Sonam Nguyen

Genre is a type of film that can be categorized by the similarities in the themes of the narrative. Thrillers are created to give the audience a sense of suspense, anxiety and exuberance whilst also making them feel in the same position as the hero/anti-hero as they are ordinary people, just like the characters. Audiences watch thriller films to temporarily escape everyday realities and their own current problems in life. They are able to acknowledge that the character in the movie is suffering more than the viewer him/herself. People also enjoy watching thriller movies as they create suspense in the atmosphere by keeping the viewers on the edge of their seats throughout.

Safety Last (1923) Fred C. Newmeyer- This was the first thriller film, however it does fit into Metz theory as it was also categorized as a comedy. The Lodger (1927) Alfred Hitchcock- The first longest popular film, with elements of suspense and a puzzle solving story line. Also falls under Metz theory. Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock- Many films were inspired by Psycho as it met all of the standards of the thriller genre, also considered the best thriller of all time. Sisters (1973) Brian De Palma- Sisters was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece (Psycho) as it similarly fit under Metz classical stage theory. Alien: Resurrection (1997) Jean-Pierre Jeunet- This film created a new sense of the genre of thriller, as it added segments of sci-fi and action. Vampires Suck (2010) Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer- This movie falls under a parody of Meltz’s theory of thrillers as it ridicules Twilight (a hybrid thriller: fantasy, horror, thriller) by adding comedic features which calms the suspenseful edge

Definition: A sub genre is a subcategory within a particular genre, this means that it can be seen as an extension from the main genre. (stated on freedictionary.com) On the other hand, a hybrid is slightly different as it combines two genres together, to keep the audience more entertained during the plot. For thriller films these could include: Crime/Gangster thrillers– Eg. Seven, Collateral Psychological thrillers- Eg. Memento, Shutter Island Action thrillers- Eg. Taken, The Dark Knight Romantic thrillers- Eg. Rebecca

Narrative Convention Many thrillers follow the same narrative convention. At the beginning of a film is the first equilibrium, in the middle of a film is the disruption in the equilibrium (eg. someone getting killed) which is also called the disequilibrium and finally the new equilibrium originates to finish off the film. A good example of this could be the movie Collateral. Begins with a taxi driver doing his nightly shift (Jamie Foxx), picks up a civilian (Tom Cruise) who turns out to be an agent. The disequilibrium begins when Vincent (Tom Cruise) shoots a criminal that lands on top of the taxi. Finally a new equilibrium is introduced when both characters work together. Character Representations In thriller films, the protagonist is perceived as an ordinary person that the audience can relate to. The hero/anti- hero (Leonardo Dicaprio in Shutter Island is seen as a anti-hero) usually get caught into a situation with no means of escape and during the narrative becomes cleverer and stronger in order to defeat the villain/antagonist. The anti-hero is usually created to make the audience feel unknowing and have an enigma of who the true hero actually is and what his/her purpose is in the narrative. Mise En Scene Thrillers tend to be set at secluded locations with very little civilization surrounding the scene, this gives the hero/anti-hero no options for help during the plot. Most of the time, the lighting consists of shadows and darkness to add and to give suspense to the audience. The props and costumes reflect the characters in the narrative (Dark clothes could signify evil whilst white clothes represent innocents and naivety).

Camerawork Include: Establishing shots (Found at the beginning to show the location. (Eg. Prison or Countryside) Long shots Medium shots Medium close ups Close ups Low angle shots (Give the character a position of power/strength/authority) Point of view shots (POV) Extreme close ups (Give the audience claustrophobia) Editing Include: Jump cuts (Create a sense that the camera jumps) Reverse shot (During a dialogue between two or more people, the camera switches views according to the speaker) Cross over shot Freeze frame (A still picture in a movie, such as the ending of Source Code)

Soundtrack Soundtrack in thrillers incline to have classical music which is non diegetic, meaning the characters in the narrative cannot here these musical noises and is usually there to add tension in the atmosphere for the audience. A good example of non diegetic noises in a movie, are represented in the classic thriller ‘Psycho’ when the women is attacked whilst showering. The use of diegetic noises, such as footsteps or bullets being fired can be heard by the characters in the film, these give the audience suspense and anxiety, which is built upon by the performance of the actors. An example of a thriller film with diegetic noises includes Shutter Island (the sounds of the destructive storm on the island) and in Collateral (gun shots being fired and characters breathing loudly).

Timeline-of-the-Thriller-Genre/#vars!panel=641692! Timeline-of-the-Thriller-Genre/#vars!panel=