Thriller and Horror

Thrillers Designed to offer the audience pleasures built around

tensions. Aimed to startle, not designed to disgust. Typically including crime.

Sub- genre’sCrime thriller:Focus on criminals to an act of crime. The villain is normally the one who drives the narrative. It consists of fast pace, fiction, dramatic moments, over emphasis action.

Mystery thrillers:Detective uncovering a crime that has taken place. Along the way, there are crimes that must be prevented e.g. terrorism, mass murder, over throwing the government.

Psychological thrillers:Over laps with horror. Playing games with a person on a mental level. Making them believe one thing, but then discovering a different meaning.

Science thrillers:Gadgets and robotic machines are included to create suspense. Manipulating how humans live. Includes action as well as elements of sci-fi.

Supernatural thrillers:Were un human things are involved, and trying to enter this world and cause destruction or try and create peace. Protagonist or villain has the powers.

Examples of Thrillers

Film title Sub-genre picture

The game Mystery

Inception Science

The others Supernatural

Usual suspects Crime

Silence of the lambs Mystery

Law abiding citizen Psychological

Main themes Protagonist faces death or someone elses death. (usually of

the mother or girlfriend/wife) Antagonist has more power Protagonist is in a hard decision Antagonist + protagonist must fight.

Characters found in a thriller Protagonist mainly men Antagonist mainly male Alien, ghosts or zombies Police, agents, detectives. Innocent victims.

Codes and coventions Suspense Red herring Cliff hangers Villain drives the plot Twists Scored soundtrack to distress and influence Cast Damsel in distress Good vs. evil Genuine thriller Multi layered narrative.

Horror Designed to create an intense feeling of fear and disgust. They often are based around hidden fears, nightmares and

terror.

Sub genre’sAction horror:

Combines the intrusion of evil, where the protagonist must go around killing the antagonists, that are mainly supernatural such as zombies, demons, vampires.

Body horror:

Where horror is generated from the human body. Limbs used to create monsters. David Cronenberg is a well known director in this sub-genre.

Comedy horror:

Combined elements of horror and comedy. The horror is almost crossed over my comedy.

Gothic horror:

Usually created in the earlier century. It includes castles, dungeons, ruined landscapes.

Psychological horror:

Relies on the characters fears, guilt, emotional instability and at times the tension is built to further the plot. Horror comes from the reality.

Science fiction horror:

Deals with the paranormal but is not limited to mad scientists were experiments go wrong. This idea creates fear for technology.

Slasher horror:

Deals with a lot of violence which usually revolves around a psychopathic killer. Contains a lot of blood and gore.

Examples of horrorFilm title Sub-genre Picture

Resident Evil Action Horror

Taxidermia Body Horror

Scary movie Comedy horror

Frankenstein Gothic horror

The Omen Psychological horror

Prometheus Science fiction horror

The Texas chainsaw massacre

Slasher horror

Main themes The documentary's- where the audience is made to believe the film is real footage

and experienced.

The Mass Incarnate Infestation- where the protagonist is alone, facing all the antagonists.

The Unknown, Unfolding Terror- where the protagonist believes from the other persons opinion that there are ‘supernatural forces’, but the audience doesn't’t really see it.

Creatures from Beyond- super natural creatures involved to scare and drive the narrative.

The Overwhelming Gore Explosion- where an over use in blood is mainly used to scare the audience.

The Serial Killfest- one main antagonist searches for its victims and kills them violently.

Characters found in a horror Female victim Non believer Protagonist Antagonist Hysterical character Violent character Loved up couple Zombies Vampires Witches Demons

Codes and conventionsExtensive use of Narrative enigmasSlow pace of Editing, builds tension. Long takesPredictable narrative contentClear binary oppositions e.g. good v evilUse of low key lighting representation of gender: The Female VictimExtensive use of close upYoung/teenage charactersPoint of view shotsLow angle shots