Thriller

What Is The Thriller Genre ? Thriller is a type of film that uses tension and suspense as its main elements. It creates an exciting and anticipating atmosphere in the audience, keeping them on the edge of their seats at all times. There is usually a villain-driven plot within the thriller film with an ordinary character trying to overcome the villain’s evil and sometimes destructive ploys. Many plot twists and cliff hangers are used before reaching a climax. Different literary devices create more suspense and anxiety for the audience.

History of Thriller Thriller began in the 1920s. Alfred Hitchcock created his first Thriller film in 1926 called “The Lodger”. From 1935 onwards, most of Hitchcock’s films he made were Thrillers. 1928 was the year when Fritz Lang produced the first spy movie called “Spies” and this was the main inspiration for the James Bond movies. In the 1940s, Hitchcock produced ‘Suspense-Thriller’ films: Hitchcock introduced Technicolor to his films in the 50s which was a massive breakthrough for the genre at this time. -Foreign Correspondent -Rebecca -Saboteur -Shadow Of A Doubt

Sub-Genres & Hybrids Psychological Psychological Thrillers focus on the mental and emotional state of the characters. It plays on the audience’s mind and creates tension, reflecting the feelings of the character’s mentality. Elements of crime and mystery are sometimes present in psychological- thrillers. Plot twists are used often as well. “Inception” is an example of a psychological-thriller as it continuously plays on the audience’s mind.

Legal Thriller This type of Thriller is based in and around the courtroom. Usually the protagonist is a lawyer who has found their case threatening death for either them or their client. The lawyers often find themselves trying to prove their client innocent so much that they become in danger of their own lives. An example of a Legal Thriller is "Michael Clayton" starring George Clooney and directed by Tony Gilroy.

Narrative Themes and Conventions A genuine Thriller film focuses on one goal – to keep the audience cliff hanging on the edge of their seats throughout the film. This creates tension and entices the audience to continue watching and to keep them entertained. Tension tends to arise when the main character is placed in a life-threatening situation and all the odds are against him, but then eventually find themselves escaping in an exciting turn of events. Plots of Thrillers involve characters which come into conflict with each other or with other forces.

Thriller Character Profiles Protagonist Often an ordinary person or retired detective e.g. mechanic, ex-cop, agent, etc. Faces death/placed in dangerous situations by accident. Can be seen as an innocent bystander so the audience has sympathy for the character Usually set out on a quest/mystery that has to be solved on their own or with the help of other characters. May face the antagonist in a battle/fight (the climax of the movie)

Antagonist Usually composed as a villain with an evil and sometimes destructive plot. The character’s forces are shown as being more powerful than the Protagonist’s. He can also be conveyed as more intelligent and more intellectual than the Protagonist. The Antagonist’s plot is intertwined with the Protagonist’s normal everyday life. In certain Crime-Thrillers, the evil plot can be linked with the Protagonist’s family or close friends. The character is normally played by a male actor rather than a female actress.

Mise-En-Scene Mise-en-scene is the arrangement of everything that appears in the frame. This includes actors, lighting, décor, props, costume, camerawork etc. Mise-en-scene is designed to evoke emotions that permeate the whole movie. In thrillers, dark lighting is used to evoke fear and terror in the audience. Thrillers use fast paced action shots to create a faster motion in the film and to reflect on the emotions and feelings of the characters. Close-ups and extreme close-ups are used to leave the audience with many questions and to increase anticipation, leaving them on a cliff-hanger at all times.

Technical Aspects Camera shot, angle & movement Thrillers use a variety of camera shots, depending on what type of Thriller it is and how to set the mood of the scene. Establishing shots are used to set the scene e.g. Shawshank Redemption uses a panning establishing aeriel shot of the prison. This shot puts the size of the landscape into perspective and tells us that the film will mostly be shot in that area. From wide shots to extreme close-ups, Thrillers use the correct camera technique to compose the right emotions in the audience. Extreme close-ups are mostly used in Horror-Thrillers and Mystery-Thrillers to create fear and to give more detail on an important subject. Wide and long shots are used in all Thriller films and they are important for focusing on a certain character or object, giving a different perspective on the scene at hand. When shooting an Action-Thriller film, directors tend to use fast paced moving shots to speed up the motion of the film. Editors use lots of short shots together to create quick movements easily, giving the audience more of a thrill when watching a scene that isn’t actually very thrilling in reality.

Editing It is very important in Thrillers (and all films) for the film to make sense while editing. The director will use lots of jump cuts because there will be many things happening that the audience are unaware of. Cross cutting is used to create suspense which is key in a Thriller film. Most action and spy films use cross cutting to establish a better understanding of the character’s emotions as it can compose anger and aggression, maintaining a fast-paced act in the scene.

Sound Music is essential for the opening title sequence and in any sort of montage or action scene in a Thriller. It sets the mood for the audience and helps to reflect the emotions of the characters. It also builds suspense, anticipation and fear in scenes that are hard to find engaging. It is a powerful tool that is used excessively in Thrillers to entice the audience further. Sound effects are used a lot in horrors to bring a high fear factor to the film, and in action movies to embrace the audience in the operation.

Cinematography Cinematography articulates the time and space of what occurs in the scene. The art of cinematography helps the audience to understand the film better through different shots and camera angles. Thrillers use many different angles and shots to compose a more exciting and thrilling atmosphere. This is essential for maintaining a complete understanding for the audience and at the same time keeping them entertained. The best Thriller films combine both techniques together to create a great film.