The American Film Institute in Los Angeles, California in mid-June 2001 made a definitive selection of the 100 greatest American "heart-pounding" and "adrenaline-inducing" films of all time, as determined by more than 1,800 actors, directors, screenwriters, historians, studio executives, critics, and others from the American film community. There were originally 400 nominated films from which the top 100 were selected.

AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills revealed America’s 100 greatest thrillers, as chosen by leaders of the entertainment community, in a three-hour television event, that aired on the CBS Television Network in June 2001.

Most of the memorable moments and scenes mentioned in these thrilling films have already been catalogued on this site, at Greatest Moments and Scenes. See also this site's description of the Thriller/Suspense Films Genre and various notable examples of the Greatest Thriller/Suspense Films.

Judging Criteria for Selection of Nominated Films included:

• U.S. made
• Feature-length fiction films
• Films whose thrills have "enlivened and enriched America's film heritage"
• Jurors were asked to also consider "the total adrenaline-inducing impact of a film's artistry and craft," regardless of the genre

1. ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, THE 1938
2. AFRICAN QUEEN, THE 1951
3. AIR FORCE 1943
4. AIR FORCE ONE 1997
5. AIRPORT 1975, 1974
6. ALIEN 1979
7. ALIENS 1986
8. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT 1930
9. ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN 1976
10. ANATOMY OF A MURDER 1959
11. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE 1945
12. ANDROMEDA STRAIN, THE 1971
13. APOLLO 13 1995
14. ASPHALT JUNGLE, THE 1950
15. ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 1976
16. ATTACK! 1956
17. BACK TO THE FUTURE 1985
18. BACKDRAFT 1991
19. BAD SEED, THE 1956
20. BASIC INSTINCT 1992
21. BATAAN 1943
22. BATMAN 1989
23. BATTLEGROUND 1949
24. BEAU GESTE 1939
25. BEN-HUR 1926
26. BEN-HUR 1959
27. BIG CLOCK, THE 1948
28. BIG HEAT, THE 1953
29. BIG PARADE, THE 1925
30. BIG RED ONE, THE 1980
31. BIG SLEEP, THE 1946
32. BIRDS, THE 1963
33. BLACK PIRATE, THE 1926
34. BLACK STALLION, THE 1979
35. BLACK SUNDAY 1977
36. BLACKBOARD JUNGLE 1955
37. BLADE RUNNER 1982
38. BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, THE 1999
39. BLOB, THE 1958
40. BLOOD SIMPLE 1984
41. BLOOD SPORT 1987
42. BLUE VELVET 1986
43. BODY HEAT 1981
44. BODY SNATCHER, THE 1945
45. BONNIE AND CLYDE 1967
46. BOOMERANG! 1947
47. BOYS FROM BRAZIL, THE 1978
48. BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA 1992
49. BRAVEHEART 1995
50. BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE 1935
51. BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, THE 1957
52. BRUTE FORCE 1947
53. BULLITT 1968
54. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID 1969
55. CALL NORTHSIDE 777 1948
56. CANDYMAN 1992
57. CAPE FEAR 1962
58. CAPRICORN ONE 1978
59. CAPTAIN BLOOD 1935
60. CARNIVAL OF SOULS 1962
61. CARRIE 1976
62. CASABLANCA 1942
63. CAT AND THE CANARY, THE 1927
64. CAT PEOPLE 1942
65. CHAMPION 1949
66. CHARADE 1963
67. CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, THE 1936
68. CHEAT, THE 1915
69. CHINA SYNDROME, THE 1979
70. CHINATOWN 1974
71. CLIFFHANGER 1993
72. CLOCKWORK ORANGE, A 1971
73. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 1977
74. CODE OF SILENCE 1985
75. COFFY 1973
