top 20 cinematic conspiracies
20. MEMENTO (2000)
I hated jigsaw puzzles growing up. I hated them so much that I’d grab a pair of scissors and make the pieces fit. Anyone who has seen Memento knows this pain.
Chris Nolan’s Memento – based on his brother’s short story – will blow your mind and demonstrate the power of psychological conspiracies.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost deliver in what has to be one of
the most hilarious conspiracy movies to date. No one is safe in this quaint English town, where anyone who doesn’t toe the conservative line is
hacked to pieces – quite literally! Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg’s script is
something in itself and the supporting cast only adds to the Cornetto enjoyment.
Us history grads always seem to find our way
into the thick of international conspiracies involving, oh, I don’t know,
stolen diamonds, Nazis and rogue government officials. It’s a crazy enough life
to make one continually ask the question – “Is it safe?”
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17. THE CONSTANT GARDENER (2005)
After Justin Quayle’s (Ralph Fiennes) wife is murdered –
that’s not a spoiler – lives are changed and
secrets behind corporate corruption are revealed in what turns out to be a
gripping and emotional affair. Brilliant acting and inspired directing make
this film a must see when it comes to conspiracy and unswerving dramas.
It isn’t hard to make a movie about JFK’s assassination
gripping. What is hard is making a movie about the President's death memorable and disturbing.
Enter Oliver Stone.
Instead of setting out to answer the whodunnit,
Stone poses important questions through expert writing, editing and photography.
15. THREE DAYS OF THE
CONDOR (1975)
There was a time when only left-wing weirdos talked about
government agencies taking opposing voices out. Three Days of Condor, directed by the left-leaning Sidney Pollack, takes these ideas and makes post-Watergate
audiences fearful believers.
What is a General to do if his Commander-in-Chief agrees to
a post-war nuclear disarmament treaty? Well, if your name is General James. M
Scott (Burt Lancaster) you plot to take over the country - so to stop the
COMMUNISTS. Thought-provoking and jam packed with ‘60s styled conspiracy, this
one hits a little too close to home.
You'll want to check and see that there aren't any Bolsheviks hiding under your bed tonight! Seriously.
General James Mattoon Scott: And if you want to talk about your oath ofoffice, I'm here to tell you face to face, President Lyman, that you violatedthat oath when you stripped this country of its muscles - when you deliberatelyplayed upon the fear and fatigue of the people and told them they could removethat fear by the stroke of a pen.
You'll want to check and see that there aren't any Bolsheviks hiding under your bed tonight! Seriously.
General James Mattoon Scott: And if you want to talk about your oath ofoffice, I'm here to tell you face to face, President Lyman, that you violatedthat oath when you stripped this country of its muscles - when you deliberatelyplayed upon the fear and fatigue of the people and told them they could removethat fear by the stroke of a pen.
13. BURN AFTER READING (2008)
It’s not a decent - or even half-decent - countdown unless I somehow find a way to
get the Coen brothers in on the act. And now I have succeeded. But don't be deceived - there is a “clusterfuck” sized conspiracy in Burn After Reading.
This film is an epic... when it comes to dark humour. The Coen
brothers hold nothing back when it comes to the bizarre lives of their
characters. The cast is versatile and fantastic – with John Malkovic in his
element as Osborne Cox.
WARNING: Put the kids to bed before you watch this one.
12. THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (2007)
It had to
eventually come to an end, didn’t it? For Jason Bourne it did, but
for the Bourne series it seems the story continues… as long as the money keeps
rolling in.
From 2002-2007 we
were watching Ludlum’s conspiracy thrillers unfold before our eyes. The trilogy
captivated audiences and catapulted Matt Damon into superstardom.
11. ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969)
Hope and fatalism
blend to make this film, about French resistance during Nazi occupation, feel
utterly terrifying.
Director Jean-Pierre Melville actually took part in the resistance and the masterstroke behind this film comes in his desire to concentrate on the psychological aspects of the resistance fighters, rather than just make another war movie.
