The main purpose of the opening to a film is that you need to capture the audiences attention in the first few minutes so they are intrigued to watch the whole of the film. For example if it has a weak start that doesnt capture peoples attention and build question in which they want to know the answers to, or find out how the story goes, they will loose interest and believe it is not a film worth watching. However if the opening does builds interest and create those questions of suspence, the film has captured the audiences attention and this will maintain their viewing throughout.
What techniques can a director use to create suspence in a film?
I think a favourite technique to create suspence in a film is the use of a cliffhanger, this is where the director leaves the film on a cliffhanger bulding up extreme suspence, as the audience hasn't got a clue whats going to happen or which way the story goes. It also means that the audience can build their own conclusion to the story, or a sequel to answer the audiences questions, this will also obtain more money. Other suspence techniques is the use of music to build up the suspence as the story continues, load noises will make the audience jump theoretically, and eerie music which build suspence and goes with the plotline will have audiences on the edge of their seats. Another technique to build suspence is the use of setting and the use of lights. For example, an extremely dark, or low lit setting will build up the suspense that somethings going to jump out or something negative is about to happen, the use of low lighting in a situation means you wont be able to see everything, just like if you were there in reality, therefore helping you to build realism into the scene.
How do you think a thriller film is defined?
I think a thriller film is defined by the conformity and stereotypes of the thriller genre. For example, mysteries which build suspense throughout with twists and turns with a shocking conclusion is a good example of a thriller film. A film that leaves you on the edge of you seat with suspense and shocks you throughout. I think a thriller film is also defined by it's context and plot. For example the atmosphere wont be light and aerie, instead it's defined by a dark and often scary/suspense riddled atmosphere built up with light, sound e.t.c. The conclusion of a thriller film can also end both ways, with the main character overcoming the problem, or actually being overcome by the problem in whatever way. The plot is usually left open until the end when the film comes to its conclusion to leave the audience guessing, and then resolves the answers at the end. Another way i think a thriller film is defined is the fact that the plot is usually very clever with its twist and turns to shock the audience and not expect whatever going to happen, the audience don't want a thriller to be predictable throughout. A thriller is also a lot less gore related than a horror.
What films can you think of that would fit into the thriller genre?
- The lovely bones
- Taken
- Se7en
- Silence of the lambs.
- Die hard
- Bourne Identity films
- Flight plan
- Case 39
- Alien
- Hills have eyes
- 12 rounds
- Shutter Island
- One hour photo
- The moth-man prophecies.
The thriller film can be divided into sub-genres - what types of thriller films do you think exist?
- Horror thrillers
- Political thrillers
- Mystery thrillers
- psychological thrillers
- Paranoid thrillers
- Crime thrillers
- Supernatural thrillers
- Conspiracy thrillers
- Disaster thrillers.
What are the characteristics or conventions of a thriller film?
The characteristics/ conventions of a thriller film contains lots of thrills/shocks and cliff hangers throughout to leave the audience on the edge of their seats and indulged into the thriller. A thriller has mysteries, puzzles and enigmas throughout for the twists and turns of the thriller film ride. A thriller also builds up intrigue, so the audience are constantly wondering what will happen next. The characters are mostly built up around crime, and include criminals,victims, and police or detectives. At least one of these appear in every thriller. The lighting in mise-en-scene is particularly dark, moody and impressionistic lighting to build up the suspense and the intensity of the thriller. Another common convention is the fact that familiar objects, places, and activities, can become very dangerous or menacing in a thriller film.
What do you think is the audiences pleasure of a thriller film?
I think what the audiences love most about a thriller film is the twist and turns in the plot. It lets them go on an exciting journey away from reality, and lets them experience the adventure of the characters in the film. They also like the excitement and the shock in plots and left wondering what will happen next, that only a thriller can really deliver from all other genres.
What do you think are the differences between a horror and a thriller film?
As a thriller film is more interested in building and putting the audience on the edge of their seats, this means that the film concentrates on making the audience fear for the fate of the characters on the screen. A horror on the other hand, can also contain a lot of suspense, just like a thriller can be terrifying in some places. The difference is a horror films main intentions is to make the audience fear about what happened to the character in the film, may also happen to you. As a result a horror targets this fear to linger even after you've finished watching the film. Another main difference between a horror and a thriller is the fact that a horror focus's more on the gore and gruesome parts of a film, yet a thriller builds up the story line and horror, but doesn't concentrate on these parts, instead they concentrate on building up a good story line and an exciting conclusion.
Using the internet research the 'top 50 thriller films'. Look at the top twenty - which ones have you watched? If its not many, why do you think this is the case?
- Pulp Fiction - 1994
- Inception- 2010
- The dark knight- 2008
- Goodfellas- 1990
- Fight club- 1999
- Rear window- 1954
- Psycho- 1960
- The usual suspects- 1995
- The silence of the lambs- 1991
- Se7en - watched- 1995
- Memento- 2000
- Leon- 1994
- North by Northwest- 1959
- Double indemnity- 1944
- M- 1931
- Taxi driver- 1976
- Vertigo- 1958
- Terminator 2 - judgement day - watched- 1991
- Alien - watched- 1979
- The lives of others- 2006
- The third man
- Black swan
- Elite squad 2
- The departed
- Aliens
- Chinatown
- L.A confidential
- Reservoir dogs
- Witness for the prosecution
- The prestige
- Rebecca
- Yojimbo
- Old boy
- The wages of fear
- Touch of evil
- Safety last
- Les Dioboliques
- Sin city
- Die hard
- Hotel Rwanda
- Strangers on a train
- Batman begins
- Le Trou
- Jaws
- Woman of the dunes
- Fargo
- Blade runner
- Notorious
- Heat
- No country for old men
From the top 20 thriller films i have actually only watched three of them. I think this is mostly due to the year that the films were made. For example many of the top 20 thriller films were made before my time or when i was very young. As a result i wouldn't have come across them, or they weren't advertised to me to arouse suspicion and make me want to watch the films. Another reason is the fact that i don't usually tend to go watch thriller films in the cinema but if their on the tele i'll watch them.
