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The Thriller Genre

►Why is genre so important?►What are the codes and conventions

of Thrillers?►What films do I know about?►What directors do I know about?

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Institutional use of genreInstitutional use of genre

► Film producers use Film producers use genre as a means of genre as a means of minimising the minimising the economic risk in economic risk in making filmsmaking films

► Film Film distributors/exhibitors distributors/exhibitors use genre as a means use genre as a means of advertising and of advertising and promoting filmspromoting films

► Both depend upon Both depend upon audiences’ audiences’ foreknowledge and foreknowledge and past experiencepast experience

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Audience use of genreAudience use of genre

► Audiences use genre to Audiences use genre to give them predictable give them predictable pleasures when pleasures when consuming/watching a consuming/watching a filmfilm

► Audiences have certain Audiences have certain expectations of genre expectations of genre filmsfilms

► Audiences expect Audiences expect genre films to involve genre films to involve innovation, innovation, inflection/subversion of inflection/subversion of the generic the generic conventionsconventions

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Generic conventionsGeneric conventions► A film genre is defined by its A film genre is defined by its

codes and conventions and codes and conventions and these must be present to make these must be present to make a film a genre film but should a film a genre film but should involve some aspect of involve some aspect of innovation, subversion and/or innovation, subversion and/or inflection (otherwise it inflection (otherwise it becomes a formula film)becomes a formula film) Mise-en-sceneMise-en-scene SettingSetting Visual styleVisual style ThemesThemes IdeologyIdeology StarsStars Character-types Character-types NarrativesNarratives IconographyIconography CinematographyCinematography Special effectsSpecial effects Sound/musicSound/music

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Definition? James Patterson, June 2006, "Introduction,"

Thriller

► ...Thrillers provide such a rich literary feast. There are all kinds. The legal thriller, spy thriller, action-adventure thriller, medical thriller, police thriller, romantic thriller, historical thriller, political thriller, religious thriller, high-tech thriller, military thriller. The list goes on and on, with new variations constantly being invented. In fact, this openness to expansion is one of the genre's most enduring characteristics. But what gives the variety of thrillers a common ground is the intensity of emotions they create, particularly those of apprehension and exhilaration, of excitement and breathlessness, all designed to generate that all-important thrill. By definition, if a thriller doesn't thrill, it's not doing its job.

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What is a Thriller?► Uses suspense, tension and

excitement as the main elements► Includes many sub genres: Mystery,

Crime, Psychological, Political and Paranoid.

► Atmosphere of menace, violence, crime and murder.

► Society is seen as dark corrupt and dangerous

► Literary devices like plot twist, red herrings, and cliff hangers

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Thriller Methods?►Crime: ransoms, cativities,

heists, revenge, kidnappings►Mystery: investigations,

‘whodunit technique’►Psychological: mind games,

psychological themes, stalking, confinement, deathtraps, horror of personality, obsession

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Thriller Characters?►Criminals, Stalkers, Assassins,

Psychotic individuals, escaped cons

►Menaced women, innocent victims, private eyes, world weary people,

►Cops, people involved in twisted relationship

►Characters are often not black or white (bad or good), grey is dominant!

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Activity► Write a 50-100 word “advertisement” for the thriller

film genre, trying to mention the most important conventions

eg For Romance Genre: Wanted: Love story. Do you love candles and dancing in the rain? Must have the ability to resolve problems between couples and reach a happy ending. Experience with kissing, telephoning and acting hurt essential. Must have ditsy friend, handle lots of misunderstandings and be willing to accept a ring at the end. Empathy with young women an advantage. Your job will require chatting up people and you will have to work in bedrooms and in moonlight as well as big social gatherings, especially weddings.

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Thriller Films

► Inception► Fight Club► Pyscho► Silence of the

Lambs► Memento► Dark Knight► The Shilling

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► The Departed► The Prestige► Bladerunner► Se7en► Reservoir Dogs► Bourne Identity► North by

Northwest

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Others?

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Thriller Directors

► Alfred Hitchcock► Brian de Palma► Stanley Kubrick► David Fincher► Orson Welles

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► Roman Polaski► Ridley Scott► M Night Shyamalan► Steven Spielberg► Quentin Tarantino► Christopher Nolan► Tony Scott► John Carpenter► David Cronenberg► Jonathan Demme

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Techniques

► Use of tracking► POV► ECUs/CUs► Reveals (track in/

zoom in)► Dramatic angles► Eerie, tense music► Off screen sounds► Low key lighting► Chiaroscuro

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► Strong directional lighting► Over exposed or colour

manicpulation► Fast paced editing esp for

chase scenes► Jump Cuts► Parallel editing► Obtrusive Editing► Silence► Exaggerated sound► Disorientation of

time/space

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Narrative Techniques

►Plot twists and turns

►Multiple lines of action

►Flashbacks►Narrative

retardation►Red herrings►Chases/pursuits►Mis direction

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►Deadlines►Principle of

concealment►Mysterious

characters►Morally complex

characters►Making the

audience work

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Activity

►Think of a thriller film you know well and like

►Explain in writing why you think this film should be watched by everyone at Thurston Community College because it is the best example of a Thriller film. Make links to the codes and conventions we have talked about.

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