The Thriller GenreThe thriller genre as a concept, has the ultimate goal

of giving the audience a sense

of suspense, a rush of emotion.

In the genre innocent yet brave

protagonists are driven into dangerous

situations against the normally evil

antagonists.

The thriller genre has various elements, commonly they have a task to complete. The storyline is

fast pace, there is a loss of equilibrium, they are normally

set in normal settings such as an urban area Violence is common.

Such as the plot twist in Sixth Sense

The audience expects to be scared and on the edge

of there seat, this has been a thriller audience

expectations since the first thriller films were

released.

A TIMELINE

SUBGENRESThere are several different subgenres of thriller, these include the below four sub/hybrid genres. But there are many more sub and hybrid genres.

Kill Bill – A Action Thriller

The Usual Suspects – A Crime Thriller

Taxi Driver – A Psychological Thriller

Drive – A Neo Noir Thriller

Gaslight - 1944

Psycho - 1960

Jaws - 1975 The Shining - 1980

Seven - 1995

Shutter Island -2010

One of the earliest ‘thrillers’ was Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last (1923), were an All-American boy performs a daredevil stunt of a skyscraper – this is because it is classed as an ‘adrenaline inducing film’.By 1931, the meaning of thriller had become associated with crime and psychologically emotive pieces when German thriller film M came out – about a homicidal child. By 1944, one of the first famous British Thrillers was made called Gaslight, it features a scheming husband plotting to steal his young wifes inheritance. And in 1945, Oscar Wildes masterpiece ‘A Picture of Dorian Grey was made into a film

A TIMELINEEarly Modern Thrillers

Alfred Hitchcock and More

Alfred Hitchcock is considered the master of suspense, he is notorious for manipulating his audience's fears and desires, and taking viewers into a state where they can relate to the protagonists situation directly. Hitchcock placed an innocent and normal person into a dangerous situation in most of his films.He used cinematic techniques in his movies, that shocked audiences by sequences of edits, this can be seen in the drain to eye sequence in Psycho (1960)He used visually expressive features such as the surreal dream sequence in Vertigo (1958), or the murder in the victims glasses to insight fear into the audience. He also used McGuffins (Also known as red herrings in his plots) – this is the use of an item/extra storyline to carry the story through

A TIMELINEModern Thrillers

• The Dark Knight (2008) is a superhero thriller. It centres around Batman trying to dismantle the remaining criminal organisations that plague Gotham City, his quest is to beat evil master criminal the Joker.

- It is a typical thriller because Batman the character only became ‘Batman’ after being dragged into the situation forcefully when his parents are killed in front of him - He has the character stereotype of being a somewhat anti hero as he is seen as a cold and sometimes callas person - It is set in a city, a usual thriller setting, and is filmed in blues and dark lighting to set the mise-en-scene• Inception (2010) Is a Science Fiction Thriller. It centres

around Dom Hobb, a criminal and architect of the imagination, who specialises of stealing ideas in dreams by going into them, and must complete his biggest task yet.

- Hobb is also an anti hero as he is a criminal, and the story line centres around crime - The film uses CGI edits, such as the scene when he flips the ‘world’ upside down - The film uses mise-en-scene to set time film, often shooting in dark colours – such as in the fight sequence when trying to perform the ‘heist’ of the idea.

SUBGENRESCrime Thrillers

• THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL – 1978 – A crime thriller about Barry Kohler, who stumbles upon a secret organization made up of Third Reich war criminals including an infamous Nazi doctor, not only does Kohler try to thwart the plans of the secret organization, but in film uncovers that the organization successfully created 94 perfect clones of Hitler, sent around the world for adoption, it ends with the search and planned systematic homicide for the tyrannical clones of Hitler.

• It is a typical thriller because the protagonists are anti-heroes – because they will commit mass murder towards clones

• The first main protagonist is dragged into the situation as a average and innocent character

• LAW ABIDING CITIZEN – 2009 – Clyde Sheltons search for justice, after his wife and daughter are killed in a home invasion, right before his eyes, when prosecutor Nick Rice, gives a lesser sentence to one of the perpetrators of the crime due to corruption. Shelton feeling betrayed by the justice system becomes homicidal and goes on a killing spree

• The character Clyde Shelton is a antagonist, but the line between good and evil is blurred due to Rice initial corruption

• Rice as a character is a anti hero due to his corruption leading to the films events

• THE USUAL SUSPECTS– 1995 – After a faceless figure ‘’Keyser’’ sets a ship in San Pedro Bay alight, the FBI agent Jack Baer and Customs agent Dave Kujan arrive separately for information of what really went on aboard the ship, after searching they bring together 5 criminals including an ex police officer, a professional thief. The film depicts the search for an answer for the crime and who committed it.

• It is typical of the crime genre as there is a continuous quest for justice.• It also contains character stereotypes of Anti-Heros

SUBGENRES Psychological Thrillers

• REAR WINDOW One of the first critically aclaimed Psychological thrillers was made in 1954. It is about a story professional photographer ‘L.B Jeffries’ who get’s injured during an action shoot, as he is confined to his New York apartment, he spends increasing amounts of his time observing his neighbors through his rear window, and begins to suspect that one of his neighbors murdered his wife and enlists his nurse to find evidence.

• This follows the Thriller conventions of normal protagonists being thrown into an dangerous situation

• It also displays disruption of equilibrium a) he starts of oblivious to his homicidal neighbor, b( He breaks his leg and observes (Loss of Equilibrium), c) get’s nurse to find evidence against neighbor, and finds justice in wife’s death.

• PLAY MISTY FOR ME – 1971 – A story about obsession, the film centers around famous disk jockey (DJ) Dave Garver attracts the attention of demented fan Evelyn Draper. After he picks her up in a bar one night and brings her home, he is relentlessly stalked by Evelyn, who assaults his made, mutilates and destroys his house and as a climactic peak of violence threatens to butcher his girlfriend.

• It also follows Thriller conventions, as he is dragged into the dangerous situation unknowingly, and is relatively normal due to the fame complex people have

• It is also centered around obsession of the human mind

• MOMENTO – 2000 – Is a modern thriller. It chronicles two separate stories of Leonard, an ex insurance investigator who can no longer build new memories, as he attempts to find the murderer of his wife the last thing he remembers. To not forget things, he captures important memories via polaroid photographs and tattoos.

• One storyline is forward in time, while the other is told backwards, which is unusual for thriller films.

• It is centered around the obsession of Leonard• It also has Crime Thriller elements to it

NARRATIVE CONVENTIONS

Character representation

MISE-EN-SCENE

Thriller films are generally set in everyday places

such as High School, Hotels, or urban areas.

To help set the Mise-En-Scene the film maker will assess the location, time

period and ensure the correct costume, makeup and prop and décor used throughout

to help set the Mise-En-Scene

Thriller films will also use the actors stance, posture and social interactions to

set the scene.As well as this they will use lighting and the colour to show the audience the

mood of the scene

HeroInnocent

character, often dragged into

situation. Normally they have normal

jobs, or have a dark past but are ultimately good

Anti-HeroThese are not entirely

good people, who have flaws, for

instance selfishness and greed. Or are

solving situation for personal gain, and lack good qualities.

VillainThey are often ex

convicts, assassins, stalkers, kidnappers.

Normally very intelligent.

Often disturbed in some way

Characters either risk death of self or others, so are

forced to participate in

dangerous situation.

Obsession is a common feature in the thriller genre.

(And it usually turns deadly!)

There is usually a quest for justice in

thriller films. And the narrative is

usually from the protagonists point of

view!

Camera work

Editing

Music

The two above images are Hans Zimmer (Inception) and John Williams (Jaws) two very famous Movie sound track composers; especially thriller

genre

In thriller movies, music is generally playing throughout the music as diegetic or non diegetic sound in the back

ground.This is normally to set the mood. Therefore in thriller

movies the music is normally fast pace to keep the adrenalin following.

Conventions of the music can include, low melodic string sections, open harmonies,

accented notes, and ‘drone’ type music throughout.

In thriller films, camera work is often either really steady or frantically moves around. In dialogue filled scenes the camera will focus on the characters not the setting unless vital to the scene. Common shots are close ups, extreme close ups, mid shots, but

unusual shots such as high/ low shots and POV shots can be used.

Long ShotClose UpMid Shot

In thriller films, editing is used to build tension. This is done to keep the audience apprehensive throughout the film, this can be

done by thinking about the shot transition speed. Fast Pace Editing could resemble time lapse. Slow Pace Editing

to build suspense. Or could be done by various editing techniques such as shot reverse shot, the 180º rule, jump cut,

montages and reaction shots.For instance in Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho, in the infamous shower

scene there are over 78 different shot transitions.

bibliography•http://www.imdb.com/search/title?at=0&genres=thriller&sort=year,asc&start=101&title_type=feature

- I used IMDB to find a timeline of thriller films, I also used this for photo sources.•http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/thriller -I used this website for an overview of the thriller genre•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(genre) - I used wikipedia for a basic knowledge of the thriller genre•http://www.filmsite.org/thrillerfilms.html - I used filmsite as another time line of thriller films•http://www.slideshare.net/lewisharland/conventions-of-the-thriller-genre-11373344

- This website helped me plan my own slideshow•http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/history-of-thriller-films - This is a final time line of the thriller genre.•http://oahkarinarhoden.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/editing-terminology-reaction-shot-it-is.html

-- A shot and editing explanation post.