The Wages of Fear named the most intense 1950s film

Collider ranked the 10 most intense movies of the 1950s, placing Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear at number one.

The article argues that 1950s filmmakers achieved palpable dread and suspense without the later technological advances of New Hollywood, relying instead on considered shot selection, direction, razor-sharp screenwriting and technical innovation. It highlights a mix of Hollywood classics and international horrors: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) is described as a chilling, viscerally intense sci‑fi parable of Red Scare paranoia; Vertigo and Rear Window are noted for themes of obsession and voyeurism; and Paths of Glory and The Night of the Hunter are singled out for their moral and atmospheric intensity.

The piece calls The Wages of Fear an exhausting, nerve‑shattering story and refers to it as a 153‑minute ordeal, while also listing a release date of February 16, 1955 and a runtime of 131 minutes. The list, the article says, is intended to define cinematic intensity in the 1950s through both revered Hollywood pictures and piercing international films.

Key Topics

Culture, Henri-georges Clouzot, Vertigo, Seven Samurai, Diabolique, Red Scare