Thriller - movie genre: definition, list of films

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

When watching some films, viewers guess from the very beginning how the story will end. But this is clearly not a thriller. The genre of cinema, in which the atmosphere is heated to the limit, strikes with unexpected plot twists and an original ending. That's why he's so popular.

What is a thriller?

This genre originated in the last century. And during this time he managed to survive the heyday, decline and rebirth. Now thrillers are gaining more and more popularity among viewers. And the reason for this is the large number of mysteries to be solved throughout the development of the plot.

Thriller is a genre that is designed to keep the viewer in suspense from the first to the last minute. A special emphasis is placed on emotions when viewing. And this is not light sadness, like in melodramas, or the Homeric laughter of comedies. Such films cause excitement, experience and even fear. The deeper the viewer dives into the story, the more successful the story is.

Thriller movies often end in completely unexpected ways. Or the ending in them remains open, allowingviewers to come up with what they like best. However, high-quality pictures do not leave anyone indifferent. Thrillers "infect" with their atmosphere.

At the junction of genres

Each movie has a little bit of a thriller to it, because the movies tend to have unexpected plot twists and intrigue. However, of course, the proportions are different in each case. This feature forced directors to experiment with thrillers, creating new films at the intersection of genres.

Most often this type of movies is combined with horror. They are so closely intertwined that many already confuse them. Horrors, as a rule, are distinguished by the presence of some kind of supernatural forces, which become the causes of the heroes' troubles. Sometimes in the course of the narrative, the thriller turns into a mystical story. But sometimes a person of flesh and blood is behind all the events.

Like horror, gothic novels are often combined with thrillers. The peculiarity of the latter is the special atmosphere created by the locations. The action takes place in ancient mansions, castles, gloomy forests and valleys. And how can you do without the heat of emotions?

Thriller is a genre that goes well with most others. For example, drama. Man is so little studied that his world remains a mystery to this day. The mysteries of the psyche, dark memories and traumas of the past often become the central themes of the plot of the film, which intertwines drama and thrillers. The description of the genres boils down to the fact that both should evoke strong emotions. And so it turns out.

Thriller and comedy? Why not. In moderneven such hybrids appear in cinematography. As a rule, the humor in such comedies is "black". Some of these paintings even make the list of classics.

As a rule, only full-length pictures are known. But there are also thriller series. For several seasons, a story unfolds that makes viewers freeze with delight and interest.

The peculiarity of such films is that the finale may become known only after a few years. Among them are famous series "Supernatural", "Breaking Bad", "Twin Peaks", "Dexter" and many others. Some have already been filmed, and their finale is known to the audience. Others are in the process of filming. But there are those who are reborn. And this means that interest in the genre does not fade away.

Classic of the genre

As in any other direction, in the huge number of thrillers filmed, some pictures stand out. They have already become classics. They are loved in different countries and reviewed many times. They inspire new stories.

Worthwhile thrillers have appeared in different decades. You can find these among the paintings of the last century, and among modern ones. However, A. Hitchcock's films remain the most popular. Sometimes this director is considered the founder of the genre. Under him, thrillers flourished. And now they are revisiting the pictures that Hitchcock once took off. Stars flashed in them for the first time, which then reached world fame. And also the plots were beaten, which gave the idea to many new ones.

But there are otherspictures that the audience loved.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Malcolm Crow faced a variety of problems of the child's psyche. He worked in medicine for a long time. It seemed that nothing could surprise him anymore. But one day a child psychologist was asked to help Cole.

Nine-year-old boy claims to see ghosts. Dead people, unable to avenge themselves, bring down the entire burden of their emotions on young Cole. Malcolm has to go from a person who does not believe in the boy's stories to a personality open to the world. After all, it was the responsibility of the man to help Cole.

Others (2001)

Like the horror genre, thrillers are often built around child characters. The film "The Others" was no exception.

