Research Into Sound - Miss Miller

I will be researching about sound in thriller films. Sound is a important aspect of thriller films because without it the film would not have as much suspense or tension additionally, the audience would not be able to engage in the characters and their emotions as well or stay focused on what they are watching if there was no sound because the film would loose its suspense and mystery also causing the film to become less scary. 

The types of sound are:

• Diegetic sound

• Non-diegetic sound

• On screen sound

• Off screen sound

• Parallel sound

• Contrapuntal sound

I have chosen to analyse the opening scene from Scream (1996) because it includes many aspects of sound to hep in creating suspense within this scene.

Opening Scene From Scream (1996)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3lSvJ5RXKA

Off screen sound is when sound can be heard but you cannot see where it is coming from. This is used when the girl is on the phone to an unknown man which is throughout most of the clip but starts at 0:10. This creates a sense of mystery as we don't know who this mysterious man is but from hearing his voice which is deep and sinister we know he must be the antagonist in this film. Off screen sound is conventional to a thriller because it helps in causing suspense and tension because we want to know where the sound is coming from and where the man on the other end of the phone is as the audience find out he is able to see the young girl but she cannot see him, which helps in keeping the audience engaged as they want to find out who the man is and know what he is going to do to the innocent young girl.

Another type of sound used is non-diegetic this builds up the tension in the scene. This is when the soundtrack of sinister music is being played quietly in the background at 2:18 as well as between 2:25 and 2:43, while she is on the phone to the man when he asks what her name is as he wants to know who he is looking at and also, when she is checking if anything or anyone is in her garden. The sinister soundtrack infers to the audience that she is now scared of this man and what his intentions with her are. By using non-diegetic sound the audience stays engaged with the film as it creates a sense of tension and suspense as well as mystery for the audience causing them to want to know who the man is and if he is outside her house watching the girl while also on the phone to her. It is conventional to a thriller because it includes the main thriller themes suspense, tension and mystery which help in creating the thriller atmosphere in the scene.

Diegetic sound is usually used to make the scenes realistic and meaningful however the sounds can also have hidden connotations. In this clip diegetic sound occurs when the audience can hear a dog from outside barking at 2:22. Although, the dog could just simply be barking the hidden meaning behind this sound is that someone must be outside the house for example, the man on the phone to the girl and that is why the dog is now barking. This relates to thrillers because it helps creating suspense and tension and the audience can infer from this that he must be outside her house which also creates and enigma causing the audience to concentrate and become even more engaged as they want to know more about the man on the phone and what his plan for her is. 

Furthermore, Parallel sound is when the sound the audience hears is expected. For example, in this opening scene at 4:28 she is screaming and crying down the phone to the man. She is expected from the audience to feel this way because he has said he is going to kill her so she is begging him not to. Although, she tries to threaten the man by telling him her boyfriend will come after him, the audience can still sense that she is feeling scared a vulnerable. Therefore, this is conventional to the thriller genre as it the antagonists victim is usually young innocent females in thriller films also, screaming is expected in a thriller film as the victim is often surprised and shocked by the killer causing them to scream.

In conclusion my research into sound has helped me to see the importance of sound in the thriller genre and how it can effect the atmosphere and theme of the film. Each sound that his heard has an effect on the audience and in a way prepares them for what is about to happen in the film which engages them in the scene they are watching. The sounds that I have recognised and analysed in this scream clip are effective in creating suspense as they help in engaging the viewer and causing the audience to experience what the character feels through the sounds heard. Furthermore, sound massively impacts the audience as a whole and without sound the thriller does not have much suspense, shock, surprise or tension which are the main theme needed in a thriller film. Additionally, after watching this clip it has inspired me to think carefully about what type of music and other sounds i will incorporate in my own thriller sequence to help in the build up of the suspense needed to make the thriller mysterious to keep the viewers engaged. 

