Expectations of Characters in a Thriller Film

There are a lot of generic character types within the thriller genre. They make up tension and suspense and the development of their character and behaviour often is the main focus of the film. Conventional characters within the thriller genre include: criminal, stalkers, innocent victims (on the run), characters with dark pasts, down-on-their luck losers, defiant women, cops and escaped convicts, psychotic individuals, private eyes, femme fatales, terrorists, drug addicts and people involved in twisted relation ships.

A range of obvious characteristics are used to present the characters in quite a conventional and sometimes exaggerated way. Greed, jealousy, envy, pursuit, political conspiracy, murder and romantic entanglements are often the themes apparent within thrillers, relating to characters motives etc.

Investigating Sub-genres

Before the 10 participants of my questionnaire answered the question of their favoured sub-genre, I showed them examples of 5 different sub-genres to see which one the preferred. I also defined each of the sub-genres with a short description.

Crime Thriller: These films feature combined aspects of crime film and thriller film. They are based around successful or failed crimes and focus mainly on the criminal(s). However, there is often an important police/detective/inspector character. Murders, chases and robberies are common topic utilised in this sub-genre.

Examples: Se7en, Reservoir Dogs, Inside Man, Kalifornia

Action Thriller:

Action Thrillers are fast paced and sometimes prove to be a race against the clock. They contain a lot of violence, guns and use of special effects to create explosions etc.

Examples: Bourne Ultimatum, Bad Boys, The Transporter, James Bond

Gangster Thriller:

Gangster Thrillers usually include aspects of Action and Crime. They involve money, guns and vivid violence.

Example: Lucky Number Slevin

Film Noir:

Film Noirs are classically known to be black and white hollywood crime thrillers. The film noir period stretched from the early 1940's to the late 1950's. However, aspects of them are often utilised in contemporary thrillers.

Examples: Kiss Me Deadly, The Third Man, Citizen Kane, The Glass Key

Horror Thriller:

Horror Thrillers usually involve the character(s) being put in

danger but unrealistic creatures. Generally, their goal is to

destroy the creature in order to protect themselves and others.

They often incorporate elements of science fiction and fantasy also.

Examples: Children of Men, Cabin Fever, The Amityville Horror, Blade

Se7en

Director: David Fincher

Writer: Andrew Kevin Walker

Release Date: 5 january 1996 (UK)

Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Mystery/ Thriller

Production Comapany: New Line Cinema

Awards:

Won- ASCAP Award, Saturn Award, Blue Ribbon Award, CFCA Award, Empire Award, International Fantasy Film Award, Golden Trailer, Hochi Film Award, ALFS Award, MTV Movie Award, NBR Award, NYFCC Award, Audience Award, Universe Reader's Choice Award

Nominated- Oscar, Saturn Award, ASC Award, Award of the Japanese Academy, BAFTA Film Award, Best Cinematography Award, Video Premiere Award, Image Award, MTV MOvie Award, OFCS Award

The beginning of Se7en starts with a close up of William Somerset's hands picking up various items at a crime scene; he wears a long coat and a hat which is a similar costume to those in The Third Man therefore suggesting that the character is quite traditional. His costume is detective looking and is out of place within the mise en scene as his partner Detective David Mills is a lot more contemporary looking as are the other characters.

The films acts a clock, ticking down time; 7 days precisely. William Somerset retires in seven days and the new detective David Mills has seven days to learn the ropes in a new city. The seven days corresponds with the title of the film Se7en. The credits include pens, handwriting and a black/white/ red colour scheme, all suggesting crime and the Thriller genre. The pens and paper suggest police involvement and clues and the connotations of red are danger, anger, blood. Black and white could be representative of bad and good. The two sides represented in crime and in thriller films.

The urban setting of the film is another suggestion of the genre as cities are often represented as a place of corruption and criminal activity. The tall buildings and industrial look of it create an unglamorous perspective of the location; the dark lighting in the mise en scene is another generic convention of the thriller genre that is utilised in the majority of thriller films. The use of torches in the dark at the crime scenes is an interesting use of lighting also. I like the fact that the shot is very drab and the only light in the mise en scene is the spotlight coming from the handheld torches that the detectives are carrying. The murky light makes the setting obscure which creates on going tension. The sound of rain is the most consistent diegetic sound in Se7en and I noticed that it was raining throughout the film, a convention of the thriller genre and use of pathetic fallacy.

