The Thriller: Generic Conventions

The Generic Conventions Include:

• Thrillers rely on an intricate plot in order to create nerve wracking tension and apprehension within the viewer.
• The hero or heroin (usually the main character) is seen in a situation of threat or peril,which is usually life threatening. They are usually fallible, making them more relatable to the audience. The situation they are in occurrs before the narrative is resolved.
• The female characters in a thriller are often objectified through a series of gazes.
• The narrative of a thriller has to have a build up of suspense that plays with the viewers senses and emotions. It also is usually centered on a crime-often a murder.
• An occurrance that often happens in thrillers is that extraordinary things happen in ordinary situations.
• The killer in a thriller will often ensnare their victim in a chain of intricate moves.
• The audience in thriller films are often positioned as viewers.
• Thriller films often include themes of loss and/or mistaken identity.
• Mirroring is often involved in thriller films.
• Labyrinths and mazes are often motifs, these could be physical or psychological.