adventure. They give us pleasure by making us uncomfortable--on
the edge of our seats. Thrillers provides a comprehensive treatment of this
genre, from silent serials to stalker films, from Alfred Hitchcock to Quentin
Tarantino, from The Great Train Robbery to L.A. Confidential. This accessible,
wide-ranging volume is designed to appeal to students and general filmgoers
alike, and shows how this visceral, double-faced film genre has aroused our
intense sensations throughout decades