Research Into Mise-en-scene - Miss Georgiou

Mise-en-scene helps the audience in understanding the conventions of a thriller, mise-en-scene is a french term meaning 'putting on stage' and it is everything which is put into the camera shot. It consists of the five elements: setting and iconography, costume, hair and makeup, facial expressions and body language, lighting and colour and positioning of characters/objects within the frame. I'm analysing the opening scene of Woman In Black which was released in 2012, this is a thriller film because it includes horror and mystery aspects it also includes the five miss-en-scene elements within this opening scene.

The opening sequence of Woman In Black is set in an old attic which is being used by the three young girls as a play area, we can see this by the doll's, tea cups and other toys around. Also, the iconography being used is that the three girls are playing with their dolls having a tea party this represents their innocents and having fun as young children however, when the children become possessed they step on their dolls breaking them this infers to the audience that they are not acting themselves and makes the audience question why they have been possessed and why they then at the end of the scene jump out of the window, killing themselves. This creates a sense of mystery as the audience does not suspect that something bad would happen to the three girls, this scene is conventional to a thriller because of the mystery and horror theme which runs through out this scene.

The young girls costume, hair and makeup infer that this film is based in the 19th century as they are dressed in posh dresses which young girls from this era would usually wear. However, they are all dressed in white dresses which represents their purity. Additionally, the girls hair is done nicely so we can tell that they are wealthy and well looked after also, because they are dressed similar we can infer that they could be sisters. This relates to the thriller genre because sometimes in a thriller film a whole family is attacked and in this film the three girls which are sister are being attacked/possessed. This effects the audience because it causes them to feel more sympathy towards the family and draws them into the story line of the film more as they want to know why this family has been targeted by the woman in black.

Their facial expressions are that they are all smiley and happily playing until they become possessed and their face becomes emotionless and a blank canvases. This is similar to their body language as they are all sat kindly playing together and when they become possessed they still stay together. Moreover, the girl's body language when they stop playing and walk towards the window show they are being controlled, this demonstrates how powerful the woman in black is and how she can make the innocent girls do deadly things. Also, the woman in black is hidden behind the camera which adds to the sense of mystery as the audience does not know her identity, this makes her character very mysterious which is a main them throughout thriller films as well as this it keeps the audience engaged because they want to know more about the mysterious women.

Lighting and colour are used in this opening scene this is through the girls as they are dressed in light colours and pale skin, this could be seen as the girls being pure, happy and angelic which contrasts to the woman in black as black symbolises death and thriller. The use of lighting demonstrates how the whole room is bright using high key lighting until they go to jump out of the window and the inside of the room changes to having low key lighting and outside of the window their is high key, back lighting this is because it is supposed to show the audience that there is something (the woman in black) inside the room which has possessed the children and the brightness outside symbolises that when they jump they are going to die and go to heaven. Furthermore, this causes the audience to have sympathy towards the girls family and the young girls as they have lost their lives for no particular reason. Additionally, this type of lighting also helps in keeping the thriller film consistent.

Positioning of characters/objects within the frame the children are unified together in the middle of the room letting the audience know that they are sisters and are having fun together. Furthermore, them being in the middle shows that they are the main focus and characters in this scene and even though the woman in black is also a consistent main character throughout the film we only ever see small parts of her in the corner of screen like in this scene or from a distance. This is conventional to a thriller because it cause's the audience to be curious and it creates suspense as we don't know who the woman in black is or what her intentions are. Moreover, the positioning of the young girls symbolises that they are pure and innocent making the audience question why the woman in black has possessed them causing them to kill themselves.