76. CONTACT 1997
77. COOL HAND LUKE 1967
78. COPYCAT 1995
79. COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, THE 1934
80. COVERED WAGON, THE 1923
81. CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON 1954
82. DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, THE 1951
83. DEATH RACE 2000 1975
84. DEATH WISH 1974
85. DEER HUNTER, THE 1978
86. DEFIANT ONES, THE 1958
87. DELIVERANCE 1972
88. DESTINATION TOKYO 1943
89. DETOUR 1945
90. DIAL M FOR MURDER 1954
91. DIE HARD 1988
92. DIRTY DOZEN, THE 1967
93. DIRTY HARRY 1971
94. D.O.A. 1950
95. DO THE RIGHT THING 1989
96. DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE 1920
97. DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE 1932
98. DOG DAY AFTERNOON 1975
99. DON JUAN 1926
100. DON'T BOTHER TO KNOCK 1952
101. DOUBLE INDEMNITY 1944
102. DRACULA 1931
103. DRESSED TO KILL 1980
104. EAGLE, THE 1925
105. EARTHQUAKE 1974
106. EDGE OF DARKNESS 1943
107. EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, THE 1980
108. ENTER THE DRAGON 1973
109. ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ 1979
110. ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK 1981
111. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982
112. EVIL DEAD, THE 1983
113. EXORCIST, THE 1973
114. FACE/OFF 1997
115. FAIL-SAFE 1964
116. FARGO 1996
117. FATAL ATTRACTION 1987
118. FIRST BLOOD 1982
119. FLY, THE 1958
120. FLY, THE 1986
121. FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT 1940
122. 48 HRS. 1982
123. FOURTEEN HOURS 1951
124. FRANKENSTEIN 1931
125. FREAKS 1932
126. FRENCH CONNECTION, THE 1971
127. FRIDAY THE 13th 1980
128. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE 1963
129. FUGITIVE, THE 1993
130. FULL METAL JACKET 1987
131. FURY 1936
132. FURY, THE 1978
133. F/X 1986
134. GAME, THE 1997
135. GASLIGHT 1944
136. GENERAL, THE 1927
137. GETAWAY, THE 1972
138. GHOSTBUSTERS 1984
139. GLORY 1989
140. GODFATHER, THE 1972
141. GOLDFINGER 1964
142. GREAT ESCAPE, THE 1963
143. GUN CRAZY 1950
144. GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL 1957
145. GUNGA DIN 1939
146. GUNS OF NAVARONE, THE 1961
147. HALLOWEEN 1978
148. HEAT 1995
149. HIGH AND THE MIGHTY, THE 1954
150. HIGH NOON 1952
151. HILLS HAVE EYES, THE 1977
152. HITCH-HIKER, THE 1953
153. HONEYMOON KILLERS, THE 1970
154. HOOSIERS 1986
155. HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, THE 1939
156. HOUSE OF GAMES 1987
157. HOUSE OF WAX 1953
158. HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL 1958
159. HOUSE ON 92ND STREET 1945
160. HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, THE 1939
161. HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, THE 1990
162. HURRICANE, THE 1937
163. HUSH, HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE 1965
164. HUSTLER, THE 1961
165. I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG 1932
166. IN THE LINE OF FIRE 1993
167. INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, THE 1957
168. INDEPENDENCE DAY 1996
169. INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE 1989
170. INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM 1984
171. INTOLERANCE 1916
172. INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS 1956
173. INVISIBLE MAN, THE 1933
174. IRON MASK, THE 1929
175. ISLAND OF LOST SOULS, THE 1933
176. IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA 1955
177. IVANHOE 1952
178. JACOB'S LADDER 1990
179. JAGGED EDGE 1985
180. JAWS 1975
