One of the earliest 'thrillers' was Harold Lloyd's comic Saftey Last (1923), with the all-American boy performing a daredevil stunt on the side of a skyscraper. This was three years before Alfred hitchocks earliest line of thriller films, in the form of The Lodger (1926) which was a silent film, a suspensful 'Jack the Ripper' story.
Between this time and 1935, hitchcock had produced 15 thrillers, only six of which were renownly suspenseful. only by 1950 did Hitchock start to incorporate technicolor, but opted for black and white in the highly controversial "Psycho" (1960), so as to make the shower scene more effective, and was able to make the blood leaving actress Janet Leighs' body to look realistic but not be real blood.
In modern cinema, Thriller expectations can be achieved in a variety of different ways in films with the discovery of different techniques as well as CGI. However thrillers do borrow themes and elements from those in the past decades. However, to cut the repetitiveness, there are a number of recent thrillers that maintain the aspects of the horror genre; having more gore/sadistic violence, brutality, terror and body counts. Some of these films tend to steer away from thriller and end up becoming Wet Horror, e.g. Saw or Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Some very successful Thriller films of the modern era are: The Prestige (2006) 28 days later (2002) and Memento (2000), all with horror themes but generally keep to the thriller expectations.In a thriller movie suspense is built via putting the main character in a situation that would be deemed to scary to the viewer. Typically this would make the viewer
feel like they are in the film which effectivley makes the viewer enjoy the movie more.
Putting them in situations which are typically show to be impossible to escape from
keeps the reading entranced and guessing, what will happen next?
What is thriller and what is it composed of?
"Thriller Film is a genre that revolves around anticipation and suspense. The aim for Thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in these films is set against a problem – an escape, a mission, or a mystery. No matter what sub-genre a Thriller film falls into, it will emphasize the danger that the protagonist faces. The tension with the main problem is built on throughout the film and leads to a highly stressful climax." - The Script Lab.com
There are many different sub-genres to thriller which incorporate themes of other topics of films called "Hybrids". These are used to combine different different themes creating completely different films altogether. for example Action/Thrillers combine the two genres of action and Thriller crewing a completely different sub genre. All of these sub-genres contain almost contain cliché characteristics e.g. psychological thrillers contain twists and red herrings.
"Action Thriller
An Action Thriller uses physical action to create suspense within the film. Like a traditional Action film, this sub-genre will often have continuous motion and action including physical stunts, chases, fights, battles, and races. Often, these scenes will contribute to the overall sense of danger that the protagonist is facing.
Crime Thriller
Crime Thriller film is a sub-genre that incorporates the suspenseful aspects of a thriller with a crime film plot. This sub-genre's plot usually centers on a serial killer, murderer, robbery, or manhunt. As opposed to traditional crime films, the storyline focuses both around the criminal and the protagonist. Crime Thrillers use both action and psychological aspects to build tension and suspense.
Examples: The Usual Suspects, The Fugitive, Jagged Edge.
Film-Noir
Film Noir is not simply a sub-genre, but rather a term for a distinct, stylistic type of crime-drama or thriller that was popular throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Film-Noir is characterized by a black-and-white style with stark lighting effects. The main character is usually a cynical hero. Film-Noir relies on a narrative voice and various flashbacks to explain the intricate plot.
Examples: Sunset Boulevard, The Maltese Falcon, Sweet Smell of Success.
Psychological Thriller
In addition to the traits of a regular Thriller, a Psychological Thriller incorporates elements of drama and mystery film. The suspense in this sub-genre comes from the mind, rather than from a psychical threat. The protagonists in Psychological Thrillers must rely on their mental resources to solve the situation. Because of their nature, many Psychological Thrillers cross over into the Horror genre.
Science Fiction Thriller
Science Fiction Thriller incorporates hypothetical, science-based themes into the plot of the film. Traditionally, a Science Fiction film will incorporate heroes, villains, unexplored locations, fantastical quests, and advanced technology. These elements can be used in a Science Fiction Thriller to create anticipation and suspense. Often, this sub-genre will explore the “future-gone-bad” theme, including plots that revolve around alien invasions, dystopian scenarios, and super-diseases.
Religious Thriller
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