Introduction

I will be comparing two different films from the ‘thriller’ genre. However they will be from different sub-genres.

The two films I will be comparing are: The Dark Knight Casino Royale I will be comparing the themes, characters, devices, locations and the

props/costumes and how each of these represent the different sub-genre.

Theme

Casino Royale focuses on the idea of greed, corruption, control, power and betrayal. With greed we see how quickly you can lose the money that you gain over gambling, just as the saying “easy coming, easy go.” Betrayal is a big theme in Casino Royale, Vesper’s death represents that nothing is a sure thing and even if you think you know someone, you never truly do. These themes represent the spy-thriller genre through the betrayal of Bond through Vesper.

The Dark Knight focuses on the idea of heroism, chaos/morality and how evil triumphs over good. This is portrayed through Harvey Dent. The joker’s ability to destroy Harvey’s life and turn him into the evil he becomes is depressing. It shows that human resilience is limited. The Joker represents chaos. The Joker represents what batman is always in danger of becoming. Chaos personified.

Characters

The characters in The Dark Knight all represent something different. Batman represents heroism, the Joker represents chaos, and Dent represents good and evil. The characters in The Dark Knight all have different meanings and they all represent different things. The characters themselves are some of the best I’ve seen. The characters in The Dark Knight represent the superhero-thriller genre not just because of batman, but also because of Harvey Dent and The Joker combined.

The characters in Casino Royale also represent hidden meanings, however not to the extent of The Dark Knight. There are many more characters in Casino Royale and this restricts the amount of detail spent put into one character. The characters aren’t bad in Casino Royale, I just didn’t really care about the characters as much as I did while watching The Dark Knight. The characters represent the spy-thriller genre as there are obviously many spies and the idea of betrayal represents this sub-genre perfectly.

Locations

The location of The dark Knight is modelled after New York City. However some of it is fictional. Also, a part of the film is shot in Hong Kong.

The location of Casino Royale is portrayed in many different locations. The majority of the film being shot in The Czech Republic however, they also filmed in the UK and around Europe.

Props/Costumes

The gadgets in The Dark Knight are extremely extensive as you’d expect. They include grappling guns, the batmobile, the batplane and many more. The costumes and makeup in the Dark Knight is extremely well done. To The Joker’s signature makeup to Batman’s suit. All of it is done to perfection. The brilliant props and costumes represent the superhero-thriller genre perfectly.

The gadgets in Casino Royale are also exactly what you’d expect from the spy-thriller genre. Cars with guns attached, watches with radar. It’s typical props for a spy movie. The costumes however, vary from The Dark Knight. Casino Royale has a focus on tailored suits and dresses, not superhero costumes.

Devices

The dark Knight is a very dark film, hence the title. It was shot with the IMAX theatre in mind and it utilises the entire screen. The establishing shot for The Dark Knight is considered one of the very best in film history. This film utilises many ‘over the shoulder’ shots. Close ups are used mostly when The Joker is talking. This implies what he is saying is usually important. The cinematography was done by Wally Pfister

Casino Royale consists of a variety of camera shots, angles, movements and transitions. Most commonly, Campbell (cinematographer) has used a significant amount of long shots during action scenes, for example, in Madagascar. This allows the audience to get a full appreciation for the event, perhaps highlighting danger. This is how Casino Royale is in the spy-thriller sub genre.