181. JFK 1991
182. JURASSIC PARK 1993
183. KARATE KID, THE 1984
184. KILLERS, THE 1946
185. KILLING, THE 1956
186. KIM 1950
187. KING KONG 1933
188. KING SOLOMON'S MINES 1950
189. KISS ME DEADLY 1956
190. KISS OF DEATH 1947
191. KLUTE 1971
192. L.A. CONFIDENTIAL 1997
193. LADY FROM SHANGHAI, THE 1948
194. LAST DAYS OF POMPEII, THE 1935
195. LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT 1972
196. LAST OF SHIELA, THE 1973
197. LAST OF THE MOHICANS, THE 1992
198. LAST SEDUCTION, THE 1994
199. LAURA 1944
200. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962
201. LETHAL WEAPON 1987
202. LICENSE TO KILL 1989
203. LITTLE CAESAR 1930
204. LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER, THE 1935
205. LODGER, THE 1944
206. LONGEST DAY, THE 1962
207. LOST PATROL, THE 1934
208. LOST WORLD, THE 1925
209. MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE 1960
210. MALTESE FALCON, THE 1941
211. MAN HUNT 1941
212. MAN IN THE IRON MASK, THE 1939
213. MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, THE 1962
214. MANHUNTER 1986
215. MARATHON MAN 1976
216. EL MARIACHI 1992
217. MARK OF ZORRO, THE 1920
218. MARK OF ZORRO, THE 1940
219. MATRIX, THE 1999
220. MEAN STREETS 1973
221. MIDNIGHT EXPRESS 1978
222. MIGHTY JOE YOUNG 1949
223. MISERY 1990
224. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 1996
225. MOBY DICK 1956
226. MOST DANGEROUS GAME, THE 1932
227. MUMMY, THE 1932
228. MURDER, MY SWEET/FAREWELL MY LOVELY 1944
229. NATIONAL VELVET 1944
230. NATURAL BORN KILLERS 1994
231. NEAR DARK 1987
232. NEW JACK CITY 1991
233. NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, THE 1955
234. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 1968
235. NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, A 1984
236. NO WAY OUT 1950
237. NORTH BY NORTHWEST 1959
238. NOTORIOUS 1946
239. OMEGA MAN, THE 1971
240. OMEN, THE 1976
241. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE 1969
242. ONE FALSE MOVE 1992
243. ONION FIELD, THE 1979
244. OUT OF SIGHT 1998
245. OUT OF THE PAST 1947
246. PANIC IN THE STREETS 1950
247. PARALLAX VIEW 1974
248. PATRIOT GAMES 1992
249. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, THE 1925
250. PI 1998
251. PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET 1953
252. PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, THE 1945
253. PINOCCHIO 1940
254. PIT AND THE PENDULUM, THE 1961
255. PLANET OF THE APES 1968
256. PLATOON 1986
257. PLAY MISTY FOR ME 1971
258. POINT BLANK 1967
259. POLTERGEIST 1982
260. POSEIDON ADVENTURE, THE 1972
261. POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, THE 1946
262. PREDATOR 1987
263. PRISONER OF ZENDA, THE 1937
264. PSYCHO 1960
265. PUBLIC ENEMY, THE 1931
266. PULP FICTION 1994
267. RAGING BULL 1980
268. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK 1981
269. REAR WINDOW 1954
270. REBECCA 1940
271. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE 1955
272. RECKLESS MOMENT, THE 1949
273. RED BADGE OF COURAGE, THE 1951
274. RED ROCK WEST 1993
275. RESERVOIR DOGS 1992
276. RETURN OF THE JEDI 1983
277. RIDE LONESOME 1959
278. RIGHT STUFF, THE 1983
279. ROBIN HOOD 1922
280. ROBOCOP 1987
281. ROCKY 1976
282. ROLLERBALL 1975
283. ROMANCING THE STONE 1984
284. ROPE 1948
285. ROSEMARY'S BABY 1968
286. RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP 1958
287. RUNAWAY TRAIN 1985
288. SABOTEUR 1942
289. SAFETY LAST 1923
290. SAN FRANCISCO 1936
