Section 1: Background to the thriller genre

Thriller definition: from the film studies dictionary..
Thriller is a loose genre term reffering to any film that generates suspense and excitement as a major aspect of its narrative.


Theories about thrillers
(from thrillers by Martin Rubin)


G.K Chesterton: The transformed city - Chesterton - early 20th centuary writer of thriller stories.

- argued that thrillers took urban settings and turned them into exciting locations for dramatic stories.

Thriller films with unamed city settings:

• Seven


• Batman


• I am legend


• 28 days later


• Spiderman

Northrop Frye: Heroic Romance - Frye argued that thrillers were stories that took ordinary people and threw them into extraordinary situations.

Thriller films with extraordinary situations:

• 7 Pounds


• Envy of the state


• Hostage


• Saw


• Phonebooth


• Flight plan


• Snakes on a plane


• Red eye


• Death sentence
  
  
  

John Cawelti: The Exotic - Cawelti argued that thrillers took the elements of ordinary life and added an exotic element.

Thriller films with an exotic element:

• The Beach
  
  

W.H Matthews: Mazes & Labyrinths - Matthews writes about how human beings have a fasination for physical puzzles, often seen in mazes and labyrinths.

- Thrillers often use the idea of a mysterious quest in a confined location that feels like a labyrinth.

Thrillers including Mazes & Labyrinths:

• Tomb Raider


• Jumanji


• Saw


• Resident evil

Pascal Bonitzer: Partial Vision - Bonitzer discusses how in thrillers the audience is given a partial view of things, with important details being obscured.

Thriller films including partial vision:

• Disturbia

Noel Carrol: Question & answer - Argues that thrillers are structured around a series of questions for which the audience is led to want answers.

Question & Answer thriller films:

• Sixth sense


• The others
  
  

Roland Barthes: Enigma codes - Barthes analysed all narratives in terms of codes that operate moment by moment.

- Enigma codes - moments in a narrative where the audience is led to ask a question

- In thrillers, enigma codes are very important for telling the story in a suspenseful way

• Bourn identity


• Bourn supremisy