Research: What is a thriller? - Miss Begum

What is a genre ?

A category in which a film would fall into based of its characteristics, for example; romance, thriller, action, comedy and many more.

What is a sub-genre ?

A sub-genre is a division of a genre into smaller categories. Examples of sub-genres within the thriller genre are:

Action Thrillers -
Focus on a lot of action and movement to thrill the audience.

Science Fiction Thrillers -
This is a very wide sub genre which uses science fiction to thrill the audience. The story lines are normally out of this world and unrealistic often involving aliens, natural disasters and other aspects of science.

Psychological Thrillers -
Characters need to fight battles mentally instead of psychically. This often involves the antagonists playing games with other characters minds.


Examples of thriller:

When a stranger calls (2006) -

 

 The film takes place in large maze-like house which is situated in an isolated area and is where the majority of the film is set. This is where the protagonist, Jill, spends the night babysitting two children. She spends he time on the phone while the kids sleep only to then start receiving phone call from a strange man who is stalker her while she stays in the house. She then has to play hero and save the children as well as herself.

This is a thriller because it uses dim lighting throughout the whole film which creates a dark airy set; along side other characteristics. It also uses mystery to create suspense and tension.

Final Destination 5 -

This film takes place in various settings unlike 'When a stranger calls'. It is part of a sequence of films which all involve the protagonist visioning a natural disaster right before the event occurs; saving a group of people by warning them about disaster and 'cheating death' to then later suffer a gruesome death in order of how they died in the vision.

This is a thriller because it uses such gruesome and sickening deaths to thrill the audience. Also, it uses a wide range of camera movements to build up thick tension and suspense.

Conclusion:

A thriller is a genre that uses different characteristics to create fearful excitement in the audience. Thrillers can be action, psychological, criminal, science fiction and many more.