Research: What is a thriller? (Miss Begum)

Research: What is a Thriller? 

What are genres?

When films are being categorised, they are put into different genres according to the narrative of the story. Genres are important because it enables the audience to choose what type of film they prefer to watch and makes it easier for them to access. E.g. some genres are comedy, horror, thriller, romance and sci-fi.

The Thriller genre:

The thriller genre is created to effect the audiences psychological state of mind. It builds tension, suspense and anxiety which keeps the audience engaged and at the edge of their seats. In all thriller films there is a protagonist and a antagonist and a mystery or problem that occurs. There is mostly dark scenes in thriller-like settings such as school playgrounds, hospitals, cemeteries, asylums, and abandoned places.

Examples of Thriller films:

Black Swan - In this film the main protagonist, Nina, is training to be in a ballet production. When she begins to feel under pressure to do well she slowly slips from reality into living hell. This film includes low-key lighting, dark shadows and a recurrence of unexpected events suggesting its thriller genre.

Orphan - In this film the main protagonist, Esther, is seen to be a nine year old girl however, is actually a 33 year old women who has a hormonal disorder. Esther in disguise of Leena is mentally unstable and has previously killed 7 people. This film also includes low-key lighting depicting its thriller genre.

Taken - In this film, a retired CIA agent's daughter is kidnapped whilst in Paris which leads him to a mission to find his daughter. Most settings in this film are located in dark areas or places such as the brothels and warehouses highlighting the thriller genre.

Sub-genres of Thrillers:

Sub-genres are the stems of classical genres. E.g. In "Black Swan" and "Orphan" the sub-genre is psychological, in "Taken" the sub-genre is Action and in "Se7en" the sub-genre is Crime. 

Common themes: 

Themes in films are story lines or subjects that are present. E.g. The themes in "Taken" are mainly revenge as he wants the antagonist to be punished for the kidnapping of his daughter. The themes in "Orphan" are mostly envy as the young girl is jealous of her adopted mother and just wants to attention from her adopted father. 

Audience response: 

The audiences response to thrillers are usually confusion and anxiety. Thrillers are created to disturb and unsettle the audience in order to keep them engaged and hooked to the film. They tend to make the audience feel personally involved in order to catch the emotion and tension that is building up. 

Conclusion:

This piece of research has helped my understanding of thrillers as I am now able to identify what a thriller is and how each thriller is conventional.