The seven deadly sins are used as the theme of the crimes committed meaning that there is a lot of room for grotesque images. The first crime is that of Gluttony; in the mise en scene you see a morbidly obese man that had died from being force fed. The scene is dingy and unglamorous. Another diegetic sound that occurs is when the detectives are at a crime scene and you hear girls screaming, this again suggests the genre and causes suspicion of other crimes being committed within the city.

A lot of close ups of the characters' faces are used and the camera particularly focuses on the detectives' hands; these are essential close ups to inform the narrative and give the audience clues about the forth coming events of the film. One of my favourite shots within the film is the tracking shot of Morgan Freeman walking through the library. Within this scene there are extreme close ups of pages of books focusing and highlighting words relating to the seven deadly sins and the relation of the crimes.

Violence, drugs and mental health issues are all addressed within the film which is generic to see within the thriller genre, especially within the characters of the films. Corruption from the detectives and police force is also evident in the narrative when a friend of Morgan Freeman's character finds information in the FBI files to aid the resolution of the case. Corrupt authorities are often used in thrillers and has proved to be a generic characteristic of the thriller genre. Corruption of authorities is something that has been utilised within crime fictions also, for example: The Big Sleep. The main character Marlowe is a very corrupt detective, working in a very unordinary manner and relying on vices to get through the day.

A chase sequence happens within Se7en, something that has been seen in other Thriller films, such as The Third man. Shadows and reflections are another feature used a lot in the thriller genre and it is used in this film through a puddle, the image is obscured by the rain which creates apprehension. Ironically, religion is presented in the film which is opposed by the use of guns and brutality within it.

Nearing the end of the film, the "good guys" ( two detectives) have a change in morality where their attitudes change; both characters seem to let the case get to them and they become more aggressive, swapping their calm, professional attitudes to ones similar to the criminals they are trying to catch. This transition is evident when Morgan Freeman's character throws his pendulum and when he uses a knife as a substitute for a dart on a dart board. A change in morality and/or epiphany is usually seen or realised near the end of films; a change in a characters personality or behaviour is seen often within the thriller genre.

Psycho

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Writers: Joseph Stefano (screenplay), Robert Bloch (novel)

Release Date: 4 August 1960 (UK)

Genre: Horror/ Thriller

Producers: Alfred Hitchcock

Production Companies: Shamely Productions

Distributors: Paramount Pictures, Les Films Paramount, Paramount Film Service, Paramount, Universal Pictures, MCA Videocassette, MCA Home Video, MCA/ Universal Home Video, Pioneer Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Video, Universal Home Video, Universal Home Entertainment, Action Gitanes, Columbia TriStar Home Video, Universal Pictures Benelux, ACFK, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Sound Mix: Mono (westrex recording system)

Psycho begins with titles; jagged lines and harsh music (possibly created by violins) gives the impression that the film is a thriller. The establishing shot is of Phoenix, Arizona- it does exactly what it says, establishes the location/setting of the film. The camera then pans round and tracks into the hotel window as a kind of point of view shot. The shot following this show voyeuristic activity and a femme fatale character is instantly recognised. However, the deviant, bad imagery normally associated with the femme fatale is challenged as she is wearing white underwear. Connotations towards white suggest innocence and purity, something that is clearly opposing the stereotypical 'femme fatale'.

The female character is engaging with a married man which is morally quite wrong. However, in her case, the audience can sympathise with her as Sam (her lover) is clearly leading her on and making excuses for them not being a legitimate couple. There is mention of him having to pay his ex wife money- this raises suspicion as the involvement of money could cause trouble.

The female character is supposed to deposit money for her employer but when the camera cuts to a shot of her bedroom she is now in black underwear, suggesting that she may be descending into a bad person. Also in the mise en scene is a packed suitcase and the money, both suggesting that she is about to run away. This behaviour shows a change in her morality; this is conventional of the thriller genre as a morally unstable character is often utilised.

This is followed by a shot of the femme fatale in the car- the harsh music further confirms that she is going on the run; again another generic feature of the thriller genre. The get away is similar to the one in Thelma & Louise, with the dark mise en scene, wet roads etc.

