Posted by hammonday

What is a thriller?

Thriller is a genre of film. These films are made to create a feeling of suspense and tension within the audience. They usually involve a lot of action, and usually include an interesting storyline which grabs the attention of the audience. Some of the most famous thriller films include Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho", Steven Spielbergs "Jaws" and Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction".



This clip is from the critically acclaimed thriller from the Coen brothers called "No Country For Old Men". It was nominated for eight Academy Awards and four Golden Globe awards, and it was considered one of the best films of 2007.
Evaluation:
This scene is one that builds a lot of the tension within the film. It is near the beginning, so it introduces the main character as quite sinister and menacing instantly. There is hardly any sound, except for the talking of the two characters, a slight drone in the background that gradually increases in volume and the sounds of a wrapper and a coin. The fact that you can hear the noise of the wrapper unfolding and the coin being flicked is to elaborate the fear that the shopkeeper must have. He would be noticing every little noise and movement, so this tries to make the audience feel like he is. It may also just state the fact that they are completely alone, and in the middle of nowhere, so there is no background noise (from traffic etc.). There are no technical camera angles or movements within this scene. This is also very effective as it draws focus to what is taking place in the shot. For example, the camera just switches back and forth from character to character as they are talking, which makes the audience more aware of what they are saying.


This clip is from "There will be blood", another successful thriller from 2007.
These films are some of my favourite in the genre.

What other genres are linked to the Thriller film?
There are many different types of Thriller films, such as:

Sci-Fi Thrillers -
Alien
Predator
Signs
28 Days Later
The Thing
Suspense Thrillers -
Psycho
The Shining
What Lies Beneath
The Strangers
Hide and Seek
Action/Adventure Thriller -
Pulp Fiction
Casino Royale
The Dark Knight
Saving Private Ryan
300
Crime Caper Thrillers -
The Pink Panther
The French Connection
The Italian Job
Western Thrillers -
High Noon
The Missing
Lucky Country
The Last Train From Gun Hill
Persued
Film Noir Thrillers -
Double Indemnity
L.A Confidential
The Maltese Falcon
The Black Dahlia
Romantic Comedy Thriller -
Safety Last
Fun With Dick and Jane
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

What problems do you normally find when examining the Thriller genre?

It is sometimes very hard to determine what is a Thriller film and what is a Horror film. They are both made to create suspense, but Horrors usually involve something paranormal or very menacing, whereas Thrillers are just used to create suspense and tension.

List the features of a Thriller film:

Quick cuts

Fast camera angle changes

Tension building music

Victim (usually female)

Uneasiness

Fast paced, adrenline rushed scenes

An interesting story

What kind of characters do you normally find in Thrillers?

You will usually find a timid or vulnerable victim, a psycopathic criminal/strange suspect, other victims who know the main protagonist, a friend who may dismay the protagonists fear etc.

AFI Top Ten Thrilling American Movies:

1.Psycho (1960)
2.Jaws (1975)
3.The Exorcist (1973)
4.North by Northwest (1959)
5.The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
6.Alien (1979)
7.The Birds (1963)
8.The French Connection (1971)
9.Rosemary's Baby (1968)
10.Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)


"The Master of Suspense":

The master of suspense is considered to be Alfred Hitchcock, the most influential and praised thriller director ever. He created such classic thriller films as "Psycho", "The Birds", "Rope", "Rear Window" and "Vertigo".

He is considered the master of suspense because of his vast number of films that are viewed as "classics". He created his own style of thriller that achieved him great success. His most popular film is "Psycho", with most of the fame coming from the infamous "Shower Scene". His style echoes throughout all his movies. He uses women as victims in many of his films, and makes them appear vulnerable and innocent in many of them. However, on occassions he would go AGAINST this idea and make the women very strong. For example, the film "The Birds" features a main character who seems very masculine and mysterious, however hitchcock does seem to once again go back to the vulnerable view of women when she meets a man who protects her.










What did these early Thrillers all have in common in terms of the victims?

Gaslight, Laura, The Spiral Staircase, The Lady from Shanghai, Sorry, wrong number

All these Thrillers include a female as the main victim. This seems common place in old thrillers such as Hitchcock films and Film Noirs. Women are usually chosen because they are seen as more vulnerable and innocent than men. This isn't always particularily true, but it is seen as a "Tradition" for Thriller Films to include a female protagonist.



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