Thriller Research

What are genres?

Genres are the “type of” or “the category” of something, it was originally used for Greek literature but then spread to other forms of media. This was done to identify the type of story that it would be.

 Why is it important to know this?

It is important to know about genres to specify and distinguish each genre individually so it gives some insight to what the narrative may involve to appeal to a certain audience; this is due to different tastes, interests and preferences.

The thriller genre- thriller genre is the category of film, literature and television specifically dedicated to instilling a feeling of excitement, suspense and tension among the audience. This is done through the use of a gripping narrative and a plethora of interesting twists or interesting characters. Thrillers often use similar codes of conventions such as:

 Low key lighting-                           

Often thrillers would use low eerie light to add suspense and tension. this is a good way of keeping the audience on edge.

Protagonists and Antagonists-

Often within the story there will be a protagonist who is seeking some form of justice and an antagonist who is against the protagonist, a way to put it would be a hero and a villain, this is used to not only give the narrative a base or foundation but also make it interesting.

Dramatic Music-

Dramatic music in a thriller film is primarily used to create tension; this would normally prepare the audience for something greater.

Fast Paced Editing- This normally is used to jump and give the audience a rush or an on-edge feeling and leaving them unsure of whats around the corner.

Here are few examples of thriller films:

Saw- Saw is an example of a Psychological thriller this movie use the main themes of Revenge, Death & torture. This film uses gripping and intuitive iconography to make the scenes of death even more chilling and horrific for the audience.

 

The Dark Knight Rises- This film is a prime example of an action crime thriller; it contains the protagonist Batman who is faced with the tyranny of the villain bane who is the main antagonist. This film uses a gripping narrative to make one of the most entertaining crime thrillers to date.

This trailer for the Purge uses various techniques such as low key lighting and fast editing and dramatic music mainly to display to the audience an eerie and chilling feeling, as we see some of the story unfold we as the audience start to feel sympathy for the victims who are being brutally killed in this violent Horror Sci-fi thriller.

Sub-genres of thrillers-

There are a few sub-genres dedicated to the thriller type:

1)      Psychological-Thriller - This type of thriller sub-genre of would contain really gory deaths and gruesome scenes of torture, this would be portrayed through a dark narrative with a disturbing plot. For example “Saw” is a prime example of this sub-genre.

2)      Crime-Thriller - These kinds of movies would normally contain exciting scenes that are action packed, may contain a chase between the protagonist and antagonist. A good example of this is “The Dark Knight Rises”.

3)      Religious-Thriller- These thrillers have a storyline based within a religious. A good example of this sub-genre is the film “Constantine”.

4)      Mystery-Thriller – These films contain a narrative that is based on solving mysteries. Examples of these types of films are “Silence of the Lambs” & “Se7en”.

5)      Supernatural-Thriller- These types of thrillers will contain scenes that depict supernatural interference, normally in a household or in a very eerie setting. A couple examples of this sub-genre are “Paranormal Activity”,”Insidious” & “Sinister”.

6)      Conspiracy-Thriller - These thrillers are based on believable conspiracies that are circled but not 100% proven. Some examples of this type of sub- genre are “The Da Vinci Code” & “Angels and Demons”.

7)      Disaster-Thriller- Films that fall under this sub-genre are based around a narrative that depicts a disaster natural or not, these would normally have a group of people trying to either prevent a disaster or trying to escape one. An example of this would be the film “2012”.

8)      Political-Thriller-Thrillers like this take a look at a different side to politics, the narrative would be more commonly based on something that has happened in Politics and or political history. Some examples of this thriller sub-genre are “JFK”& “Nixon”.

9)      Techno-Thriller - Techno thriller’s look into the use of advanced technology being used in taking over the world. This type of thriller will use a lot of editing and CGI input to build upon the main parts of the story. A good example of this would “i-Robot”.

Common themes-

The common themes that are used in thriller films are; Narrative of revenge, death, iconography such as bloody knives and other weapons. These are the things more commonly used in thriller films; this would assist the narrative and help the story to flow.

Audience response to thrillers-

A normal response to a thriller film from the audience would be a feeling of edginess and tension; this may cause audience members to jump at moments of high tension. Thrillers are normally viewed by people from the age ranges of 15-35.

Conclusion:

My research has helped me further my knowledge of the thriller genre and its sub-genres. It has also helped me be able to identify in detail the common features and themes of a thriller film. I’ve also learned how the codes of conventions I.E. iconography, costumes and Protagonists and antagonists can be a key and vital to the narrative, giving it that thriller feeling.