The thriller is a broad genre, consisting of literature, film, gaming and television. There are many elements which make up a thriller film. Such as it being; fast paced, frequent action and heroes who foil the villains plans. There are many conventions that make up what most people would consider a classic thriller film. For example, the colour of the film will be grainy/ washed out, most of the scenes have low key lighting and have many shadows that the villain can hide in/ conceal themselves in. There are many typical sounds that are usually in most thrillers, such as footsteps, dripping water, creaky doors and ringing phones.
There are many sub genres that fit under the overall genre of thriller. A few examples of these are;
- Spy Thrillers: The protagonist is usually an agent who must take action (usually violent) against rival agents or (recently) terrorists (James Bond, Mission Impossible)
- Psychological Thrillers: A conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist which is mental and emotional, rather than physical (Gone Girl, House At the End Of The Street)
- Conspiracy Thrillers: Where the protagonist is against a large, powerful group of enemies and is the only one who knows their true objective. (The Insider, Utopia)
- Supernatural Thriller: Where supernatural elements are mixed in with the typical thriller conventions (The Sixth Sense, Frequency)
- Legal Thrillers: Where the main characters are usually lawyers or work in law (Hostile Witness, The Lincoln Lawyer)
Thrillers often overlap with mystery stories and the crimes that are committed are usually of a grand scale (mass murder, assassination). They often take place wholly or partially in exotic or dramatic settings such as foreign cities, deserts, airports or churches. The climax of the film is usually when the mystery is solved and the hero beats the villain and saves his own life or the lives of others in the process.
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