My research about mise-en-scene will help me with planning my own thriller scene as I now know that I need to think about the lighting, costumes and scenery when filming my own thriller sequence as well as how people should be positioned and how they need to look and react in certain situations. The elements are crucial to any production of thriller films and are to be taken into account in the creation of my own sequence. I need to do this order to make my film consistent with sticking to the thriller genre. I will try and include all the aspects of mise-en-scene in my thriller scene as I believe they help in creating an thriller and mystery theme and help in keeping the theme consistent. My iconography i will include is a knife as the weapon for the antagonist to use, this is because it creates a sense of danger for the audience also, it is an everyday object which the audience can easily relate to and so they have more sympathy towards the victim. Furthermore, the victims costume will involve the colour white as this symbolises innocence which relates to the victims character as well as this it lets the audience know that this is the victim, which then creates sympathy from the audience towards the character. The lighting which i will include in my opening thriller sequence is low key lighting as it will foreshadow to the audience that something bad is going to happen to the victim. 

Woman In Black (2012) Opening Scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCR4tfQBd6w

Research Into Cinematography - Miss Miller

In this essay I will be looking at cinematography which is the camerawork and photography used in the making of films. The different types of cinematography used are to create suspense as well as tension and other conventional aspects found within thriller films. Additionally, the types of cinematography used can foreshadow what might happen later on in the film or can symbolise the characters inner emotions. Moreover, I will analyse a movie clip from the ending of the thriller Se7en released in 1995. I chose this clip as it involves a lot of different angles and camera shots to show the contradictory emotions and reactions each characters have in this scene.

Hand held camera is used when Brad Pitt is pacing around in anger, by using the hand held camera technique it creates rigid and jerky movements. This empathises to the audience how Brad's character David Mill's is angry and that he wants revenge on the serial killer. This relates to the thriller film genre as there is suspense and tension because we are unaware of what his reaction is going to be and what he is going to do next. Moreover, the audience can feel sympathy for David because it portrays his inner emotions making the audience know how he is feeling, as the audience are already aware of what has happened. Furthermore, hand held camera can also infer to the audience that Brad's character is not thinking straight at this time, this is because he has been provoked. Also, by the camera being unstable from the use of it being hand held it connotes to the audience that Davids character could also be mentally unstable. This is similar to how the camera is unstable at this point during the scene.

Deep focus shot is also another type of cinematography shot, in the thriller film Se7en it is used when David is holding the gun and is contemplating whether or not he should shoot the serial killer. This highlights David's facial expression that he is confused and angry about the situation while allowing the audience to still see the outline of his gun. In this part of the scene they could of used a close up however, they chose to use a deep focus instead. They chose this so that the audience can still see the gun and so they know what is going on. Additionally, it also foreshadows that someone is going to be shot by David and allows the audience to feel how the person at the other end of Davids gun must be feeling at this time. Therefore, this deep focus allows the audience to see David as a potential killer which creates suspense. Moreover, it shows the audience what he is feeling through the emotion displayed on his face as well as this it keeps the audience engaged as they want to know what he is going to do next. Also, this is conventional to the thriller genre as suspense is a main theme in thrillers.

A mid shot is used in this scene when William has just hit the serial killer. The mid shot demonstrates Williams sudden rage he has towards the serial killer, we know this due to his facial expression and the way he acts after this has occurred in the video. This is shocking for the audience to see as the audience does not expect William to act in this way after he was trying to calm down David and stop him from doing something irrational. This can relate to the thriller genre as rage and anger is a common theme in thrillers. Therefore, this shot is conventional to a thriller film. This type of shot also makes the audience feel as if they as if there as it is realistic and shows exactly how the character William is feeling.

This is a close up of the serial killers face, it is taken from when he is kneeling on the floor with David and William standing over him. This close up shows the audience the serial killers emotion and how he is feeling through his face. Additionally, it demonstrates to the audience that he is not letting what David is telling him get to him at that we is staying calm and not retaliating as he knows that David is going to kill him whether he reacts to Davids actions or not. This can be related to the thriller genre as it lets the audience focus on how the serial killer must be feeling at this time. Also, this use of close up creates suspense because although you can see he is calm he's actions are still hidden and the audience do not know what he is truly thinking and so this causes the theme of mystery as well as suspense which are both occurring theme's through out thriller films.

