amateur detective

Hitchcock masterfully places ordinary people in extraordinary detective scenarios, forcing them to investigate crimes and uncover conspiracies, as seen in Rear Window and Rope.

De Palma frequently centers his thrillers on everyday protagonists who become amateur sleuths investigating murders, drawing heavy inspiration from Hitchcock's exploration of this theme in films like Blow Out and Body Double.

Aster's films like Hereditary and Midsommar feature protagonists who must piece together horrifying mysteries and uncover dark secrets, becoming reluctant amateur detectives within their own nightmarish circumstances.