Director Jean-Pierre Melville actually took part in the resistance and the masterstroke behind this film comes in his desire to concentrate on the psychological aspects of the resistance fighters, rather than just make another war movie.
10. THE CONVERSATION (1974)
You can’t go amiss in a conspiracy film with Gene Hackman
as your leading man. The Conversation epitomises the
conspiracy genre with secretive surveillance specialist Harry Caul tapping into
conversations and spying on various targets.
9. SERPICO (1973)
What is an honest
cop to do when he’s surrounded by a bunch of corrupt pigs? Well, if you are
the hairy hippy known to the world as Serpico (Al Pacino), you stick to yourguns, bust an arse and reveal a whopper-sized conspiracy.
Tom
Keough:
Now I ain't sayin' who. They just said ya' couldn't be trusted, you know?
Frank
Serpico:
'Cause I don't take money, right?
Tom
Keough:
Frank, let's face it. Who can trust a cop who don't take money?
8. All The President's Men (1976)
The Watergate Scandal. Robert Redford. Dustin Hoffman – need Empire say more?
7. THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979)
This conspiracy is thrilling and downright scary. It’ll even have Mr. Burns chewing his nails off.
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6. V FOR VENDETTA (2005)
5. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
Say it with me now… 'Hitchcock is the conspiracy man.'
North by Northwest sports what has to be the best scene in conspiracy folklore. You know the one where Cary Grant is put to the test by a particularly fearsome crop-duster plane. It’s gripping and iconic – and thanks to Mr. Hitchcock it helped pave the way for future conspiracy films to follow.
North by Northwest sports what has to be the best scene in conspiracy folklore. You know the one where Cary Grant is put to the test by a particularly fearsome crop-duster plane. It’s gripping and iconic – and thanks to Mr. Hitchcock it helped pave the way for future conspiracy films to follow.
4. TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (2011)
Tomas Alfredson recruited Her Majesty’s finest subjects for this silver
screen adaption of John Le Carre’s 1974 novel. At the head of this
all-star pack is none other than Gary Oldman. As George Smiley – who John Le Carre described in an Empire article as being "one of London's meek who do not inherit the Earth” – Oldman is on the case to
find the Russian mole in the English secret service. There aren’t any
explosions, nor any cock-and-ball one-liners or Bond girls. This is the
dreary weathered and crooked teeth version of Britain’s famous secret
service.
George Smiley: It was a war, Connie.
Connie Sachs: A war we could be proud of.
3. THE INSIDER (1999)
What Michael Mann did superbly with The Insider was
take an important moral issue and turn it into a captivating and
thrilling movie. Al Pacino and Russell Crowe deliver intense and
passionate performances as two men who would not let sleeping dogs lie.
Jeffrey Wigand: I'm just a commodity to you, aren't I? I could be anything. Right? Anything worth putting on between commercials.
Lowell Bergman: To a network, probably, we're all commodities. To me? You are not a commodity. What you are is important.
2. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
Forgive me, I am one of those Gen-Y schmucks who watched the 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate before seeing Frankenheimer’s barnstorming 1962 original.
Intense, intelligent and sporting enough political assassinations and Cold War paranoia to impress even a Russian in 1962, the original Manchurian Candidate is a must-see conspiracy classic!
Intense, intelligent and sporting enough political assassinations and Cold War paranoia to impress even a Russian in 1962, the original Manchurian Candidate is a must-see conspiracy classic!
1. CHINATOWN (1974)
Roman Polanski may have his issues – an American bullseye on his
head – but when it comes to this 1974 film noir classic he’s sitting
pretty.
Made in a decade when distrust and conspiracy were rife – 7 films from this list were made in the ‘70s – Chinatown combines a gripping conspiracy story with pure noire acting. Nicholson and Dunaway steal the show with scenes which make you want to pull out a notepad and take a long, emphatic draw.
Made in a decade when distrust and conspiracy were rife – 7 films from this list were made in the ‘70s – Chinatown combines a gripping conspiracy story with pure noire acting. Nicholson and Dunaway steal the show with scenes which make you want to pull out a notepad and take a long, emphatic draw.
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