Here is an example of a low angle this happens when Morgan Freeman's character William Somerset has just witnessed David Mills shooting the serial killer and killing him. Although, William has his back to the camera and we can't see his reaction to what has just occurred we can see Davids facial expression and the way he is standing symbolises relief that the serial killer is dead and that he has now got his revenge back on him. Furthermore, this low angle implies to the audience not only that the serial killer is now on the floor dead but also that David and William had more power over the serial killer as they are shown as being tall and superior compared to the the killer who is being portrayed as small and weak. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it is shocking that David has shot the serial killer but also it creates suspense as to what it going to happen next which are two main themes through out thrillers. It also makes the audience feel as if Brad Pitts And Morgan Freemans characters might succeed in defeating the antagonist,the serial killer as they are portrayed as being superior.

To conclude, from analysing this thriller clip I can see that these shots and angles have been used to help in creating the theme of suspense throughout this scene. This has an impact of the audience as it draws them in to the film, making them want to know what is going to happen next. These types of angles and shots are effective in creating suspense, this is because we get to see the characters facial expression and see there body language from different view points which lets the audience know what each character must be feeling at going through at this time in the scene. Additionally, the hand held camera movements are most effective and they demonstrate how angry and irrational David was at this time in the scene. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it they help in building the theme of suspense which is a main theme through out all thrillers. Moreover, this work has inspired me to think of what type of angles and shots I want to use in my own thriller opening scene. For example, i will use a close up in my own thriller scene as i think this is one of the most effective ways in portraying the emotion of the character to the audience. Which will help in building up the theme of suspense, shock and surprise in my opening scene.

Final Scene From Se7en (1995)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN9icwiN6io

Research Into The BBFC - Miss Miller

The British Board Of Film Classification known as the BBFC is an non-governmental and non-profit organisation it was created in 1912 by the film industry, it consists of highly experienced regulators who are responsible for the censorship and age ranking of films in the United Kingdom. The BBFC was established to protect the public, primarily children against the violent content shown in some films. On average the BBFC views and classifies 600 films, 12,000 DVDs 200 trailers and 800 adverts, and from all of these only 29 have been rejected in the last 10 years. Furthermore, the BBFC give parents and the general public the power to make viewing choices for themselves. As well as this the BBFC constantly use primary research to research into the changing social attitudes towards media content they do this by talking to the public and asking their opinions about what they feel should be suitable for the different type of age rankings. 

In film classification the 'U' represents universal which means that it is suitable for all. The requirements for a film to be rated 'U' include that the film is appropriate for children aged four and over. The film should not contain any reference's to drugs, sex or alcohol additionally, it should not include any violence which a young child could copy such as using weapons as well as bad language as this is not tolerated however, they do allow mild bad languages like 'damn' and 'hell' and mild violence.


Disney's 2014 version of Cinderella is a 'U' rated film. Cinderella was given the 'U' rating as throughout the whole film it does not once reference anything unsuitable for a child age four and above. It only contains mild scenes of emotional upset which is considered by the BBFC suitable for children to watch. In this modern version of Cinderella the story is still the same where by a poor young girl who is made to be her wicked step mother and sisters slave has her fairy godmother help her get into the princes ball where she then accidentally leaves behind her glass slipper, which results in Prince Charming going on a search for his true love, Cinderella.

'PG' stands for parental guidance which means that the film is suitable for the general public however, some scenes could be unsuitable for children. This is because not all 'PG' films are made for children, the rating just means that a child is able to watch it. 'PG' films could contain a small amount of mild bad language or violence however, there would only be references to drugs or sex which would be said in a comical way or in a way that a young child would not understand what is being talked about. Nevertheless, 'PG' films often talk about issues such a bullying, racism or bereavement.

