10 Cloverfield Lane, the loosely connected pseudo sequel to Cloverfield, has mounted considerable acclaim while taking a significant chunk of the box office since its opening on March 11. It seems audiences and critics alike are definitely into the claustrophobic nature of the film; the bulk of the movie takes place in an underground bomb shelter with only three characters, one of whom (John Goodman) claims that everyone on the planet outside of the bunker has been killed in a chemical attack. Meanwhile, the protagonist (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is unsure if Goodman's character, who brought her to the shelter, is really her savior or if he's her captor. But even though the film feels different, 10 Cloverfield Lane isn't the first claustrophobic thriller ever made.
There are plenty of movies out there with similar concepts of people being trapped in an enclosed space with some sort of threat either lurking inside or outside their confinement. Some of these films are relatively obscure, but a number of them are legitimate classics that you might not immediately think of as being the same type of film as J.J. Abrams' latest production. So if you enjoyed 10 Cloverfield Lane , take a look at these other 11 claustrophobic thrillers.
1. Alien
Enclosed space? Check. Supernatural threat? Check. Badass female protagonist? Check check. One of the best thrillers of all time, Alien is as tense and scary today as it was back in 1979.
2. The Shining
10 Cloverfield Lane is scary because the characters don't know whom they can trust. But just imagine how much the stakes are raised if the person you can't trust is your own family member, as is the case in Stephen King's classic story.
3. Misery
Another King adaptation, Kathy Bates won an Oscar (a rarity for a horror film) for her portrayal of a crazed fan who holds an author captive while forcing him to complete his next work. Perhaps Goodman will follow her lead?
4. Devil
Produced by M. Night Shyamalan off of his own story, this film follows a collection of people stuck in an elevator who realize that one of them is literally the devil.
5. Cube
A group of people are trapped in a mysterious cube with no recollection of how they got there, or how they can get out.
6. Panic Room
A mother and daughter are forced into the panic room of their new home when burglars break in, but unfortunately what the thieves want is located in the panic room.
7. Phone Booth
Remarkably, this movie came out this century, despite it taking place almost entirely in a phone booth. It's still super intense though, as a man is trapped in the booth talking to a guy who has a sniper rifle aimed at him from an unknown spot.
8. The Descent
A group of women become trapped in a cave filled with flesh-eating, subterranean humanoids. Uh, no thanks.
9. Coherence
A dinner party turns scary and bizarre after a passing comet causes a number of strange occurrences, leading friends to turn against each other.
10. Exam
Job interviews are always terrible, but this one is just insane.
11. The Twilight Zone
I'm not talking about the movie, but the original TV series. A number of episodes, such as "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" and "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" are tonally very similar to 10 Cloverfield Lane , and of course also have those great twist endings.
All of these films (and one TV show) should help you scratch that 10 Cloverfield Lane itch. Just, you know, don't watch any of them in a confined space.
Images: Paramount Pictures
