Locations
When watching a thriller the audience often notes that a thriller will use a number of locations to keep the audience in suspense. For example, the film may begin in a safe space such as the protagonists home and then progress to a location where the audience feels the protagonist is in danger - such as the woods, the antagonists' lair or very often in a car. Especially in modern thrillers the audience notices that a car chase is used and the audience can spend a considerable amount of time in the car with the protagonist. A prime example of this would be a spy - thriller such as the James Bond films.
Plot
The plot of a thrillers can differ massively. Dependent on the type of thriller that they are, from psychological thrillers such as Inception to comedy thrillers like Mr & Mrs Smith their plots all differ in the actual story. However, all thrillers share certain features of the plot. For example, there is always an element of suspense and high tension, there must always be an antagonist and protagonist of some form and thrillers are usually fairly fast paced in order to keep the audience in an element of suspense at all times. Here are a few more thriller
movie posters from different genres of thriller to show the broad spectrum of plot lines within a thriller film.
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| Mr and Mrs Smith - Spy thriller |
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| Now you see me - Caper thriller |
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| Rebecca - Psychological thriller |
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for thriller films are very reflective of the tone of the film, the
soundtrack is often imperative in building tension and connotes to the audience if the protagonist is in danger. Thriller films that are fast paced often have a soundtrack which accompany with non - diegetic music that intensifies the scene. For example, here is a link to an exert of the soundtrack used in the spy
- thriller Stormbreaker.
Click on extract number 5 entitled Bicycle Chase.
When listening to this extract the audience notes the use of non- diegetic swelling orchestral music which seems to build, connoting the victory of the protagonist over the antagonist, this is combined with an electronic techno -beat to keep the fast pace and sense of urgency.
Characters
The main plot of all thrillers centre around the battle between the main protagonist and the main antagonist. These are the two characters who are the
most vital to all thriller films. There can be variations of the hero and villain relationship, for example in the Caper thriller Now you see me there are four main protagonists and only one antagonist, or perhaps one protagonist against
several antagonists such as in the Action thriller Taken. Though different characters are always involved it is the presence of a protagonist and antagonist of some form which remain constant in thriller films.
The audience expects certain traits when referring to a thriller, certain characteristics that establish a thriller from other genres of film. For example, the audience anticipates when watching a thriller to be taken on an 'emotional roller coaster' due to the often fast pace and being kept in high level of suspense for the majority of the film. The audience will usually expect to be told the narrative from the protagonists point of view, this contributes to the level of tension as the audience feels that they are on the adventure with the
protagonist.
A prime example of this is the telephone call from the film 'Taken'.
Sources: Google Images, YouTube and www.allmusic.com
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