The Third Man

Director: Carol Reed

Writers: Graham Green (story), Alexander Korda (story), Graham Greene (screenplay), Carol Reed, Orson Welles

Release Date: 3 December 1949 (UK)

Genre: Film Noir/ Mystery/ Thriller

Producers: Hugh Perceval (associate producer), Carol Reed (producer), Alexander Korda (producer), David O. Selznick (producer)

Production Companies: London Film Productions, British Lion Film Corporation

Distributors: London Film Productions, Selznick Releasing Organization, Sascha-Verleih, Twentieth Century- Fox Film Corporation, Action Gitanes, ACFK, Deutsche London-Film Verleih, Electric Pictures Ltd, Optimum Releasing, Rialto Pictures, Alpha Video Distributors, BIM Distribuzione, Canal +, Contender Entertainment Group, Continental Home Video, The Criterion Collection, Home Vision Entertainment, Jef Films International, Lion International Films, Optimum Home Entertainment, Spiegel Media GmbH, Universal Pictures Benelux, VCI Home Video, Vintage Video, Warner Home Video

Sound Mix: Mono (western electric recording)

The Third Man is an interesting Film Noir as it includes quite ambiguous characters; there is a femme fatale who appears deviant, manipulative yet glamorous. the fact that she is an actress strengthens her danger and makes the viewer question her; she is very enigmatic also. The character Harry Lime is shown through the use of music; it is repeated throughout the film and sort of connotes him and the kind of person he is.

The establishing shot used in The Third man is of the location- very similar to the film Psycho. However, it is followed by various shot of Vienna. The director Carol Reed filmed this in post-war Vienna meaning that everything that you see in the mise en scene was already there. The film talks of a fragmented city that is divided into zones for different countries- this reflects the actual circumstances of the time.

Music, followed by a voice over starts the film, engaging the audience. Shots of a black market appear near the beginning showing illegal trading and suggesting an ominous and crime ridden city. Also shown in the mise en scene are beautiful statues and buildings- this contrasts with shot of the illegal goods being sold and suggests that corruption and danger lies under the surface of what you see. This is backed up by a shot of a body floating in the water. Close-ups are used to show the exchanging of money and a mans arm with numerous watches on it; at no point do you see the faces of the criminals, only the hands. The close-up is utilised in all thriller films and is a key feature needed to see important details of the film. For example: a facial expression, a person's hand holding a gun etc. A steam train is used at the beginning of this film, they were used a lot in contemporary thrillers.

The character Holly Martins walks under a ladder- this is bad luck according to superstition and could have been used as a premonition of future events. Use of shadow is also shown a lot in this film to suggest that there's maybe two sides to him or that maybe something or someone is watching or following him. The shadows casted are large and unmissable and are utilised in the film as a convention of thriller films. There is a high angle shot of Holly Martins, making him seem insignificant as the shadow is bigger than him and the German man talking to him from the top of the stairs is portrayed as inferior as Holly is new in town. The low angle shot of the German man makes him look bigger also, as if her is peering/towering over Holly. All of this is shot on a large staircase- a generic feature if a thriller film.

The femme fatale is an actress and Harry Lime's lover, she is a suspicious character. Her clothing is generic of a femme fatale as she is glamorous and feminine and wears a hat to cover her face when needed. Other costumes featured in The Third Man are leather coats, trilby hats, long coats etc- all of which are significant to the Film Noir sub-genre. The scene of Harry Lime's funeral is unusual- the music isn't sad and no one is crying. This raises suspicion and creates questions of the sincerity of his death. The last time Holly Martins saw Harry was 7 years previous to his death; a lot could have changed during the time that past since seeing each other.

A tilt shot focuses on the British man- the canted angle shot suggesting disorientation. The British attitude to Americans is shown when the policeman says "just a scribbler with too much to drink in him" This also shows the the British officer is the confident one. A titled shot is also used as Holly enters the door of the femme fatales dressing room after watching her perform at the theatre.

Holly and the femme fatale return to see the German man that lives in Harry Lime's building and Holly peers out of the window- a high angle shot of the street is used, it is wet and shadowy. Wet streets are conventionally used in thrillers as well as the use of chiaroscuro lighting. The viewers suspicion of the femme fatale is heightened when she answers the phone and pretends that nobody talked when in fact the audience knows that Harry Lime was on the phone. There is a child in this scene too, he is an important character as he listens in at their conversation. The shot is a low angle from the kids point of view and it is also tilted; everything looks bigger. When Holly and Anna (femme fatale) return to see the man one evening, there is a crowd around his building and they find out that he is dead. The Little boy screams at Holly and runs after him as if he murdered the German man. The kid's shadow is large and chiaroscuro lighting is used; the boy appears innocent at first glance but his behaviour is devious; he is like a little devil and his intelligence is quite terrifying.

