Thursday, 27 January 2011

Typical Thriller Conventions

Conventional Thriller Characters:
  • Rapists
  • Victims
  • Murderers
  • Psychotic individuals
  • Serial Killers
  • Loners
  • Ghosts
  • Vunrable Women

Conventional Thriller Settings:
  • Isolated houses/ areas
  • Woods
  • Cities/ Towns
  • Night
  • Graveyards

 Conventional Thriller Themes:
  • Murder
  • Violence
  • Romance
  • Suspense
  • Mystery
  • Death

Wednesday, 19 January 2011

5 Thriller Films Researched

 1, Hide and Seek (2005) 
  • Tense music is used  in order to establish atmosphere
  •  hybrid thriller as it contains many stereotypical horror elements such as murder, darkness and fear but also contains mystery, tension and suspense which is very generic of the thriller genre
  • Set in a large house in an isolated area 
  • Murder is a constant theme throughout the story 

  • Ends in suspense when the heroine (Emily) draws hersel in a picture with a double head, suggesting that she to sufffers with the same mental disease her father had 
2, Cape Fear (1991)
  • Use of pathetic fallacy to create atmosphere during tense moments 
  • Music emphasises the suspense that the audience is meant to feel
  • Killer is a psychotic, rapist which is very stereotypical of the thriller genre 
  •  Cape Fear is a hybrid thriller as it contains themes of crime such as criminal vs defense lawyer  
  • Use of props such as fake blood and make-up wounds make violence and gore a recurring theme 


    3,One Hour Photo (2002)
    • A psychological thriller that focuses on a loner character 
    •  Uses music to indicate when something is not quite right 
    • Use of extrememly bright lighting to create the effect of being in a mental institution to emphasise characters state of mind 
    •  soundtrack of a heart beat to emphasise tension- very typical of the thriller genre 

    4, The Prestige (2006) 
    •  Use of dark lighting creates dark and tense mood throughout the storyline 
    • Themes of revenge, violence and madness 
    • Hybrid thriller as the themes of magic make it a fantasy thriller 
    • Dangerous magic tricks performed which create suspense in the audience 
    • Use of lashbacks to reveal plot twist at the ending 

    5, Taken (2008)
    • Hybrid thriller as Taken contains themes of both action and crime 
    • Use of split screen
    • Sound effects used in the fight scenes - creates a fast paced rhythm that creates tension and fear 
    • Reaction shot used on fathers face when he sees his daughter 
    •  Setting changes from a clean and bright airport (equilibrium) to dark and grim (disequilibrium)



      Thursday, 9 December 2010

      Famous Thriller Directors

      1. David Fincher
      • Most of his films are hybrid thrillers as they include genres or crime, drama and mystery.  
      • David Fincher has been known to use generic trhriller effects such as using shadowy lighting and his films usually end in suicide (either attempted or successful)



                                                                                                                      
             2, Christopher Nolan

        •  Most of Christopher Nolans movies are hybrid thriller of mystery and crime as all the films include criminals and violence.


                3, Martin Scorsese
          • Most of Martin Scorseses movies are hybrid thrillers of mystery and crime

          Sunday, 7 November 2010

          Famous Thrillers

          A typical Thriller movie will feature themes such as violence, crime and murder which create an atmosphere of a dark, dangerous and corrupt society. Literary devices such as cliffhangers and plot twists are very common as they help built the suspense and anxiety that they want to promote in the viewer.
          Synopsis
          • A young FBI cadet confides in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims. 
          Thriller Conventions

          • Characters- serial killer, phycopathic doctor, victims
          • Setting- Prison, isolated house
          • Themes-  Murder, Action, violence. suspense  

          •  Jaws is a Thriller movie that was created in 1975 that focuses almost entirely on violence and suspense themes throughout the movie. Starring Roy Shceider. 
          Synopsis
          • When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief, a marine scientist and grizzled fisherman set out to stop it.
          Thriller Conventions 
          • Character- Cheif Martin Brody of the police force and a gigantic killer shark 
          • Setting- A small community Island, isolated setting at sea 
          • Themes- Violence, suspense, fear   


          3, Panic Room (2002)

          Synopsis

          •   A woman and her teenage daughter become imprisoned in the panic room of their own house by 3 criminals. 
          Thriller Conventions 
            
          • Characters- Victims, criminals, 
          • Setting- Large house, Trapped in one area 
          • Themes- Fear, suspense