‘Conventions of the Thriller Film Genre’
What is a
thriller?
Supernatural, horror, suspense, sets an atmosphere (sinister, scary)
Literature, film, gaming and television. It includes numerous, often
overlapping sub-genres.
Ingredients
of thrillers: Fast paced, frequent action, and resourceful heroes
who must thwart the plans of more-powerful and better equipped villains.
Literary devices such as
suspense, red herrings and cliff-hangers and used extensively.
Different
types of thrillers-
Spy
thrillers, James Bond, Bourne series. Spy is linked to government.
Political thrillers, hero
must ensure that the stability of the government that employs him. Based on
real events or things that could have/will happen. Olympus has fallen is an
example.
Military thrillers- Saving
Private Ryan, fighting in war etc.
Conspiracy
thrillers- hero confronts the powerful group of enemies whose true
extent and power only they recognise.
Medical
Thriller- In which the hero is generally principled physician who must
fight corrupt drug companies or colleagues engaged in unethical experiments.
Forensic
thrillers-In which the heroes are forensic experts whose involvement
with an unsolved crime puts their lives at risk.
Psychological
thrillers-in which conflict between main characters is mental and
emotional rather than psychical.
Horror
thriller- Conflict between main characters is mental emotional
physical etc.
Characteristics- Thrillers
often overlap with mystery stories, but are distinguished by the structure of
their plots.
Thrillers occur on a much grander scale: Crimes that must be prevented.
Standard plot elements include a sense of jeopardy.
Builds a climax to make the audience feel different emotions
and feel more attached to the characters.
Film noir, French, taken on in Hollywood, detectives,
raining, black, dark, hard drinking, womanising, bitter, compromised heroes,
hero often killed.
Foreign cities, deserts, churches, subways, airports, Polar
Regions or high seas, or even the woods.