An example of 'PG' film is Who Framed Roger Rabbit Which was released in 1989. In the film Eddie Valiant who is a private eye is hired by a cartoon producer called R.K. Maroon to investigate an adultery offence which involved Jessica Rabbit who happened to be the wife of Maroon's biggest star, Roger Rabbit. However, when Marvin Acme who was Jessica's lover and also the owner of Toontown was found murdered, the despicable Judge Doom promises to capture Roger as he believes he is responsible for the murder. Therefore, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was rated 'PG' because although it is a child based film it does contain moderate violence as well as sex innuendos and mild language, also it talks about a bereavement which can be a sensitive issue for a child under the age of eight which is why it was rated 'PG'.

Films rated '12A' or '12' contains scenes which is not suitable for anyone under the age of twelve. The major difference between '12A' and '12' films are that a '12A' film could still be watched by a child under the age of twelve if accompanied by an adult as the BBFC have given the parents the right to choose whether they think that film is suitable for their child under the age of twelve. Generally, in this film characterisation strong language and sex references are allowed if they are moderate. Violence is shown as long as it does not go into detail the same regulations apply with drugs. Some horror films can be passed as a '12A' or '12' as long as not everything scene is disturbing and that the psychological or physical threat is only moderate. Moreover, no discrimination is allowed unless it is clearly condemned.

A film which is an example of a '12A' would be The Lucky One (2012) staring Zac Efron. This film is about a U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault who has returned from Iraq, but he has returned with one sentimental item which he cherishes, a photograph of a strange women he has never met. He then comes to learn where she lives and that her name is Beth so he shows up at her door and gets a job at her family-run kennel. Even though she has many problems in her life at that precise moment, her and Logan still develop a romance. Making Logan believe that Beth may be more than just his good luck charm. This film is a romance and drama, it got rated a '12A' because although it contains sex and violence they are only moderate amounts which are acceptable for a twelve year old to watch or a child younger than the age of twelve if they are accompanied by an adult.





Meet The Fockers is an example of a '12' film, realised in 2004 it is the squeal to Meet The Parents. In the film Greg Focker along side his fiance Pam are looking forward to getting married but first Pam's family must meet Greg's parents. Greg's laid back, hippy parents however, do not see eye to eye with Pam's uptight and over controlling parents. The film was classed '12' because it uses continuous strong language which would be un-acceptable for anyone under the age of twelve. Additionally, in one scene they include a drug reference as well as moderate sex references through out other scenes.

Any film rated '15' is not suitable for anyone under the age of fifteen and no one under the age of fifteen is permitted to purchase a cinema ticket or buy or rent a '15' rated film even if they are with an adult. In a '15' rated film there is strong language however, there is a limit to stronger terms and also continued or aggressive use will not normally be passed for a '15'. There can be strong references to sex but, especially strong references will most likely not be acceptable as well as this sexual activity can be shown as long as it is not in a lot of detail. Sexual violence is allowed to be discussed but can not be shown unless it is discreet or fits into the films context. '15' classified films are able to show violence but they are not allowed to go into detain on the pain or injury and gory images are unlikely to be acceptable for showing. During '15' films drug taking can appear but the film cannot in anyway promote or be influential in drug misuse and the use of particularly dangerous drugs is unlikely to be in a '15' film. In addition some horror films can be age '15' as strong threat and horror can be shown as long as there is no focus on sexualised threat.

 Friends With Benefits (2011) is about Justin Timberlake who's character Dylan is best friends with Jamie (Mila Kunis) however, there relationship between them turns complicated when they start to become romantic. They believe adding sex to their friendship would be easy but they soon realise it isn't quite as simple when complications soon arise. Friends With Benefits is classed as a '15' because it contains a lot of strong language, sex and sex references which are not age appropriate for anyone under the age of fifteen as these themes are consistent through out the film.

'18' classified films usually consist of strong language which unlike on the previous ratings of films has no limit on the number of times strong language is used or what context it is used in. Racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language are also accepted as well as very strong violence and horror scenes in detail and involving gore or threats are suitable, besides this drug taking is accepted as long as it does not promote the misuse of drugs. Moreover, full nudity and sex can be shown with no limits to to how it is portrayed also explicit sex references are permitted. Therefore, '18' rated films are not appropriate for anyone under he age of eighteen and are suitable only for adults.

