It's often said humans are social animals, but even the most outgoing people need a minute to themselves, unwind, and focus on their personal interests. However, what could be more emotionally draining and utterly terrifying than having someone crying out for 24/7 attention and simply will not leave you alone?
From obsessive fans to unpredictable stalkers disguised as your close loved ones, these movies would pair nicely with "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. These movies explore the horrors of having a mysterious individual scrutinizing every breath you take and every move you make.
'Misery' (1990)
One of the best Stephen King book-to-film adaptations, Misery is also a personal favorite of the renowned author of mystery and supernatural fiction for how realistic it is in portraying the horrors of entrapment.
Being the only King adaptation ever to win an Oscar, the psychological thriller revolves around fictional novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan). He is nursed by his number one fan, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), after crashing his car on a snowy Colorado Road. Bedridden with a dislocated shoulder and broken legs, Paul soon finds himself at a major disadvantage when he realizes that the sweet-natured Annie is subjected to violent outbursts and extreme measures, especially after finding out that her favorite novel character had been axed off.
'Single White Female' (1992)
"Doppelgängers" are a niche of people who inexplicably resemble another living person despite being biologically unrelated. In mythology, doppelgängers are usually forewarnings of bad luck, as evident in the 1992 erotic thriller Single White Female.
When successful and attractive software designer Allison "Ally" Jones (Bridget Fonda) advertises for a new roommate after her unfaithful boyfriend was thrown out, she settles on a woman named Hedra "Hedy" Carlson (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Despite getting along initially, Ally soon finds Hedy's overprotective and erratic actions unnerving, especially when the new tenant starts dressing up exactly like Ally, from head to toe.
'Door Lock' (2018)
Do not show this to your parents if you have plans to move out and live by yourself. Based on a Spanish movie titled Sleep Tight (2011), the disturbing South Korean mystery crime thriller Door Lock exemplifies how humans are scarier than ghosts and monsters.
The plot centers around Kyung-min (Gong Hyo-jin), a woman living alone in a one-room apartment. After discovering that her highly secured door lock pad is left open, she begins finding other traces of a stranger trying to break into her room, especially during the night. As the police fail to acknowledge the severity of her situation, Kyeong-Min decides to investigate the identity of the attempted intruder herself.
'Cape Fear' (1962)
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The 1991 remake by director Martin Scorsese sees a morally dubious version of Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) defending his family against an unmistakably menacing-looking, Bible-quoting murderer Max Cady (Robert De Niro). On the other hand, the original Cape Fear (1962) is still an equally intriguing, Hitchcock-style crime thriller sporting salient differences that uphold itself as a film noir classic.
Gregory Peck plays a morally upright family man and lawyer Bowden who is subsequently stalked by Robert Mitchum's Cady, newly released from prison. Holding Bowden responsible for his eight years of incarceration for sexual assault, this version of Cady, with a cooler and comparatively suave composure, has sinister plans to ignite chaos in Bowden's picturesque family.
'Fatal Attraction' (1987)
One of the first movies audiences will think of when it comes to the romance stalker category, Fatal Attraction, spotlights the horrendous consequences of infidelity, but it is perhaps, ironically, the film that saved many marriages.
After engaging in a one-night-stand with editor Alexandra "Alex" Forrest (Glenn Close), married and successful Manhattan lawyer Daniel "Dan" Gallagher's (Michael Douglas) betrayal of his wife and family begins to haunt him when Alex resorts to manipulative and self-destructive ploys to cling onto him. When Dan frequently rejects her advances, Alex sets her sights on Dan's family, which resulted in a frightening romance thriller that animal loves tend to ignore.
'One Hour Photo' (2002)
One Hour Photo is a criminally underrated 2000s horror drama starring Robin Williams as the shy and lonely Sy Parrish, a photo technician who especially enjoys developing photos for his favorite customers, the blissful-looking Yorkin family. Sy seems like an average Joe but hides abnormal hobbies, such as visiting the Yorkins' home when the family isn't around.
Upon discovering that Will Yorkin (Michael Vartan) is having an extramarital affair, Sy's mental state slowly disintegrates as his obsession with the family grows increasingly deleterious in his attempts to make things right like before. With atypical camera angles and melancholic music to amplify the estrangedness of the "stalker," audiences will feel uncomfortable and sympathetic toward Sy amid his twisted affection towards the Yorkins.
'Perfect Blue' (1997)
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With a wholly original editing style and creative usage of saturated colors, Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue recounts the rise and fall of a young woman coming of age under the ever-present eye of the public.
The plot follows Mima Kirigoe, who decides to leave her established pop idol career to pursue acting, much to the dismay of her fans. After stumbling upon a website called "Mima's Room," containing elaborate diary entries of her everyday actions and thoughts, Mima's sense of reality is shattered when she falls victim to being stalked by obsessive fans and a spirit representing her past idol persona mocking her painful career choices.
'The King of Comedy' (1982)
The King of Comedy is Scorsese's underrated cut-throat examination of America's double-edged celebrity worship culture and extension of the lonely, tormented anti-hero trope as demonstrated in Taxi Driver.
Unlike its title, the film expects little laughs as it focuses on aspiring stand-up comedian Rupert Pupkin (De Niro) and his delusional climb to fame. After many unsuccessful and awkward encounters with his favorite comedian and talk show host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis), Rupert teams up with Masha (Sandra Bernhard), a mentally unstable, die-hard fan of Jerry's, to execute their plan of kidnapping the famous comedian in exchange for a golden ticket into show business.
'Opera' (1987)
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What started as a dark joke by Italian director Dario Argento is materialized and held as a chilling, unforgettable staple in Giallo slasher films. Opera remains one of Argento's more popular films, loaded with creative kills and nightmarish visuals.
When a young opperata Betty (Cristina Marsillach) performs exceptionally during a theatrical production of Macbeth, her eye-catching performance attracts the attention of an anonymous audience member whose admiration quickly turns malignant, killing anyone who gets too close and friendly with the young woman. Betty, whose disturbed childhood involves her mother's unsolved murder, has to confront her dreadful past, whether she's ready or not.
'Fear' (1996)
Riding on rollercoasters and looking through peepholes will never be the same once you've experienced this '90s psychological thriller.
Fear elucidates how the "perfect boyfriend" does not exist. Nicole Walker (Reese Witherspoon) does not believe this when she meets David (Mark Whalberg), her modern knight-in-shining-armor who has bewitched her body and soul. After misunderstandings that turn out to be the ominous truth, Nicole is adamant about breaking up with David, but David is not ready to let go without getting rid of the obstacles hindering their toxic relationship, even if it means resorting to stalking and murder.