Sub-genres of Thriller

  

TYPES
1) Crime Thriller

2) Psychological

3) Espionage/Spy/Political thriller

4) Supernatural

5) Action

6) Film Noir

CRIME THRILLER

Based on a crime being solved or prepared and seen from either the detectives or criminals point of view and can sometimes be both.

Codes and conventions:

• Cat-and-mouse

• Chasing

• Mysterious

• Rivalry

Setting:

• Banks

• Crowded cities

• Dark nightclubs/ streets/ alleys

Technical codes:

• Camerawork- close ups to show the frustratio from the antagonist or protagonist, long shot/ establishing shot, blocking shots

• Fast paced music to build suspense

PSYCHOLOGICAL

Se7en (film)

Psychological thriller films contain both genres of horror and thriller. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre as well. The main characters are usually emotionally unstable (or have mental problems), making them not able to differentiate between good/bad and what is real/not real.

Codes and conventions:

• Perception

• Identity

• Reality

• Plot twists

• Scenes of violence

Setting:

• Old, abandoned houses (victorian buildings)

• Hospitals (mental hospitals)

• Dark isolated buildings/ places

Technical codes:

• Mirrors

• Shadows and low lighting

• Flashbacks

• Tension building music

• Quick cuts

• Mixture of slow and fast editing to show the up and downs of someone with a mental illness
• Claustrophobic spaces

ESPIONAGE/SPY/POLITICAL

All the President's men (film)

This sub genre focuses on the protagonist involved in conflict with a large secretive organisation (that has bad intentions). 

Codes and conventions:

• Secrecy and conspiracy

• Good VS Evil

• Includes working institutions (e.g: police, government, army)

• Fighting/chase scenes

• Possibly plot twist

Setting:

• Urban areas

• Huge modern locations

Technical:

• Dark/dim lighting

• Tension music

• Quick cuts

SUPERNATURAL

The Others (film)

Supernatural thriller is a sub genre which consists of the main character having supernatural abilities. The plot usually involves the protagonist fighting a malevolent paranormal force brought by the antagonist.

Codes and conventions:

• Good VS Evil

• Tension and suspense

• Villain/protagonist possess superpowers/psychic ability

• Plot Twists

• Unworldly elements or creatures

• Religious elements

Setting:

• Forest

• Abandoned areas

• Small houses (isolated)

Technical:

• Dark/dim lighting

• Tension music

• Quick cuts

• Diegetic sound of breathing

• Montage of shots

ACTION

James Bond: Casino Royale (film)

The main protagonist is the hero and controls the action, while the villain is often a millionaire or ex-military who sometimes hides his/her identity. The villain may also have an evil companion.

Codes and conventions:

• Black(villian) VS White(hero)

• Guns = danger

• Helicopter chase

Setting:

• small American town(everything appears okay and tranquil providing an equilibrium.)

• city centres (sense of speed can be shown easily this provides a sense of urgency during a disruption)

              

Technical: 

• Dark and mysterious lighting is used to show danger, bright lights is used to show happiness.

 • Emphasis of power is created by the camera angles

• Tracking shots during chase scenes

• Diegetic sounds are amplified

FILM NOIR (dark film)

Double Indemnity (1944) (film)

The film noir genre generally refers to mystery and crime drama films produced from the early 1940s to the late 1950s.The genre was prevalent mostly in American crime dramas of the post-World War II era.

Codes and conventions:

• Omniscient narrator

• Flashbacks

• Black and white

• Plot twists

• Emphasised narrative gaps

Noir hero: 

• hard boiled detective, alienated from society, morally ambiguous

Tragic flaws -  uncontrollable lust for duplicitous women. 

Setting

• Small town, suburbia

• Streets in the early morning

• Street lamps with shimmering halos

• Flashing neon signs on seedy taverns

• Diners

• Apartment buildings

• Streams of cigarette smoke wafting in and out of shadows

Technical

• High contrast lighting

• Low & high angles

• Narration

• Flashbacks

• Denouement in the opening scenes

• Audience is cognisant of impending doom

• Sudden noises