A example of a '18' classed film is The Wolf Of Wall Street realised in 2013. In the film Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort, a New York stockbroker. In which when he looses his job in a big brokerage firm and still in his 20's he decides to open his own stockbrokers, Stratton Oakmont. Belfort does this with his lieutenant who he met in a bar and with other brokers which he new previously. Even though Stratton Oakmont is making a fortune it is being done by defrauding millions out of wealthy investors which the SEC and FBI are looking into and soon close the stockbrokers down. Nevertheless, while this is taking place Belfort and the rest of the brokers are indulging in the acts of taking a lot of drugs and drinking during the day at work as well as at night. For this reason the BBFC has age rated the film '18' as it also includes very strong language and sex scenes which are un-acceptable and not appropriate for anyone under the age of eighteen to watch as well as a lot of hard drug use taking part through out the film.


To conclude, the BBFC is important in regards to films as they allow parents to know what type of film there child is watching and give the parents the choice to make the final judgement whether their child is ready to see the type of scenes that may show in different classifications of films. The BBFC also know what is appropriate for various ages to watch and they respect that adults have a freedom of choice with what they watch. Additionally, they are able to respond and adapt the age ratings of films by researching into the changing social attitudes towards media content.
By researching into the BBFC and their age certificates it has helped me to gain an understanding into who i want my target audience to be for my thriller sequence and so when i create the content for my thriller sequence i will be able to follow the BBFC's guidelines as to what is allowed to be shown. With my thriller sequence i want it to be age '15' classification as it allows a bigger variation of what can be shown. However, i will still have to be careful as not too much violence or sexual content is allowed also, that i do not include anything in great detail which can then be copied by a younger viewer. Furthermore, i will have to make sure that my thriller sequence obey the rules of the BBFC '15' age rating.

History Of Thriller Films - Miss Georgiou

The genre thriller is historically known for causing uncertainty, anxiety and nerve-wracking tension and because of this thriller's are still popular as people enjoy watching the unpredictable scenes which have them sat of the edge of their seats as well as this they take pleasure in the exhilaration they experience from watching a thriller film as they desire the feeling of being scared or the anticipation they feel while watching.

Thriller Time line

1930

Midnight At Madame Tussaud's was released in 1936 and is a British thriller film, it was directed by George Pearson. The film is about a financier who bets that he can spend a night in the chamber of horrors at Madam Tussaud's. However, he is hunted by a man who plans on killing him to stop the exposure of the fraud he has took part in, nevertheless the murdered is killed in a fall. Although the film is in black and white they still think about the use of colour as they use more of the colour black which is associated with death, evil and mystery. As well as this black is also associated with fear and the unknown which is shown through out the film as dark shadows are used in all the scenes while he is locked in the chamber of horrors. The representation of mystery let as know as the audience that something bad is going to happen this is because everything is quite dark therefore you know someone must be watching him. which in this case is the man who has committed fraud. Thrillers made in the 1930's are said to be some of the most key produced thrillers this is because they use techniques which are recognised as the codes and conventions for a thriller. 

 

1940

Nightmare is and American thriller which was made in 1942. The film was based on a book and in the film a secretary asks for help from a home invader in an attempt to dump the body of her murdered husband. From looking at the films cover photo I can tell that this is going to be a thriller from the type of font they use for the title 'Nightmare' this is because they use a style which is quite rigid and sinister. Additionally, wrote on the cover is 'A Sensation Of Suspense' which means this film is going to have a lot of uncertainty about what could happen it in. The films poster also uses colour but chooses dark colours to infer to us as the audience that something negative will happen. However, they have chosen yellow as a bright colour to make the title stand out and because yellow can be associated with being scared.

