Genre Study - Thriller

We have decided to create a film under the 'Thriller' genre. We have decided to use this particular genre since it gives us the largest target audience, as well as the ability to challenge and develop many different conventions, as well as using many traditonal ones in our own film. There is also the fact that people truly love being 'thrilled'; they love that rush of adrenaline and shock that comes with watching a good film and feeling as though they are part of the experience, something which transcends age and gender and is of universal appeal to all.


Thriller is a genre of film, literature and television that uses suspence, tension and excitement as its main elements. For the purpose of AS Media I shall be focusing primarily on films. I may reference television shows and literature if I find a good example of something.

Thrillers are mostly characterised by an atmosphere of menace, violence, crime and murder by showing society as dark, corrupt and dangerous, though they often feature a happy ending in which the villains are killed or arrested. Thrillers heavily promote on literary devices such as plot twists, red herrings and cliffhangers. They also promote on moods, such as a high level of anticipation, adrenaline rush, arousal, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, anxiety and sometimes even terror. The tones in thrillers are usually gritty, slick and lurid.

[Wikipedia]


Above is a basic definition of what a thriller is, and in this study I shall show examples of thrillers, as well as extrapolating on sub-genres and conventions.

A 'Thriller' aims to thrill. Fundamentally, if it is not doing this, if it is not keeping the audience on the edge of their seat, biting their nails and wanting to know what's about to happen, it's not doing it's job and is not a 'Thriller'. Tension usually occurs when a protagonist is thrown into a menacing, life-threatening or mystery situation, and they must escape this and overthrow whatever evil may be the root cause. Although none of these are a necessity in a thriller, they are at the base of the majority.

Before I continue, I shall outline what is meant by the term 'genre' and 'sub-genre'. A 'genre' is a type, style or category of film, in this instance, although it can also be applied to literature, art, music and many other mediums, which is defined by certain conventions or criteria. Works may fit into multiple genres by borrowing from them or by crossing certain boundaries. Genres change with these conventions over time, meaning they can become outdated and replaced by entirely new ones on a regular basis. As public opinion changes, and as peoples lifestyles change too, the way they view and interact with the world around them also changes. This leads to their ideals and mindset changing with further results in conventions changing, and finally genres.

A 'sub-genre' further breaks down genres into more precise categories and sections by content. For example, 'Thriller' is the main genre, however if a film is about police trying to catch a criminal, it is a 'Crime Thriller' by 'sub-genre'. By the same merit, if a film is a thriller set mainly in a courtroom, it is a 'Legal Thriller'.


Examples of sub-genres of 'Thriller'


Below is a list of examples of sub-genres of 'Thriller':

• Conspiracy Thriller
• Crime Thriller
• Disaster Thriller
• Erotic Thriller
• Legal Thriller
• Medical Thriller
• Mystery Thriller
• Political Thriller
• Pyschological Thriller
• Rape and Revenge Films
• Religious Thriller
• Supernatural Thriller
• Techno Thriller

Although this may appear to be a concise list where you would easily be able to pigeon-hole any film under the umbrella of 'Thriller', many fit into more than one, or even two categories. For example, a 'Crime Thriller' may overspill into 'Conspiracy Thriller', 'Legal Thriller' and 'Mystery Thriller' depending on its content. It is also subjective to ones opinion. Below I will discuss the content of some of the above 'sub-genres', outlining basic conventions of each.

• Conspiracy Thriller - The protagonist is confronted with a situation in which there is a plot to carry out an act without others knowing, usually this act is illegal and politically motivated. An example modern film would be 'Angels and Demons'.

• Crime Thriller - The film offers a suspenseful account of a crime, or crimes, with emphasis typically on action rather than psychological aspects. Central topics include serial killers, shoot-outs and double-crosses. An example film being 'Resevoir Dogs'.

• Disaster Thriller - The main conflict is typically the result of a natural environmental disaster, such as a flood, earthquake or volcano. There are also films featuring man-made disaster, such as a nuclear accident. An example film being 'Deep Impact'.

• Mystery Thriller - The protagonist is involved in a mystery and must find a way to solve it, usually by themself or with the help of a few others. 'The Number 23' is a good example.

• Psychological Thriller - The main action of the film is entirely mental and emotional, rather than physical. Certain physical aspects may also be included to enhance the mental unbalance of a character, such as the violent torture and/or murder of another. An example film being 'Psycho'.