Thriller Genre

Thriller is a very broad genre, it is characterized by fast pacing, frequent action and a resourceful hero. However there is no specific setting for a thriller, it is such a wide genre that it includes different ends of the spectrum, from crime thrillers, spy thrillers all the way to techno thrillers, medical thrillers and even erotic thrillers. Thriller is full of these many sub-genres, that help divide up the genre as a whole and easily allows us to classify each specific film easily.

Thriller are films that are known to provoke intense excitement, suspense, a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, anxiety, and nerve-wracking tension. Strictly speaking the genre can be defined as a film that relentlessly pursues a single-minded goal. Thriller films are meant to continually have the audience on the edge of their seats as it leads up to a nail-biting climax.

Due to some of the feelings that evoke from the thriller genre it can often get confused with a very similar horror genre. This often leads to the hybrid genres in which both types of genre are intertwined together.

An example a of early thriller films are those by Hitchcock, who is regarded as the creator of the thriller genre. Alfred Hitchcock has helped to shape modern-day thrillers. His work meant that he was acknowledged as the master of the thriller genre. Alfred Hitchcock is most well known for his work such as 'The 39 Steps'(1935) and 'Psycho'(1960). He introduced the themes and conventions associated with even modern day thriller films. These codes and conventions included the use of typical characters, characters such as the beautiful, defenseless woman and a frail, psychopathic villain. Alfred Hitchcock also introduced the villain-driven plot that is so evident in thrillers, frequently there are obstacles for the protagonist to pass. He was able to manipulate the audience's fears and desires. This has lead to him being the influence of many thriller films and arguably the thriller genre itself. This can all be seen in one classic Alfred Hitchcock sequence from 'Psycho', the shower scene.

Hitchcock therefore encapsulated the early thriller genre and has undoubtedly influenced newer thriller films. Evidence of Alfred Hitchcock's influence can be seen in more contemporary examples such as Christopher Nolan's 'Inception' (2010). However some modern thrillers do not necessarily follow the codes and conventions laid down by Alfred Hitchcock in early examples of thrillers. A contemporary example of a thriller that breaks the 'rules' would be 'Salt'(2010). This is very different to the earlier thriller films in a sense as rather than being a helpless sidekick, a woman this time in the form of Angelina Jolie is the Protagonist perhaps more suitable for an action film.