1950

Touch of evil (1958) is a film noir which has was named the best film at the 1958 Brussels world Fair. In this thriller a car bomb explodes on the American side of the U.S/Mexico boarder, because of this an Mexican drug enforcement agent, Miguel and a American police captain, Hank, begin their investigation. But, then Vargas begins to suspect that Hank and his shady partner are planting evidence on and innocent man to try and frame him and so he starts investigating into them which puts him as his new bride in danger. When looking at the thrillers cover photo it has the line 'The strangest vengeance plan ever!' which suggests that this film is very twisted and has a lot of cliff hangers also it suggests that it could be a nerve-wracking film from reading the plot. Furthermore, by watching this scene which shows the new bride in distress after her finding her husband dead, i can infer that compared to the two previous thriller films this one has a more nerve-racking and frightening plot. 

Clip From Touch Of Evil (1958)

1960

The psychological thriller-horror 'Psycho' which was produced in 1960 has won three awards and was directed by Alfred Hitchcock who was one of lead suspense film makers of his era. The storyline of Psycho includes the famous shower scene which is the most influential and historical in thriller film history. The story is based upon a novel in which a real-estate secretary chooses the wrong place to spend the night, The Bates Motel, run by a strange creepy man. Psycho has grown to be one of the best suspense films of all time. From looking at Psycho's film cover i can see they have chose to use the colour yellow on the women to symbolise that she is young and happy but that she will soon become scared and vulnerable. The use of red of the film cover is to represent danger, blood and that she must beware because something bad is going to happen. Also, by analysing the font used for the title Psycho we know that someone will get hurt and maybe cut as the title has been cut through the middle and the title is yellow the same as the women suggesting that it is her who is in danger. Although, Psycho is in black and white around this era films started to be produced in colour. Alfred Hitchcock made a massive change to the thriller genre because he chose to cast glamorous blonde's to play the leading women roles. Further, Hitchcock's films were always unique as he made an appearance in everyone one in the background but only ever for a second. 

Famous Psycho Shower Scene (1960)

1970

Duel released in 1971 was directed by Steven Steven Spielberg. In this era thriller films started to become closer to the genre horror as they started to add a lot more violence to the films however, there was still a clear difference between the genres. This thriller film is David Mann who is peacefully driving on a deserted two-lane highway when he suddenly comes across a oil tanker with a driver that throughout the film is never seen. The oil tank driver was being unpredictable and hazardous while driving, David was unable to escape and ended up finding himself stuck in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. In order to escape David creates a plan to trap oil tanker at cliff edge allowing him to run free, as seen in the clip below. Compared to the previous thrillers this one is in colour however, it still has a great amount os suspense to it and is still nerve-racking as you don't know what is going to happen to David and if he is going to successfully escape until you get to the final scene. 




1980
A film from the 1980's is Dressed To Kill (1980) it is as erotic crime thriller about a prostitute, Liz Blake, who gets caught in an murderous situation when she witnesses Kate Miller get brutally murdered by a peculiar unseen women. The police think Liz is the killer but little do they know the real mysterious killer wants to silence Liz as she is the only witness to the crime. Kate's son, Peter believes that Liz is not the killer of his mum and so they team up together to catch the real perpetrator however, they soon realise she is good at hiding her identity and that she has a surprising and shocking motivation to kill. After watching Dressed To Kill's trailer i can infer from the type of music they use that it is quite sinister also, the films picture on the poster is in red which represents danger.

Dressed To Kill (1980) Trailer

1990

A well known psychological thriller from the 1990's is Misery (1990). This thriller is about an author, Paul Sheldon who is involved in a serious car crash while driving home in a snow storm, he is rescued by an ex-nurse, Annie Wilkes who also happens to be his number one fan. At first Annie cares for Paul and helps him recover from his injuries until she finds out he is killing off her favourite character in his next novel, this ultimately drives her over the edge and turns her into a violent and controlling maniac who won't then let Paul leave or go to a real hospital until he changes his story to suit Annie's strange fantasies. As seen from the clip below this thriller is on the edge of a horror as it includes many horror aspects such as a lot of blood and violence, also scenes from earlier on in the film show a lot of suspense as you are constantly wondering what is going to happen next and whether Paul is ever going to escape the crazy psychopath Annie. Many films were influenced by Misery in this decade as many thrillers then started to involve obsessions and wives battering their husbands.

