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Thriller Film Theorists

Rick Altman

Argues that genres are defined in terms of media language (semantic language) and also codes of the genre. For example ,we know that certain aspects of a film indicate that it is a thriller, this makes the audience more comfortable as they recognise the general form of the film allowing them to have an idea of what is going to happen. The audience can also compare the film to other films they know of the genre and this helps films to make money as people will watch a film if it is of a genre they enjoy.

Generic conventions of thrillers include: 

  • Low key lighting 

  • Cuts speed up at key points

  • Tense music

  • Antagonist has hidden identity

  • Protagonist in danger

  • Shadows

  • Dark clothing for antagonist

  • Enigma codes

  • Antagonists identity slowly revealed

  • Often the scenario will make the audience think that the situation could happen to them, making them feel scared.

  • Quick cuts on shots of antagonist to conceal identity

  • Often the sequence of shots will not be chronological (flashbacks/forwards) to create the sense of something being uncovered through the film

  • Ideas of large secrets/cover ups

  • Violence is central

 

Charles Derry 

Charles Derry wrote "the suspense thriller" and defined suspense as a narrative device where the audience is informed of events (usually threatening) before the protagonists in the film. Therefore the audience can anticipate events of a dangerous nature creating a sense of tension and excitement. It is for this reason that the "flashforward" is used so the audience can obtain this knowledge.Charles Derry also noticed in his research that although many thrillers involve crime the main character is almost never a detective or gangster. His definitions of a suspense thriller allow us to discriminate between a crime film and a crime-thriller or simply a thriller. Charles Derry gives an extensive list of narrative devices which define the genre as opposed to semantic devices shown above.

"the suspense thriller can be recognized by the mutiple presence of various elements such as murderous passions, conspiracies, assasinations, an innocent protagonist on the run, ....antinomies such as life/death, good/evil...passion/lethargy"  

He also outlines six sub-genres based on their narrative content.

  • the thriller of murderous passions, based on a love triangle (wife, husband, lover) and a murder within this group.

  • the political thriller, plays particularly on the use of assasinations, conspiracies in which a government secret is uncovered or the characters plan an assasination

  • the thriller of the aquired identity , where the protagonist aquires a new identity and has to adjust to it whilst being involved in some sort of "murderous plot"

  • the psychotraumatic thriller, the events of the film are based off a past traumatic experience affecting the present

  • the moral confrontation thriller, an overt conflict between a "good" character and a "bad" character

  • the innocent on the run thriller, in which the protagonist is on the run after being falsely accused

I think this is useful as it goes deeper into the narrative conventions of a thriller which we can use to ensure our piece fits the genre well, for example we now know not to include a figure of the police as a main character in our piece the antimonies stated above will help us to create a conflict giving the piece a good narrative structure.

 

George N.Dove

George N. Dove Identifies four stages as the structural characteristics which form the basis of all forms of suspense:

  • Cumulation is the stage which concerns the development of clues, tensions and questions .

  • Postponement is the period in which the promise of a quick resolution is delayed.

  • Alternation is the stage of doubt, where audiences are encouraged to doubt their expectations and the outcome is uncertain.

  • Potentiality is the crisis, in which the outcome appears to be clearer

This theory gives a clear structure in order to create tensions and, as mentioned above allow the audience to guess the outcome of the film but also to surprise them by going against expectations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roland Barthes

Barthes argued that media texts can be interpreted in many different ways depending on the viewer, we can look at narratives from different perspectives to gain a deeper understanding.He narrowed down the action of any text in to five codes:

  • The Hermenuetic Code  - the way in which the story avoids revealing everything and instead includes clues to create a mystery.

  • The Enigma/Proairetic Code - the way tension is built up and the audience is left guessing what will happen next.

  • The Semantic Code - aspects of the text (media language for example) which suggest a particular meaning by use of connotations

  • The Symbolic Code- Similar to Semantic code although symbolic code is on a larger scale with opposing ideas creating new ideas

  • The Cultural Code - references the audiences prior knowledge of science, history, social stereotypes and other general knowledge.

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