Using the internet, find three posters for the thriller films. Complete a brief semiotic analysis of the posters. What colours are used, what kind of imagery, taglines, certificate, narrative?
The colours in this poster contrast between black, red, and white. The red particularly shows that the films is based around a problem with youths. The red is symbollic because it signifies danger and harm. It also signifies rage, and with the tagline verifying 'every man has a breaking point' this shows the youths are a source of the character 'Harry Brown's (played by Michael Caine which is another tagline to express star appeal and capture peoples attention) rage and breaking point signifying part of the main plotline but not telling what happens. With Harry brown wearing a black shoot and carrying a black gun this stands out against the red and shows that he means buisness and isnt a man to be messed with. It also shows that just because he's old, it doesnt necersarily mean he's weak. Another good use of a tagline in this poster is the use of 'mesmerizing' followed by the quote ' one of Caines finest performances' form the daily star. This is significent in a poster because it tells us that its a great film worth seeing, and for those who are a fan of michael caine will definietly want to watch it. It also comes from the daily star which is something that people are accustomed to every day and its a review from someone they can trust. The age certificate for this film is a 18, which shows that this film contains lots of violence and whatever else.
This poster is overwhelmed with black to show suspense, atmosphere of the movie, and the steryiotypical fact that it's of a thriller genre. A major tagline is used to cover most of the poster, and its also a quote from the actual film 'i dont know who you are, but if you dont let my daughter go, i will find you, and i will kill you'. This tagline is particularly important to build up an insight to the plot and build up curiousity. It informs us what type of thriller it actually is, and informs us that its obviously someone has kidnapped his daughter and the character that liam nelson plays ( star appeal ) will hunt them down until he finds her. The only real source of colour used in this poster is to establish the name 'Taken' and inform it into peoples memories with the use of colours against the contrasting blackness. I also find the fact that Liam Nelons face covered in darkness particularly effective and the cover of identity seems to build suspense. The certificate for this film is a 15
The poster for 'the lovely bones' is a lot different to other thriller posters who use little colour and lots of black to establish its use of genre. Instead the lovely bones is actually rather colourful and i think this establishes the fact that its based around the innocence of a young teenage girl. The faded image of the girl in the sky tells us that she was murdered and her spirit was raised to heaven with the use of the birds. A tagline is also used 'the story of a life and everything that came after' who obviously tells us that she has passed away, but we dont know exactly how. The use of 'Coming Soon' buils the audiences anticipation because of the fact it doesnt exactly tell us when the film is coming out. The certificate of this film is a 12A which means that people aged 12 can watch it with adult consent.
Using the internet, find three posters for the thriller films. Complete a brief semiotic analysis of the posters. What colours are used, what kind of imagery, taglines, certificate, narrative?
The colours in this poster contrast between black, red, and white. The red particularly shows that the films is based around a problem with youths. The red is symbollic because it signifies danger and harm. It also signifies rage, and with the tagline verifying 'every man has a breaking point' this shows the youths are a source of the character 'Harry Brown's (played by Michael Caine which is another tagline to express star appeal and capture peoples attention) rage and breaking point signifying part of the main plotline but not telling what happens. With Harry brown wearing a black shoot and carrying a black gun this stands out against the red and shows that he means buisness and isnt a man to be messed with. It also shows that just because he's old, it doesnt necersarily mean he's weak. Another good use of a tagline in this poster is the use of 'mesmerizing' followed by the quote ' one of Caines finest performances' form the daily star. This is significent in a poster because it tells us that its a great film worth seeing, and for those who are a fan of michael caine will definietly want to watch it. It also comes from the daily star which is something that people are accustomed to every day and its a review from someone they can trust. The age certificate for this film is a 18, which shows that this film contains lots of violence and whatever else. This poster is overwhelmed with black to show suspense, atmosphere of the movie, and the steryiotypical fact that it's of a thriller genre. A major tagline is used to cover most of the poster, and its also a quote from the actual film 'i dont know who you are, but if you dont let my daughter go, i will find you, and i will kill you'. This tagline is particularly important to build up an insight to the plot and build up curiousity. It informs us what type of thriller it actually is, and informs us that its obviously someone has kidnapped his daughter and the character that liam nelson plays ( star appeal ) will hunt them down until he finds her. The only real source of colour used in this poster is to establish the name 'Taken' and inform it into peoples memories with the use of colours against the contrasting blackness. I also find the fact that Liam Nelons face covered in darkness particularly effective and the cover of identity seems to build suspense. The certificate for this film is a 15 The poster for 'the lovely bones' is a lot different to other thriller posters who use little colour and lots of black to establish its use of genre. Instead the lovely bones is actually rather colourful and i think this establishes the fact that its based around the innocence of a young teenage girl. The faded image of the girl in the sky tells us that she was murdered and her spirit was raised to heaven with the use of the birds. A tagline is also used 'the story of a life and everything that came after' who obviously tells us that she has passed away, but we dont know exactly how. The use of 'Coming Soon' buils the audiences anticipation because of the fact it doesnt exactly tell us when the film is coming out. The certificate of this film is a 12A which means that people aged 12 can watch it with adult consent.
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