Thriller Genre Research

By Josh Twigge-Molecey

Genre• Thriller Film is a genre that revolves around

anticipation and suspense. The aim for Thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in these films is set against a problem – an escape, a mission, or a mystery. No matter what sub-genre a Thriller film falls into, it will emphasize the danger that the protagonist faces. The tension with the main problem is built on throughout the film and leads to a highly stressful climax.

-There is often a crime at the core of the narrative-The narrative structure is complex with false paths, clues and resolutions-this will keep the audience in suspense.-The narrative will twist and turn keeping the audience guessing about what will happen next.-The plot will build towards a climax.-Thrillers have ‘Restricted Narration’ – questions/riddles will be left unanswered until the end of the film.

Thriller films are usually set in everyday, normal places but we are taken to the darkest place of these normal areas. Ordinary things become dangerous and thrilling because they are filmed and used in such a way to create fear and suspense.

A timeline of the genre

1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

Alfred Hitchcock promoted the Thriller Genre.

George Cukor Created a psychological thriller called ‘Gaslight’. This was when people starting making sub-genres. (1944)

Safety last was the first ever Thriller film made. (1923)

Alfred Hitchcock added technic-olour to his Thriller films. (1950)

Psycho by Alfred Hitchock was made. (1960)

In the 1970’s thriller films started to get more violent. For example, Hitchcock’s film ‘Frenzy’ was given an R rating because of the violence and strangulation scenes.

More Thriller’s where FBI hunt down serial killers such as, ‘The silence of the lambs’.

Hybrids and sub-genresHybrids are films that have elements of two or more genres.

Sub-genres are the different types of film categories within a genre (narrative/theme variations within that genre).

NarrativesPoints/Ideas

-There is often a crime at the core of the narrative

-The narrative structure is complex with false paths, clues and resolutions- this will keep the audience in suspense.

-The narrative will twist and turn, keeping the audience guessing about what will happen next.

-The plot will build towards a climax.

-Thrillers have ‘Restricted Narration’ – questions/riddles will be left unanswered until the end of the film.

Topics-Murder – Serial Killers-Abduction/missing –time running out-Legal Thriller-Law enforcement- Protagonists-Antagonist are intelligent and difficult to find-Restricted narrative -Ordinary objects, ordinary places, ordinary people.

Character- 2 main characters who are very

different characters.- Archetype – term used by Carl Jung

(1875-1961)

-Vladimir Propp (1895-1970) said there were 8 main different characters:-villain, hero, donor, helper, the princess, father of the princess, dispatcher and a false hero.

-Protagonist: the hero, sometimes innocent victims, sometimes have dark pasts and can sometimes be cops or lawenforces.

-Antagonist: the villain, often wealthy, very intelligent and has resources, identity remains hidden for most of film.

Characterisation

Thriller films

Relating to a thriller film (collateral)

Protagonist-Taxi driver, caught in the middle of a situation (e.g. picking up an assasin)-innocent-ordinary citizen

-these points are typical of a classic thriller protagonist simply because he is an ordinary person caught in the middle of an extraordinary event.

Antagonist-wealthy (in a suit)-serial killer, assasin-smart/business like-no identity-lacks emotions, cold blooded killler, psychotic-skilled, intelligent

-these points are typical of a classic thriller antagonist because his intelligence, skills and no identity make him hard to get so it is more thrilling and because he shows no emotions, we sympathise for the protagonist more.

Mise-en-sceneProps-Objects will contribute to the narrative-Props indicate genre-Props offer information about a character-Decor-offers information about the character/location/time.-Weapons, objects that suggest something about the character

Costume and makeup-Historical context-futuristic-social status-character situations and changes-emphasise a particular character within a scene-Thriller-ordinary costume reflecting social status.

Se7en costume reflecting personality-Sommerset-Morgan Freeman-Mills-Brad Pitt

Colour and lighting-Lighting and colour can have a big impact in films because it sets the mood and gives you a good idea about what is happening without you realising.

-Harry Potter- desaturated/grading, blue-ish colour to give a scary effect and show that (especially for the later films) it is not a family film.-Thrillers-use yellow-ish colours representing that the world of thrillers is a dark place.

Camera MovementCamera Movement

-Thriller films can use camera movement for effect. In Se7en and Brick they cut between characters quickly to give a suspenseful effect.

Thrillers have narratives that are full of puzzles, riddles and questions to be solved by the end of the film. The characters personalities are as complex as the narrative. The use of camera shot sizes, angles and movement help emphasise that sense of enigma.

CLOSE UPS: Show the emotion on the characters face (tension, fear, anxiety, confusion, anger, malice etc.) Or some detail within the scene.

EXTREME CLOSE UPS: Show extreme emotions (possibly focusing on the eyes).But this extreme closeness will only allow for the audience to see a small part of the bigger picture (leaving other things hidden, in question).

Camera MovementMID SHOTS: Show body language & people’s relationships to one another – important in Thriller as the characters personalities are so complex.Also show costume and other such details about the characterShow the character within the setting POV SHOTS:Allow the audience to see through the characters eyes and feel part of the action. So the audience can feel as anxious & fearful as the character and feel some empathy or sympathy with them.

If the camera is focused on a character the low or high angle allows the audience to feel the power or weakness of that character.A low angle of a setting for example, could emphasise the danger there (as the audience will feel in a position of weakness).A high angle of a setting puts the audience in a privileged / powerful position.

HIGH & LOW ANGLE SHOTS:These angles connote power and weakness respectively.

Editing & SoundSound-there are many different types of sound including diegetic sound, dialogue, ambient sound, non-diegetic sound and contrapuntal sound.

-As well as obviously using diegetic and dialogue sound, thrillers will also use other types of sound for effect. They may use ambient sound so it feels more real and they may use non-diegetic sound to give a dramatic effect and the music chosen will make it more suspenseful.

-To build a climax in a thriller film they may use non-diegetic sound such as a fast soundtrack. This makes the scene more exciting and adds suspense.

-Sometimes the use of ambient sound may be added to set the mood. For example they may use the sound of rain to reflect the sad mood that the characters are feeling.

BibliographySources

1) Wikipedia2) http://krisl94.wordpress.com/3) http://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/69797/History-of-the-Thriller-genre/

Film ImagesSlide 1 : typical ‘thriller’ person, google images.Slide 2 : psycho (Alfred Hitchcock), google imagesSlide 3 : Alfred Hitchcock, George Cukor, psycho, psycho, silence of the lambs, scary movie, shifty, dusk dawn.Slide 4 : google images – murder, law enforcement, citySlide 5 : Vladimir Propp, collateral, collateralSlide 6 : se7en, Harry Potter