A 'thriller' is a complex genre is literature, film and television. Thrillers will be combined with a sense of mystery, crime and danger. It will keep the audience constantly in suspense. They are designed to be very intellectual pieces of film. A lot of thrillers will confuse the audience leaving them wanting to know more about the narrative.
A thriller is used to create tension and suspense and occasionally excitement as its main elements. They are used to stimulate and control the views moods and feelings - this gives the audience a high level of anticipation, surprise, excitement, anxiety and uncertainty. Films of the thriller genre are usually; gritty; filled with adrenaline; fast paced and usually make the audience feel on edge. A thriller film can provide the audience with a lot of different emotions - some viewers may feel scared whereas some may feel excited. Thrillers will use literary devices such as plot twists; cliffhangers and red herrings. A thriller is usually driven my the antagonist and the protagonist is faced with various problems which build tension and suspense that they must overcome.
Sub-Genres of Thriller:
Action thriller: This uses mostly physical activity to build tension and suspense. As a traditional action film would have, an action thriller would contain motion and action including; races; fights; physical stunts; and overall a sense of danger. Examples of this type of film include; Die Hard; The Bourne Identity and Taken / Taken 2.
Psychological thriller: These types of thrillers would most likely be a book of film. As well as the usual thriller aspects, this type of thriller would use mystery and drama to create the suspense and tension. The protagonists and antagonists will have to rely on their mentality. This type of thriller will emphasize the psychology of the characters and focus on their mental emotions. Psychological thrillers because of their nature will sometimes cross over into the horror genre. Examples of this kind of thriller include; Memento and Rear Window.
Conspiracy thriller: This normally includes a hero or heroine who are stereo-typically investigators or journalists - they always find themselves within a powerful organisation. The antagonists in the film will try and contain the organisations as a a secret through wither propaganda or lies. These people are bought down by the protagonist. Examples of these thrillers include The Bourne Ultimatum and The Game.
Crime thriller: This is the hybrid between a crime and a thriller film. These films often focus on criminals and their activities. Crime thrillers normally emphasize the action. they also include a psychological aspect. Crime thrillers will usually include; murder; robberies; chases; heists; and high intensity violence. Examples of a crime thriller would include Inside Man, Seven and A Perfect Murder.
Political thriller: This genre looks into the stability of the government. commonly used scenarios include the US government and their elections, also, the prevention of world wars occurring. Examples of these films include State Of Play and The Contender.
Religious thriller: This type of thriller connects to plots which have been influenced highly by religions. These films normally uncover the good and bad parts to religions; particularly in Catholicism. It normally focuses on the journey to uncover the truth. Examples of this kind of thriller include; The Ninth Gate; Angles&Demons and Devils Advocate.
Techno thriller: this looks at the manipulation of technology and looks at the technology taking a prominent part in the film - this can include mankind being taken over by robots. This sub-genre is purely focused on fictional narratives. Common themes linked with this type of sub-genre include action, world wars and science fictional occurrences. Examples of this film include Terminator; The Matrix; iRobot and The Thirteenth Floor.
Supernatural thriller: This genre is filled with tension and suspense. It will have an unexpected twist at some point in the film. Either the protagonist or the antagonist (depending on the narrative) will have a supernatural gift. This sub-genre is closely linked with religious thrillers. It will normally include; alien life; demons entering the human body and possession. Examples of a supernatural thriller include Fallen; The Others and The Skeleton Key.
Conspiracy thriller: This normally includes a hero or heroine who are stereo-typically investigators or journalists - they always find themselves within a powerful organisation. The antagonists in the film will try and contain the organisations as a a secret through wither propaganda or lies. These people are bought down by the protagonist. Examples of these thrillers include The Bourne Ultimatum and The Game.
Crime thriller: This is the hybrid between a crime and a thriller film. These films often focus on criminals and their activities. Crime thrillers normally emphasize the action. they also include a psychological aspect. Crime thrillers will usually include; murder; robberies; chases; heists; and high intensity violence. Examples of a crime thriller would include Inside Man, Seven and A Perfect Murder.
Political thriller: This genre looks into the stability of the government. commonly used scenarios include the US government and their elections, also, the prevention of world wars occurring. Examples of these films include State Of Play and The Contender.
Religious thriller: This type of thriller connects to plots which have been influenced highly by religions. These films normally uncover the good and bad parts to religions; particularly in Catholicism. It normally focuses on the journey to uncover the truth. Examples of this kind of thriller include; The Ninth Gate; Angles&Demons and Devils Advocate.
Techno thriller: this looks at the manipulation of technology and looks at the technology taking a prominent part in the film - this can include mankind being taken over by robots. This sub-genre is purely focused on fictional narratives. Common themes linked with this type of sub-genre include action, world wars and science fictional occurrences. Examples of this film include Terminator; The Matrix; iRobot and The Thirteenth Floor.
Supernatural thriller: This genre is filled with tension and suspense. It will have an unexpected twist at some point in the film. Either the protagonist or the antagonist (depending on the narrative) will have a supernatural gift. This sub-genre is closely linked with religious thrillers. It will normally include; alien life; demons entering the human body and possession. Examples of a supernatural thriller include Fallen; The Others and The Skeleton Key.
Good Chelsea...What is the difference between a hybrid and sub-genre? You confuse the 2 here in this post. Be clear! Can you include a reflective post on what you have learned overall? Like a summary?
ReplyDeleteVery good Chelsea! Good posts! Be sure you have addressed ALL my comments and maybe post a checklist of where you are? A reflective and evaluative post is needed to summarise your learning. Still some areas missing! But on the right track
ReplyDeleteThanks! Will read over your first comment again, a summary post will be uploaded
ReplyDelete