Research into the Thriller Genre

Thriller Definition:

Thriller is a genre of literature, film, and television programming that uses suspense, tension, and excitement as its main elements. Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer's moods, giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and terror.


The aim of most thriller films is to create suspense for the audience. This is often done through narrative enigmas, which are either for the audience or the protagonist to figure out. For example in Se7en the two protagonists are trying to find out who the killer is. This starts as a narrative en
igma for the characters and the audience. By the end the audience and the characters usually solve the mystery. Most thriller films contain violence, either through action scenes or when the antagonist is shown. The violence varies depending on the age rating, sometimes showing gore in a high rated film such as Pulp Fiction, or showing gun fights but no blood like Inception. Conventionally thriller films have a realistic explanation for narrative enigmas, as opposed to supernatural. Usually the film is a horror if it is not realistic, such as The Shining. Although there are some exceptions such as Sixth Sense. Quite often there are two sides in the thriller genre of the good and the bad. In thrillers the good character is shown in a positive way, so the audience can be rooting for him. The two sides are usually clearly shown, through their binary opposites. Therefore supporting the theory, with the good characters having a shared good nature and the bad characters having an evil or deceived view. Often in the genre there is a confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist. The film would of built up to this dramatic climax, where the two characters will have some form of battle.















Conventional colours in thriller films are bland, not being very colourful apart from a title or a key object. This is because thrillers usually have a serious, realistic tone,which is signified by the colours. Bright colours usually connote a happy, upbeat film, which goes against the connotations a thriller is trying to show. Typically the images shown are of the main characters in the film. This is because famous actors usually play roles in thriller films, and so showing them can draw the audience in as celebrity endorsement. Also the expression of the faces shown can signify their personality and views. Characters usually are wearing everyday clothing, or a uniform suitable to their job. This is because most thrillers are set modern day, and are about realistic serious characters. Common props used are weapons, usually guns, because there is conventionally a battle between the protagonist and the antagonist. Sometimes the villains have a unique 'bad guy' weapon such as an axe, or the captive bolt gun in No Country for Old Men.

Other props used in thrillers are usually everyday items, such as a pen and paper to write reports or a newspaper. These items are in thrillers to bring the film to life, and make it seem realistic to the audience. Phones are a common prop, because it is a way of characters communicating, providing suspense as the person on the other end cannot be seen. A phone is iconic of the Taken films, used in a dramatic way, where the protagonist and antagonist can talk before a confrontation. Music in thrillers is almost always instrumental, and usually creates a tense dramatic atmosphere. Films by Christopher Nolan show this with a very loud and intense soundtrack, which makes the film seem much more dramatic. Because thrillers aim to provide suspense, music which shows this is important. The moment that the mystery is discovered is a key part of the film and so normally tense music which complements this is used. Thrillers use a variety of different fonts that are relevant to the film, for example the font of the new Robocop looks technical and robotic.

Some typical actors in thrillers are: Liam Neeson, Steve Buscemi, Samuel L Jackson, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.
Conventional thriller directors: Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and the Cohen brothers.

According to the Uses and Gratifications theory audiences would enjoy thrillers for entertainment, because they would enjoy the film. But possibly also for interaction, because thrillers can have a complex and unexpected storyline, that can be a strong talking topic.

Famous examples of Thrillers: No Country for Old Men, Fargo, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Sin City, The Departed and Taken.