291. SANDS OF IWO JIMA 1949
292. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 1998
293. SCARAMOUCHE 1952
294. SCARFACE 1932
295. SCREAM 1996
296. SEA HAWK, THE 1940
297. SEA OF LOVE 1989
298. SECONDS 1966
299. SERGEANT YORK 1941
300. SERPICO 1973
301. SE7EN 1995
302. SEVEN DAYS IN MAY 1964
303. 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD 1958
304. SHADOW OF A DOUBT 1943
305. SHAFT 1971
306. SHEIK, THE 1921
307. SHINING, THE 1980
308. SHOCK CORRIDOR 1963
309. SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE 1991
310. SILKWOOD 1983
311. SIXTH SENSE, THE 1999
312. SLEEPY HOLLOW 1999
313. SLEUTH 1972
314. SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT 1977
315. SOLDER'S STORY, A 1984
316. SORRY, WRONG NUMBER 1948
317. SOYLENT GREEN 1973
318. SPARTACUS 1960
319. SPEED 1994
320. SPEEDY 1928
321. SPELLBOUND 1945
322. SPIRAL STAIRCASE, THE 1946
323. SPY WHO LOVED ME, THE 1977
324. STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN 1982
325. STAR WARS 1977
326. STEAMBOAT BILL, JR. 1928
327. STEEL HELMET, THE 1951
328. STEPFATHER, THE 1987
329. STEPFORD WIVES, THE 1975
330. STRANGERS ON A TRAIN 1951
331. STRAW DOGS 1971
332. SUDDENLY 1954
333. SUPERMAN II 1980
334. SUSPECT, THE 1944
335. SUSPICION 1941
336. TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE, THE 1974
337. TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, THE 1999
338. TARGETS 1968
339. TARZAN THE APE MAN 1932
340. TAXI DRIVER 1976
341. TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE 1956
342. TERMINATOR, THE 1984
343. TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY 1991
344. TEST PILOT 1938
345. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE 1974
346. THELMA & LOUISE 1991
347. THEM! 1954
348. THEY LIVE BY NIGHT 1949
349. THIEF OF BAGDAD, THE 1924
350. THIEF OF BAGDAD, THE 1940
351. THING (FROM ANOTHER WORLD), THE 1951
352. THIRD MAN, THE 1949
353. THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, THE 1968
354. THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR 1975
355. THREE MUSKETEERS, THE 1939
356. TINGLER, THE 1959
357. TITANIC 1997
358. T-MEN 1947
359. TO HELL AND BACK 1955
360. TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. 1985
361. TOMORROW NEVER DIES 1995
362. TOP GUN 1986
363. TOPKAPI 1964
364. TOUCH OF EVIL 1958
365. TOWERING INFERNO, THE 1974
366. TRAIN, THE 1965
367. TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, THE 1948
368. TRUE GRIT 1969
369. TRUE ROMANCE 1993
370. TUMBLEWEEDS 1925
371. 12 ANGRY MEN 1957
372. TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH 1949
373. 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA 1954
374. TWISTER 1996
375. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968
376. UNDER FIRE 1983
377. UNDER SIEGE 1992
378. UNFORGIVEN 1992
379. UNINVITED, THE 1944
380. UNION PACIFIC 1939
381. UNTOUCHABLES, THE 1987
382. USUAL SUSPECTS, THE 1995
383. VERTIGO 1958
384. WAIT UNTIL DARK 1967
385. WAR OF THE WORLDS 1953
386. WARGAMES 1983
387. WAY DOWN EAST 1920
388. WESTWORLD 1973
389. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? 1962
390. WHEN A STRANGER CALLS 1979
391. WHITE HEAT 1949
392. WILD BUNCH, THE 1969
393. WIND, THE 1928
394. WINGS 1927
395. WITNESS 1985
396. WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION 1957
397. WIZARD OF OZ, THE 1939
398. WOLF MAN, THE 1941
399. WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, THE 1944
400. WRONG MAN, THE 1956