Friday 24 September 2010
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO
RESEARCH INTO THRILLER FILMS
its one type of genre that can be used to make a film. It should appeal to those that like there heart pumping fast with fear and maybe a mysterious theme?
What genre's are linked to a thriller film?
- Action
- Crime
- Suspense
- Sci-Fi
- Western
- Romantic Comedy
- Disaster
- Medical
- Religious
And many more that have been explored in the past. As a thriller genre is normally mixed in with other genres and is then therefore quite hard to put into one category, they normally in twine with another genre. This is called a 'sub-genre'.
Features of a thriller:
- Intense excitement
- suspense
- Provide thrills and keep the audience cliff hanging at the 'edge of their seats'.
- Tension
- Mystery or escape
- Dangerous mission
What kinds of characters do you normally find in thrillers?
Plots of thrillers normally involve characters that come into conflict with each other or with outside forces. The relationships are sometimes abstract or shadowy. Some characters in a thriller may include:
- Convicts
- criminals
- assassins
- stalkers
- innocent victims
- prison inmates
- characters with dark pasts
- Psychotic individuals
- terrorists
- cops and escaped cons
- private eyes
- people involved in twisted relationships
- world weary men and women
- Physco's and many more...
Frequent themes of a thriller are:
- Terrorism
- Political conspiracy
- Pursuit romantic triangles leading to murder
AFI(America Film Institute) rated the top 3 best thriller films to be:
- Psycho (1960)
- The exorcist (1973)
- Jaws (1975)
Who is considered to be the master of suspense?
Alfred Hitchcock was named the master of suspense. He helped to shape the modern day thriller genre. Hitchcock is considered to be the master of the suspense genre manipulating his audiences fears and desires, and taking viewers into a state of mind with the representation of reality facing the characters.
What was his first film and why is it so different from the thriller films that are made today?
His first film was called 'The Lodger' which was released in 1926. This film was very different from films we see today because of one simple reason. It was a silent movie.
The reasons for Hitchcock's great success is his similar ideas throughout his films that were changed to fit different story lines. Hitchcock would explore the dark aspects of a storyline which would often be abuse, murder or humiliation. He would often include sexuality and punishment. Quite early on in his films, he lets the viewers know that a horrible scene or event is going to occur which creates great suspense while we as viewers actually wait for something to happen.
One of Hitchcock's favourite devices that he created was called the 'MaGuffin'. Most of his films were created around this particular device that he spoke about for the first time in an interview in 1964.
' device which, in detail by inciting curiosity and desire, drives the plot and motivates the actions of characters in the story but whose specific identity and nature is unimportant to the main aspects of the film.'
The film vertigo is a great example of a good use of MaGuffin. The character 'Carlotta Valdes' is only mentioned in the film. She is never seen but yet the whole storyline is based on her ghost haunting another character in the play. The details of her death aren't important to the audience but are still the basis of the storyline itself. MaGuffins are seen a lot in several of Hitchcock's spy films including 'The man who knew too much' and 'The 39 steps'. A MaGuffin storyline would simply put the viewers focusing on an initial storyline where a dramatic scene happens but actually ends up being trivial to the whole storyline which is therefore unexpected.
How are women are presented in thriller films?
Throughout most thriller films women are all portrayed the same. Here are a few examples of leading women in a thriller where they all have very similar characteristics and looks as each other.
Laura- 1944
An NYC police detective is investigating the murder of a girl called Laura Hunt who was a very successful advertising executive.He interviews a man who helped her with her career and how he met Laura. The police officer also questions her fiance, her aunt and her house keeper.
The detective gradually starts to become obsessed with Laura and his gains more and more information about her. He falls in love with her. one scene in the film shows that actually Laura isn't dead and comes back to find the detective asleep under her self portrait. Another woman had been mistaken as her. Now, its even more important to find out who the murderer is.
Sorry wrong number- 1948
This film is about a spoiled daughter of a millionaire. She uses her phone as a connection to the outside world. One day she accidentally eavesdrops on two men having a conversation about planning a woman's murder. She tries to inform the police but gets ignored. If the girl couldn't be more distressed, her husband Henry is missing. She eventually starts to put pieces together and it turns out that her husband isn't what he seems to be and in fact, she is the victim.
The spiral staircase-1946
Its about a serial killer who is murdering disabled young women. His next victim is a girl called Helen who is muted and cant speak. She works as a live-in companion for a very wealthy lady. She urges Helen to get out the house as does her doctor who knows the reasons for her loss of speech and is trying to help her get her voice back. With the wealthy woman having a lot of people in her big mansion, where most of the film is set, working for her, the murderer seems closer than expected.
I feel that women in thrillers are shown to be perfect. Women are noramally casted in films because of there looks. In most stories where there is a leading lady, the other characters are all based around her and its about them having an impact on her life. They are then normally stripped and shown there faults. Women are also mainly the victims as they seem to be 'weaker' then men. This then brings stereotypes into the film industry.
THREE THRILLER OPENINGS ANALYSED- (1) BLUE VELVET
Blue velvet- 1986
At the beginning of the film, lively and happy music is played to create a sense of irony. It’s the opposite of what the audience is expecting.
The curtain moves behind the credits as they are being shown. This suggests a mysterious image or person is behind it and doesnt want to be seen.
A white picked fence and red roses are then shown outside a big white house. This shows a very positive and typical American location. This confuses the audience as they are expecting a thriller. At this moment in the film, nothing thrilling has been shown or suggested. In a way, this makes the audience more on edge as its ‘too happy’. The mood is alos very peaceful which makes the audience naturally relax. Then it shows what’s really under all the happiness as a man is hosing his lawn. A typical American action. He then gets strangled by the water pipe and falls to the floor. The happy music is still playing so it doesn’t give as much tension as it could have. This suggests that disaster slike this happen all the time in a nice neighbourhood which is shown. It may look perfect and innocent on the outside, but on the inside, its more thrilling than the audience are expecting at this point.
Then, Camera angle is in the sight of something. Brushing through grass and seeing insects close up suggests that we are seeing the eyes of an animal of some sort. Tension builds up.
The next shot then quickly cuts to a big billboard of a typical image of a pin up girl. This changes the mood to being more settling for the viewers and shows a happier tone to the film again.
The lighting is quite natural as it’s outside. This shows more realism to the film.
When a character finds an ear on the floor covered in ants, this is a symbol of the ‘thriller theme’ being finally introduced. Enigma is created. Who does the ear belong to? Why is it there? What is the character going to do? These questions all appear instantly in the viewers mind.
(2) VERTIGO
A build up of tension to the action of the film vertigo was made by music being played quite loudly. Non digetic sounds and ominous tones were also used to create a sense of mystery which is one key feature that a thriller must have.A creation of fear/apprehension/anticipation/unsettling feelings/confusion and doubt over a character was all made by simple movements throughout the film. With the audience knowing that someone else is there that the characters don't no about creates a lot of fear for the viewers as they are circling over and over in their minds as to what will happen next. With the characters not knowing in the films, it makes the audience more anticipated as they are willing and trying to help although they know that it is just a film. This is when the audience really gets into the film and is eager to know whats going to happen next.
A dark, shadowy atmosphere which is created by lighting is used to create a sense of tension in the film. The lighting is changed to create a mood. When the light is natural and brightly coloured, then it gives us a sense of purity, happiness and daytime. When the lighting is dark, it suggests that its scary, nerve racking and in the evening. The establishing mood and atmoshere throughout the film is also shown through mise en scene.
