Genre - Forms and Conventions

Forms and Conventions (Anthony)

Thrillers are one of the most popular types of genre in the film industry as it appeals to so many people. A thriller is characterized by fast pacing, frequent action and resourceful heroes who always overcome a more powerful villain with suspense and cliff hangers throughout the story.                                                                                                                             

Thrillers are often set in foreign cities and exotic location or places where the weather conditions are extreme for example in the Polar Regions or in a desert for example the James Bond series, ‘National Treasure’, ‘Frozen’, ‘Green Zone’ and ‘Mission Impossible’.The hero of the thriller is usually portrayed as a tough and manly individual such as police or soldiers, however normal ordinary people are also used to relate more to the audience. In a lot of thrillers there is also a sense of mystery added to increase the tension in the story though there is a difference between the mystery in a thriller and a mystery film in that in a thriller the hero must stop the villain while they are still carrying out their crimes while in a mystery film the hero uncovers the truth of a crime already committed.
                                                                                                                         

Another convention of a thriller is that everything happens on a grander scale for example the crimes that must be prevented might be mass murder or terrorism and the thriller only climaxes when the hero finally confronts the villain and beats him usually saving his life and the lives of others.                                                                   
                                                                                                       

Horror thrillers have become more popular recently; a monstrous element has become common to heighten tension. With the changes in the horror genre the monster could take on many forms such as a serial killer, an alien or even a deadly disease however all monsters have something to make it distinct. For example some monsters have a high intellect (Hannibal lecter), supernatural power (Penny Wise) or a particular weapon (Jason Voorhees machete).                     
     

The reason why thriller is so appealing is because it is diverse and has many sub genres such as a spy thriller in which the hero is generally a government agent who must fight against a terrorist. There are also conspiracy thrillers in which the hero confronts a powerful group of enemies whose true extent only he or she recognizes. Political thrillers where the hero must ensure the stability of the government. Crime thrillers which are more focused on the villain rather than the hero and action is more frequent in these then psychological aspects. Legal thrillers where the hero is mainly a lawyer and they confront enemies both inside and outside the courtroom. There are Erotic thrillers that involves erotica and thriller. Horror thriller which involves conflict between the main characters are mental, emotional and physical, the main aspect of a horror thriller is that there is a constant element of fear throughout the story. Psychological thrillers where the conflict between characters is purely mental and emotional. There are supernatural thrillers in which the conflict between characters involve a supernatural power, supernatural thrillers are a combination of tension with conventions of horror, however supernatural thrillers don’t tend to show much gore like horrors it is all about the mood of menace and unpredictability. There are also Techno-thrillers where the story focuses on technology, usually which are military technology which is described in detail and made essential to the viewer.

In most thrillers the story is all about justice VS injustice and that often there is a price to be paid for the conclusion of the story for example the hero may have to sacrifice themselves for others to live.

The conventions of a thriller include 

-          The Protagonist at the mercy of the antagonist at the beginning of the film. 

-          An easy shock generated by a sudden unexpected action. 

-          False ending, where all appears to be alright. 

-          Speech in praise of the antagonist which is often done the protagonist and is used to build up the villain. 

-          Things are made personal when the hero’s personal life is brought into it. 

-          Not showing everything to the audience making them build up their own interpretation of events

Forms and Conventions (Zamu)

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.


These are types of films known to promote intense excitement, suspense, a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, anxiety, and nerve-wrecking tension. The tension usually arises when the main character(s) is placed in a menacing situation or mystery, or an escape or dangerous mission from which escape seems impossible. Life itself is threatened, usually because the principal character is unsuspecting or unknowingly involved in a dangerous or potentially deadly situation. Plots of thrillers involve characters which come into conflict with each other or with outside forces - the menace is sometimes abstract or shadowy.

These include such genres as mystery, detective movies, gangster movies, crime, spy films, science fiction, film noir, occult and haunted house horror movies.

In the ‘40s and ‘50s, film noir controlled the thriller, painting an increasingly pessimistic, sinister view of life. Characters trapped by fate and downbeat endings were common, and moody, gloomy visual atmospheres were the key elements. After World War II, thrillers became increasingly more menacing (with films by directors like Nicolas Ray, Samuel Fuller, Alfred Hitchcock, Don Siegel, and international filmmakers like Jean-Pierre Melville, Henri-Georges Clouzot and Akira Kurosawa), but the gory, explicit violence and overt sexuality that define much of the genre today didn't arrive until after the Hayes Code was abolished in 1969. Since then the genre has been stretched with films by various directors who each continue to twist and expand thrillers into new areas.


With Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock merged two very different genres: the horror film and the thriller. After Psycho in 1960, the cinema was never the same again. The story which frightened audiences worldwide is of a young man (Anthony Perkins) who, on the one hand leads a perfectly normal life as a struggling motel owner and, on the other, becomes a homicidal maniac when he impersonates and dresses as his long-dead mother. To keep the memory of his mother alive he keeps her stuffed skeleton in the cellar. When a young woman (Leigh), on the run with $40,000 appears for a night’s stay at the motel, the scene is set for Norman Bates to go into action. The dark figure with the knife outside the shower curtain is just the beginning.

Sub genres:

Crime thriller:

·         The Lodger (1944)

Science fiction:

·         Alien (1979)

Action Thriller:

These films are characterized by fast-paced, hero-centered narratives full of action and excitement. They often have elements of mystery and crime films, but these elements take a back seat to the action.

• Die Hard (1988)
• The Hunt for Red October (1990)
• Point Break (1991)
• Cliffhanger (1993)
• Air Force One (1997)

Conspiracy Thriller:

Only the hero knows the truth about a particular person, group, or situation, and he or she must prove it to the rest of the world before disaster strikes and the bad guys win.

• The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
• The Conversation (1974)
• JFK (1991)

Crime Thriller:

These films often focus on criminals dealing with a successful or failed crime and the suspenseful results. Common themes include robberies, murders, and double crosses.

• Double Indemnity (1944)
• The Usual Suspects (1995)
• Sin City (2005)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)

Disaster Thriller:

These films deal with some type of disaster, either natural or man-made. Along with sometimes showing the disaster itself, these films concentrate on the chaotic events surrounding the disaster, including survival strategies and the effects on the characters and their loved ones.

• Deep Impact (1998)
• Final Destination (2000)
• The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
• Cloverfield (2008)

Erotic Thriller:

A sensational genre that is a mix of erotic and thriller films.

• Body Heat (1981)
• Fatal Attraction (1987)
• Basic Instinct (1992)

Legal Thrillers:

In which the main character is a lawyer and must confront enemies outside, as well as inside, the courtroom. These heroes are in danger of losing not only their cases but their lives.

• A Few Good Men (1992)
• The Pelican Brief (1993)
• A Time to Kill (1996)

Medical Thriller:

In these films the hero is a medical professional struggling to solve some type of dangerous/frightening medical problem.

• The Andromeda Strain (1971)
• Coma (1978)
• Awake (2007)

Psychological Thrillers:

The ones that mess with your head. In these types of thrillers the suspense is character-driven rather than action-driven. Characters play deceptive games and try to destroy one another. Sometimes the conflict exists within one character's mind.

• Freaks (1932)
• Laura (1944)
• Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

Political Thriller:

The main character must ensure the stability of the government that employs him or her against enormous odds.

• Notorious (1946)
• The Crying Game (1992)
• In the Line of Fire (1993)
• Valkyrie (2008)

Religious Thriller:

Thrillers based on religious teachings, events, and customs. Religious prophecies, evils unleashed, and ancient scriptures often come into play. At times they can be quite controversial as they examine people's beliefs, not always in a flattering way.

• The Omega Code (1999)
• The Da Vinci Code (2006)
• Angels and Demons (2009)

Spy Thriller:

The hero is usually a government agent who must take violent action against agents from a rival government or terrorists.

• Mission Impossible (1996)
• The Bourne Identity (2002)

Supernatural Thrillers:

These are very similar to horror films, but are often not as violent. The character (could be the hero or the villain) has some sort of supernatural power that must be called upon. Supernatural thrillers often find the protagonists either battling an evil paranormal force or placed in a situation controlled by another-worldly force beyond their comprehension.

• Cat People (1942)
• Carrie (1976)

Most thrillers are formed in some combination of the above, with horror, conspiracy, and psychological tricks used most commonly to heighten tension. The sub-genres overlap and can be put into several different categories. All of them create tension, suspense, and excitement for the viewers.