Here is a chronological list of films directed by Paul Schrader, along with a brief description of each: ### **1. Blue Collar (1978)** - Three Detroit auto workers (Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto) conspire to rob their corrupt union, leading to tension and betrayal. A gritty critique of labor exploitation and systemic racism. ### **2. Hardcore (1979)** - A conservative Calvinist (George C. Scott) ventures into the seedy underworld of pornography to find his missing daughter. A dark exploration of [[Morality]] and obsession. ### **3. American Gigolo (1980)** - Richard Gere stars as a high-end male escort framed for murder in Los Angeles. Stylish and moody, it defined 1980s neo-noir. ### **4. Cat People (1982)** - A surreal erotic horror remake about a woman (Nastassja Kinski) who fears intimacy will turn her into a panther. More atmospheric than the original. ### **5. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)** - A visually stunning biopic of Japanese author [[Yukio Mishima]], blending his life, works, and dramatic suicide. Often considered Schrader’s masterpiece. ### **6. Light of Day (1987)** - A blue-collar rock drama starring Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett as siblings in a struggling band, dealing with [[Family]] strife. ### **7. Patty Hearst (1988)** - A psychological drama based on the true story of the kidnapped heiress (Natasha Richardson) who joined her radical captors. ### **8. The Comfort of Strangers (1990)** - A disturbing psychosexual thriller about a couple (Rupert Everett, Natasha Richardson) lured into a Venetian couple’s (Christopher Walken, Helen Mirren) twisted games. ### **9. Light Sleeper (1992)** - Willem Dafoe plays a drug dealer facing a midlife crisis in New York City, blending crime and existential drama. ### **10. Witch Hunt (1994) (TV Movie)** - A supernatural noir set in an alternate 1950s Hollywood where magic is real. Part of HBO’s "Fallen Angels" series. ### **11. Touch (1997)** - A satirical drama about a stigmatic ex-monk (Skeet Ulrich) who may or may not perform miracles, causing media frenzy. ### **12. Affliction (1997)** - Nick Nolte gives a powerhouse performance as a troubled small-town cop unraveling amid family [[Trauma]]. Based on Russell Banks’ novel. ### **13. Forever Mine (1999)** - A romantic thriller about an affair between a young hustler (Joseph Fiennes) and a politician’s wife (Gretchen Mol), spanning decades. ### **14. Auto Focus (2002)** - A biopic of "Hogan’s Heroes" star Bob Crane (Greg Kinnear), exploring his descent into [[Sex]] addiction and eventual murder. ### **15. Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)** - A reimagined prequel to *The Exorcist*, focusing on a priest (Stellan Skarsgård) confronting demonic forces in Africa. ### **16. The Walker (2007)** - Woody Harrelson stars as a gay escort entangled in a Washington D.C. political murder mystery. ### **17. Adam Resurrected (2008)** - Jeff Goldblum plays a Holocaust survivor and former circus entertainer in an Israeli mental asylum. Surreal and haunting. ### **18. The Canyons (2013)** - A controversial erotic thriller written by Bret Easton Ellis, starring Lindsay Lohan as an actress caught in a toxic Hollywood relationship. ### **19. Dog Eat Dog (2016)** - A [[Violence|violent]] crime film about three ex-cons (Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe) botching a kidnapping. Over-the-top and pulpy. ### **20. First Reformed (2017)** - Ethan Hawke plays a tormented priest grappling with faith and environmental despair. A return to Schrader’s transcendental style. ### **21. The Card Counter (2021)** - Oscar Isaac stars as a gambler with a dark military past seeking redemption. A slow-burn thriller about guilt and revenge. ### **22. Master Gardener (2022)** - Joel Edgerton plays a horticulturist with a violent past whose life unravels when he takes a troubled young woman under his wing. ### **23. Oh, Canada (2024) (Upcoming)** - Based on Russell Banks’ novel *Foregone*, starring Richard Gere as a dying filmmaker confessing his past. Schrader’s films often explore themes of guilt, redemption, and existential despair, with a mix of crime, psychological drama, and spiritual questioning. Let me know if you'd like more details on any!