Charming young woman Grace has to deal with her children's terrible disease - they are allergic to sunlight. The girl and the boy have to live behind drawn curtains and hide while daylight reigns outside the window. In addition, children are very shy. They are even afraid of their own mother, constantly repeating the story of how she once offended them.

Grace will have a hard time. She looks forward to her husband's return from the war, hoping that then a better life will come for them all. In the meantime, she hires her family to serve and help manage the big house. But these new tenants will completely change the lives of Grace and the children, revealing their terrible secrets.

Lovely Bones (2009)

From many different storiescontains a list of thriller films that are loved by the audience. Among them are those that will amaze with their unusual composition. So the film "The Lovely Bones" was shot by the most popular director Peter Jackson, who presented the trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" to the world.

Susie is fourteen years old. She is dead. The girl was raped and killed by her neighbor. No one suspected that a quiet and modest man who enthusiastically builds huts in the backyard killed a dozen girls. But Susie did not die after her death. She had the opportunity to observe the life of her family. Behind how native people experience the death of a beloved girl. Despite her early departure from the world of the living, Suzy will have to make a difficult choice and finish what she did not have time.

Fight Club (1999)

The thriller does not always include the intervention of otherworldly forces. The genre is much broader than it is used to represent. So in the movie "Fight Club" the characters will not face anything but themselves.

The main character is an ordinary clerk, no different from thousands of others. He works in an office, suffers from insomnia and plans how to spend his salary. But, living this life, he feels that he is wasting his years in vain. True, he can neither break out of this circle nor find his meaning in life. Exactly until he meets Tyler.

The soap salesman completely changes the life of the protagonist. The philosophy of his life is very different from the generally accepted one. He believes that self-improvementis the task of weak, useless beings. Strong personalities choose self-destruction. So they fill their lives with pain, arranging fights in deserted places. It turns out that not only they are ready for such a path.

However, this could not go on for long. Both the main character and his friends will face much more serious tests than fights.

Shutter Island (2009)

Atmosphere is very important in cinema. Thrillers, on the other hand, require special scenery, the pace of the story, and the spirit that pervades the story. This is especially felt in the film "Shutter Island".

Two American bailiffs are invited to one of the small islands in Massachusetts. He is all busy with a huge psychiatric clinic, which contains especially dangerous criminals who have been declared insane. The island seems completely impregnable, and the hospital is reliable. However, one of the patients somehow escaped from it. The protagonist is tasked with finding a woman, dead or alive. But the task is complicated by the fact that a storm is starting. Therefore, communication with the outside world is broken, and the opportunity to sail away from the island disappears.

During the investigation, the main character and his friend will have to face many terrible secrets. But will they be able to leave the island, or will they remain its captives forever?

"Gone Girl" (2014)

Cinema is famous for being able to see what is so difficult to see in real life. Thrillers give those emotions that people lack. And, of course, amaze with unexpected plot twists. One of thesefilms became the thriller "Gone Girl".

The first anniversary of the couple, the main characters of the picture, was approaching. And, when everything was ready, the main hero of the occasion disappeared. Traces of resistance and blood in the couple's home indicate that the spouse is to blame. However, he denies his communion, although no one believes him. And then the man decides to find his wife on his own. The evidence left behind turns out to be a reference to the game the young woman always played for her husband's companions. But what will be the finale of this game?

"Mud" (2013)

Cop Bruce Robertson is not a hero. He indulges in promiscuity, drinks heavily, uses drugs and uses illegal techniques to investigate the case. However, this man also has a dream. Bruce wishes to become an inspector. He believes that then his beautiful wife will understand that Robertson is still capable of something, and will return to him.

However, what is the truth, and what remains only Bruce's fantasy, caused by his developing insanity and drugs? The answer may be completely unexpected. "The Dirt" is not an easy film that will appeal to absolutely everyone. However, he will certainly be remembered.

The list of thriller films that can surprise even the most sophisticated viewer is huge. No matter how many paintings come out in this genre, it remains one of the most popular. Thrillers never get boring.