Overview:
Thriller is a type of genre that defines a certain type of film including certain characteristics involved with the thriller genre. Typically the thriller genre has many characteristics however some common themes and trends involved with a thriller include an antagonist and protagonist that enter into a feud between one another with the protagonist becoming victorious(in most cases). Some other common factors that are present in thrillers is the ‘edge of you seat’ feeling, also the plotline which focuses on a certain point/mystery that must be resolved. Although these are some general trends in the overall thriller genre there are sub-genres and a vast network of interwoven genres that contribute together making characterization of these somewhat harder? However there are also one or two main components involved in sub-genres including crime thriller involving a case or a crime that is needing to be solved or where a villain is being pursued by the police or the law. Another sub-genre includes psychological thrillers in which there is confusion incorporated either within the plot with the case or the protagonist themselves being caught up in obscure circumstances. For example the psychological thriller Black Swan by Director: Darren Aronofskyin 2010, involves a seemingly classic thriller setting with a protagonist and antagonist battling for a role however it’s a figure of the protagonist’s mind and she left causing damage to herself in belief that she is defeating the antagonist. These sub-genres can also be set apart from one another through the dialogue, set and props which are all defined in these different sub-genres.
Defined:
There are many ways in which a thriller is defined however the main recognised one through universal language is ‘one that thrills, a work or drama designed primarily to hold interest with the use of intrigue, adventure or suspense.’
Another way within the more media sense of the term is defined as being a ‘rich literary feast’ where James Patterson goes on to say that the way in which thriller can be shaped and moulded into all these sub-cultures and genres leaves vast room for expansion. He also more deliberately defines them as being an ‘intensity of emotions that create a great sense of apprehension and exhilaration.’
For myself I define the thriller genre as being ‘a way in which someone is kept watching in pursue of self-excitement and a desire to be pushed to limits of suspense and cause a feeling similar to that of a roller coaster ride.’
Sub-genres:
These sub-cultures and sub-genres that have branched out from the mainly defined thriller genre are political thrillers, crime based thrillers, conspiracy thrillers, psychological thrillers, spy thrillers (I feel this can be seen as a convergence of crime and conspiracy) supernatural thrillers, technological thrillers. These sub genres are not the entire range of sub cultures and variations of themes in thrillers there are evidently more however these have been the most noted and have noticeable and recognised characteristics defining them from other types of sub categories. As you go through the list the name of the sub genre gives away the main characteristics for example supernatural thrillers include ghosts, demons, haunting and unexplained phenomena’s a prime example of this type of thriller is the Paranormal Activity trilogy in which the characters are pursued by a demon, it was directed by Oren Peli in 2007, 2010 and 2011. This genre specifically usually entails a supernatural form, someone on the receiving end of a haunting and attempts to protect or defeat the supernatural forms, these thrillers also predominantly end openly allowing for the audience to be scared or shaken believing that the form is still out there somewhere. Other genres like conspiracy thrillers take on the widest range of sub genres categories for example the genre might be a conspiracy thriller with a religious narrative making it religious an example of this is The Da Vinci Code directed by Ron Howard in 2006. Conspiracy thrillers can also take on sub-sub-genres such as a doctor conspiracy thriller like Awake directed by Joby Harold in 2007, also thrillers containing a political sub genre including JFK directed by Oliver Stone in 1991.
http://www.imdb.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment