Good cinema is often closer to reality than usual. Many a great movies have been inspired by real-life events. Sometimes, however, life turns out to be quite cinematic for some people as the sensational missing case of a college girl in Kerala proves. We have listed for you engaging movies that revolve around 'missing' persons.
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
The unmatched king of thrillers Alfred Hitchcock created this gripping yet humorous 1938 British classic in a pre-war time frame. The mysterious escapade will keep you entertained till the end.
L’avventura (1960)
L’avventura (The Adventure) was revolutionary in more than one way. The melodramatic plot where the boyfriend and the best friend of the lead fall in love trying to find her is portrayed using unconventional 'empty' frames. The Italian thriller by Michelangelo Antonioni can tweak your concept of rationality.
Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965)
The peculiar characters of this British psychological thriller, starring Laurence Olivier, make up for the slight breaches of logic in the story. Based on an American expatriate family in London and their missing daughter, 'Bunny Lake' is definitely a great watch if you are looking to avoid the regular, dark thrillers.
A Man Vanishes (1967)
An authentic experiment with cinematic realism is what makes this Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura a must watch. Interesting from the beginning, the film takes you through the story of a missing Japanese salesman in the style of a documentary. Voice-overs, shots of the crew, and even cameras keep this 'thriller' from falling under any genre of cinema.
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
In this story of three students and a teacher who go missing after a rural picnic, director Peter Weir subtly imposes symbolism that might escape even the keenest of viewers. The fascinating Australian film will leave you with a sense of uncertainty and awareness.
The Vanishing (1988)
This psychological thriller by George Sluizer might appear a run-off-the-mill 'missing-person' movie but the shocking climax makes it an interesting watch. Building up to the climax of this remake of Dutch film 'Spoorloos' are a series of questions and mysteries. Will all be answered and solved? Watch to find out.
Oldboy (2003)
This one is for fans of physical and emotional violence in movies. Unlike other films from the genre, the protagonist of this South Korean film by Park Chan-wook remains the missing person himself. A change of perspective and a compelling performance by actor Choi-Min Sik will keep you glued to the screen.
The Dead Girl (2006)
Not long before actors and viewers started explicitly questioning the gender bias in cinema industry, Karen Moncrieff created this quintet of stories with distinctly relatable female characters. Murder of one woman somehow brings together these unrelated women to give us an intriguing thriller.
About Elly (2009)
Academy-award winner Iranian director Asghar Farhadi used the best actors of his country to make this mysterious flick about an unusual group of students and teachers. However, the mystery goes beyond intriguing the viewers as human values and behaviour are questioned throughout the film.
Gone Girl (2014)
Directed by the contemporary thriller specialist David Fincher, this psychological drama received commercial and critical success across the globe. It revolves around the life of Nick Dunne, whose wife Amy disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary. Based on a crime novel of the same title, the story of a 'perfect' couple defies the conventions about requirements of a successful marriage. Watch this well-made movie for a brilliant performance by Academy award-winning actress Rosamund Pike. The Writer Leslie Weller had claimed the contents of both the book and film were stolen from her screenplay titled 'Out of the Blue.'
