Thriller Film Analysis

Thriller films are made up of different codes and conventions.

This helps connect with the audience and shows them the clear
difference between a Thriller and a Horror. This includes a
strong story line, essential elements; jumping scenes, abstract
point meaning that the story line has to be unique and see from
a different perceptive. In addition, it involves heroes with a
moral problem. This makes the audience want to watch more
and want the plot to continue into more films. The thriller
definition is a genre that is full of suspense, by keeping the
audience on the edge of their seats. There is a mission, a twist,
and an escape plan.
The codes and conventions of Thrillers start with a mystery. Is
very important when making a good Thriller film. This subtle
message will make the audience think harder about the
situation that is taking place. It is done in a way to give hints of
what is going to take place, but not actually give anything
away. This makes the film more thrilling and interesting for the
viewers. It gives the audience the opportunity to feel as though
they worked the story line out for themselves, rather than
telling them in full detail from the start. This makes the film
more realistic and make them feel as though it could happen in
a real life situation. To leave the audience satisfied the ending
must leave a good impression. This must have a relatable
situation take place or have something completely out the blue,
which would leave the audience shocked. This then means that
they would recommend the film to others. Between a strong
beginning, middle and end you would be able to keep the
engagement by emotional content and different pace.
The main themes that are involved in Thrillers are based on
situations that people worry about in the modern day, rather
than things that are minor and would have only been scary in
the past. This involves kidnapping, natural causes such as
earthquake etc., terrorism and harsh murders. This would
involve low lighting, shadows, tension music, black and white
shots, anger and jumpy scenes. It is important to use these
main themes to show the clear difference between a Thriller
and a Horror as thrillers are meant to be jumpy and for the
audience to actually feel as though it could happen to them
rather than seeing through that it is fake like a horror.
The sub genres are important in making a Thriller film as
interesting for the target audience as possible. This includes a
Psychological Thriller (such as Black Swan), a Comedy Thriller
(to have both suspense and humour), a Mystery Thriller, Crime
Thriller (The Usual Suspects) , Action Thriller (die hard)and a
Conspiracy Thriller (Utopia). These are all used to create a
different feel for the audience and show different realistic
situations from different angles. This has been developing over
the years whichhas enabled the director to develop the
storyline further and gather a wider audience.
Stereotypes within Thriller are used regularly, this is to show a
clear difference in characters and this has also developed over
time, People at both genders are not seen the same as they
were in the1950's. There is a huge pressure from all different
films it is controlled by the idea of beauty and fame. This takes
over the way men and women are seen. For women, they used
to always be the victim, being young, sweet and vulnerable.
This is shown by the difference in personalities between the
females and the antagonist. Males on the other hand are seen
as the complete opposite. This is the stereotype of being the
antagonist, and mainly either the saver or villain in thriller
films; this is done in a way to make them seem more powerful
through the camera shots and use of props such as guns and
knives etc. to make them look as though they are more
important than the female characters.
Throughout the years, Thriller films have changed radically by
the fact that situations have gotten worse for people over the
years which means that the things that scare them get harder
and harder to figure out. The audience also changes it, the way
it is sold and the different characters involved. In the 1950s
the genre of Thriller became a big hit.
In 1926, Alfred Hitchcock released his thriller called the Lodger.
It was based on a Jack the Ripper film filmed with suspense and
harsh scenes. The plot is based on a young blonde woman, who
is a victim of a serial killer who targets young blonde women on
Tuesday evenings. This story involves a hero who is there to
save June Tripp from being the next victim. This is a classic plot
to happen in the early works of thrillers, having the gender
roles set as a woman who needs to be saved by a story man
from a killer. This film would have terrified the audience as they
would then think that it could happen to them, and as it was
one of the first films to have a lot of suspense and confusion
involved, the audience would have really engaged with it. At
the time, blonde innocent females were seen as the victims, so
this situation would have seemed realistic at the time, this is
because the gender roles were so different back then to how
they are now. This then developed how people saw Thriller films
and what made them terrified.
The silence of The Lambs was released in 1991. This is based
around a young FBI cadet finding a manipulative killer who will
help her find another serial killer who skins his victims. This
opens doors during the production of her traumatic childhood,
which would scare the audience of what she has been through,
as well as involving murderers who skin their victims like an
animal. The use of characters in the silence of the lambs have
developed from using women as the vulnerable character to
having the main character as a female who finds the murderer.
It is the key to the characteristics and personalities of the
characters which makes this film full of tension. Hannibal Lecter
(first murderer) wears black and basic clothes, this makes it
clear of his lower position within the film and shows how
messed up his mental state is. In contrast to this, the female
character of Clarice wears formal clothing, which is associated
with being a strong and confident woman. There are still
elements during the feel where the producer has made it as
though Hannibal seems comfortable and casual about the
situation, which intimidates Clarice and makes her come across
as weaker than he is, even though during the film she
overcomes this and succeeded her intentions. This is because
in these days gender roles are only slightly better, and in
Thriller they still try to involve that as much as possible to show
the audience the difference between characters. It involves
low-key lighting and shadows which is used to create a dark
and mysterious atmosphere. This does show that the gender
roles have not shifted completely even though Clarice is at a
higher level than Hannibal, this is also shown by the different
camera angles and shots involved. The main shot type used is
the tracking. This shot allows the audience to feel as though
they are in the scene and seeing everything involved, it also
allows the audience to see the characters full body, this
emphasises how strong and confident he is even though he is
in prison. During the film, the editing is used effectively to
make a tense and suspenseful moment, to keep the audience
on the edge of their chairs and become scared of what is going
to happen next. It also involves reverse shots; this is done when
there are conversations taking place between scenes. This is a
very professional way of doing it and emphasising the
importance of the dialogue, it creates more tension of what is
being said. This has developed from the Thriller films in the
1950s, with the use of actors, props and technical equipment
that can be used, also by how the women is the one in charge,
shows that films have changed in a way to make the antagonist
a women.
This then changed again in the 2000s. Christopher Nolan
created the film Memento. This is a film based on the genre
psychological and build tension by pushing the audience to
think about the situation and messing with their mind. The
story line is based on a man who has the inability to remember
things that happened the day before due to him developing
short-term memory loss. His wife was murdered and he was
attacked, the plot is of him trying to find who the killer is and
getting him back for the damage, he caused. He tattoos himself
with the evidence that he has found. It is a very confusing film
and the narrative structure means that the audience has to pay
attention closely and stay engaged with what is taking place.
This has changed from the history of Thrillers because the
things that scare people has changed, the world is a scary
place and things that would of frightened 1950s audiences,
dont seem as bad in the 2000s. The technology used that has
been developed can add suspenseful feelings for the audience,
through the music, camera shots and the fear expanded upon
the genre. The codes and conventions that are used to make
the film more mesmerizing, keeping the audience engaged and
worried about what is taking place.