Tuesday 10 December 2013

Definition of a 'Thriller'



'Thriller'


 a novel, play, or film with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage.
"a tense thriller about a diamond heist that goes badly wrong"


Thrillers heavily effect the viewers mood, giving them high doses of anticipation, expectations, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and often horror. It's aim is to keep the audience on the edge of their seats as the film drives towards its climax, plot twists and cliff hangers are used extensively. 

A thriller is usually a villain driven plot, in which they present various obstacles for the protagonist must overcome. Also there are common sub-genres which are found within the main genre; such as psychological thrillers, crime thrillers, spy thrillers and mystery thrillers. Action and horror which are main genres often overlap with thrillers too.

Some Characteristics 

  • Suspense
  • Conflict
  • Amusement 
  • Mystery
  • Surprise
  • Chaotic
  • Investigation 
  • Antagonists 
  • Protagonist
  • Back Stories

The plots of thrillers can vary widely. Some are supernatural, for example, centering around mystical antagonists. Others are scientific or medical in nature, forcing their protagonists to contend with biological agents or mysterious scientific happenings. Some are simply straight mysteries with clever, horrific, or intriguing antagonists, while others be focused on the inner workings of the legal system, environmental threats, technology, or natural disasters. One long-established thriller genre is the spy thriller, featuring an often heroic and dashing spy who must confront whichever enemy.

Some thrillers are extremely intellectual and of very high quality, encouraging more educated people to enjoy them. Thrillers that incorporate a psychological aspect, force people to examine the motivations and backstories of the characters to figure out the plot. Others are more simplistic, in the vein of the penny dreadful and designed to appeal to a much wider audience. Many thriller books are adapted into movies, and thrillers can also be turned into comic books and television shows.