Fight Scene From Misery (1990)

2000

Vanilla Sky is another psychological thriller it was released in 2001 and is based upon the Spanish film "Abre Los Ojos". It is about David Aames' who has been charged for murder, from his cell where he wears a prosthetic mask he tells his psychologist a story about his life. During his flashback of his life he is shown as a wealthy man and tells you about the time his best friend, Brian Shelby introduces him to Sofia Serrano, who he later falls in love with. However, things take a turn for the worst when Aames' former lover attempts to kill both herself and David in a car crash his injuries to his face were fatal which is why he now wears the prosthetic mask. By the end of the film David finds himself in the lobby of Life Extension with a man who claims to be Davids tech support, here he is then told that he has been asleep for the last 150 years in a lucid dream and he is given the choice to be put back in his lucid dream or to jump of the top of the Life extension roof where he would then apparently be brought back to reality. After that all we are shown is David jumping off there build where a flash of white light appears and there is a women's voice telling him to "open yours eye's" this is a recurring theme in the film. In comparison to other thrillers it has no specific ending which we can see in the clip below this creates suspense as we don't no the definite ending to the film, the director has done this to make our mind think about if the whole film was just a lucid dream, the plot to a book Brian is writing, "Tech Support" are telling the truth and 150 years has passed or if it is all and hallucination caused by the drugs given to Aames' during his reconstructive surgery. In addition this scene makes us as the audience shocked as he chose to jump and consequently maybe end his life rather than go back into his lucid dream which in reality was his fantasy world.

Final Scene Of Vanilla Sky (2001)

2010

A present day neo-noir psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese is Shutter Island (2010) staring Leonardo DiCaprio this thriller is about two marshals - Edward "Teddy" Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule - in 1954 travel to Ashecliffe, located on a remote island, which is a hospital for the criminally insane. From which a women seems to have disappeared from her locked room, there are clues left that the hospital is committing terrible crimes and as Teddy gets more involved within the investigation he soon has to confront his own fears if he hopes to make it off shutter island alive. This thrillers movie poster uses a lot of shadows this to create the feeling that it is a dark and mysterious film also it uses the colour red in parts of its text to represent blood and danger and that something bad is going to occur but the white could symbolise the innocence of Teddy as deep down he doesn't really know what is going on. Furthermore, the way they have done a close of his Teddy's face with him holding a lit match in front of it shows that he is curious and wants to get to the bottom of Ashecliffe's mystery.

Below is a list of the top 10 thriller films. From looking at this chart I can see that Hannibal is the top thriller film made, released in 2001 it has made the most amount of money and although it was rated 18 and does not have as wide a target audience in comparison to other thrillers it has still done well as it's themes and characters are consistent throughout. Also, it includes a lot of intense scenes and special effects. Compared to Red Dragon which was released in 2002, this thriller's special effects was not as good as Hannibal's however, its intense and suspense scenes are equally as good as Hannibal's which is why it is number five out of the top ten. Furthermore, The Cell (2000) is last in the top ten thriller films this could be due to the fact that it does not have as good special effects or as good acting but it does have a consistent theme like Hannibal and other films in the ten thrillers chart.

Top 10 Thriller Films

By looking at the history of thriller films it has helped to gain a greater understanding as to what go's into creating a thriller film also, it has made me think about that type of thriller I want to create and that I want it to be a psychological thriller which contain horror aspects. As well as this I need to make sure it includes, suspense and shocking element's as they are what make a great thriller. In conclusion, I now know that within my own production I need to think about the colours, lighting and camera angles as this all helps in creating a thriller atmosphere for the film.