Section 1: Background to the Thriller Genre

Background To Thriller Genre

Thriller Definition: from the Film Studies Dictionary. "Thriller is a loose genre term referring to any film that generates suspense and excitement as a major aspect of its narrative."Theories about Thrillers;G.K. Chesterton: The Transformed City- Chesterton argued that thrillers took urban settings and transformed them into exciting locations for dramatic stories.- For example; Seven - the unnamed city, full of crime, grim and depressing. Mission Impossible 3 - the Vatican is transformed into a criminal organisation. Batman - The Dark Knight - Gotham City, is a superhero thriller, the city is transformed into a superhero place which wouldn't normally occur.Northrop Frye: Heroic Romance - Frye argued that Thrillers were stories that took ordinary people and threw them into extraodinary situations.- For example; The Negotiator, Die Hard, Derailed, Spiderman, and War of the Worlds.John Cawelti: The Exotic- Cawelti argued that Thrillers took the elements of ordinary life and added an exotic element.- For example; James Bond, Jumper, and Wanted.W.H. Matthews: Mazes and Labyrinths- Matthews writes about how human beings have a fascination 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.- For example; National Treasure, Tomb Raider, Saw, Resident Evil, Di Vinci Code, The Mummy, and Indiana Jones.Pascal Bonitzer: Partial Vision- Bonitzer discussed how in thrillers the audience is only given a partial view of things, with important details being obscured. (Something which we, as the audience, do not know)- For example; The Sixth Sense.Noel Carroll: Questions and Answers- Carroll argued that thrillers are structured around a series of questions for which the audience is led to want answers.- For example; Stir of echoes, and The Others. Rowland Barthes: Enigma Codes - Barthes analysed all narratives in terms of codes, he said a good narrative should contain enigma codes (concept which is unknown)- He said that this was very important in thrillers for telling a story in a suspenseful way.