Definition:
- Thriller films are movies that primarily use action and suspense to engage the audience. Thriller films are different from horror movies which emphasise fear or action movie that emphasise exhilaration.
- Suspense is an indispensable factor.
- One of the things Alfred Hitchcock said about his film making is that he puts the 'common man' in the position of the protagonist.
- A thriller often overlaps with action and horror.
- Thrillers are often hybrid; legal, erotic, film noir, atmospheric etc.
Narrative:
- relentlessly pursues a goal, tension occurs when protagonist is placed in an unpleasant situation
- build up is created more by what you don't see, subtlety is key
Characters:
- the hero of a typical thriller faces danger alone
- more often the hero is an ordinary citizen thats brought into a situation by a means unknown, thus creating tension because the protagonist doesn't want to get involved but must
Alfred Hitchcock:
- considered as the master of the genre
- North by Norh-West, Psyco
- Most of his films don't rely on acion but instead upon a minimum of action, relying on mystery and the 'untold story' to build up tension
- he has a tendency to put the 'common man' in the protagonist position, which makes the films relateable to a wider audience
- He has an obsession with blonde heroins and reportedly found an attractive woman much easier to write about because she was seen as an idol by the audience, making it all the worse when she's brutally stabbed to death in the shower
- He often dealt with taboo or perverse characters such as the obvious homosexulaity in Strangers on a Train
No comments:
Post a Comment