The film doesn't include subtitles for the parts where some characters speak german; this is so the audience are meant to feel like Holly- like hey are outsiders, foreigners. Holly thinks that Harry was murdered- this is a logical notion on his part as crime flourishes in fragmented cities like Vienna so it is a likely scenario. Especially given Harry's past. Wet, shadowed cobbled streets are shown in the mise en scene throughout the film to show that the city is potentially dangerous. The rule of thirds is use as well as chiaroscuro lighting. It is a low angle shot of the femme fatale but half of her body is shadowed- all of these features make the shot more interesting and follow the conventions of the thriller genre and film noir. A tilt shot is used when Holly and Anna are running down the stairs from the young boy; in this shot they are quite vulnerable.

Holly is quite a naive character as he is trying to help out his supposedly dead friend Harry but he doesn't know that Harry watered down penicillin and sold it through the black market, killing loads of people; he was a mass murderer. As Holly walks down a cobbled street there is a shot of a dark door way with a cat sitting on the step- cats are thought to be spiritual and known to be bad luck. The shot is slightly tilted, showing the viewers that there is something suspicious about it; it then moves to a close up of a pair of feet and the cat. The feet are Harry Lime's; his body and face are shadowed and the mise en scene is mostly black until his face is lit and the camera zooms into his face, he smirks and his expression is cheeky and suspicious as if he doesn't think that what he has done is wrong. Harry's music is played to reassure the audience that it is him. Holly's facial expression looks like he has seen a ghost which is ironic as he thought Harry was dead- this also proves Holly's naivety because he was wrong about his friend.

There is a low angle tilt shot of his shadow on the wall. Harry has metaphorically been a ghost to Holly throughout the film as a large shadow like Harry's followed him during the film, starting with the one on the staircase at the beginning of the film. Harry runs away, proving that he is guilty of something; his dark clothing suggests that he is a hunted man. He tries to hide by going underground into the sewage system; a claustrophobic space- this is another convention of thriller films. He then runs through a tunnel underground with the police and Holly after him, the tunnel suggests that they are closing in on him. The sewer could be a metaphor for Harry because he's a rat, a criminal. He is then trapped. Trying to climb the staircase, he struggles and shows vulnerability and finally justice is served.

The film follows a circular narrative because it ends back at the funeral. Holly gets out of a car to see Anna but she walks straight past him and down the road into a vanishing point. This shows her detached and unreadable character as the audience would have seen her fairly close relationship with Holly and so her actions at the end are quite shocking, reminding the viewers that she is the femme fatale.

Film Noir

(Sunset Boulevard, 1950)

Film Noir is a type of cinematography that is associated with a low-key black and white visual style. It is particularly recognised as a style of hollywood crime; it's popularity stretched through from the early 1940's to the late 1950's. This style of film is suspected to have partly emerged from the crime fiction that appeared in the U.S during the depression. The crime/ thriller conventions of a film noir generally emphasize cynical attitudes and highlight sexual motivations; alot of features of film noir are utilised today and often given a modern edge. The tone of film noir is quite pessimistic, depicting a corrupt world. Alot of the time they are imbued with sexual innuendo and self-reflexive humor also.

(The Third Man, 1949)
Visual Style:
* Low key lighting
* Light/ dark contrasts
* Use of shadows
* Obscuring of characters' faces
* Tilt angles, Low-angle shots, Close- ups
* Reflection in mirrors
* Chiarascuro lighting

Structure and Narrative:
* Flashbacks
* Voiceover narration
* First person narration
* Shooting primary narrative as a flashback

(I Confess, 1953)

Tilt shots and shadows are also generic conventions of a Film Noir and they are utilised in The Third Man.

Plot, Character and Settings:
* Crime/ murder
* Criminal motivation
* An investigation- by a private eye, concerned amateur or police detective
* Adulterous affairs
* False suspicions/ red herrings
* Betrayals/ double crosses
* Morally questionable heroes
* Femme fatales, corrupt policemen, jealous husbands, down-and-out writers
* Cigarette smoking
* Urban/ city setting
* Night/ rain

Drag Me To Hell

Director: Sam Raimi

Writers: Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi

Release Date: 27 May 2009 (UK)

Genre: Horror/ Thriller

Producers: Grant Curtis (producer), Joshua Donen (executive producer), Joseph Drake (executive producer), Nathan Kahane (executive producer), Ivan Raimi (associate producer, co-producer), Sam Raimi (producer), Cristen Carr Strubbe (co-producer), Robert G. Tapert (producer)

Production Companies: Universal Pictures, Ghost House Pictures, Buckaroo Entertainment, Mandate Pictures, Tippett Studio

Distributors: Blega Fils, GAGA, Metropolitan Filexport, RCV Film Distribution, Saigon Movies Media, Scanbox Entertainment, United International Picture (UIP), Universal Pictures Canada, Universal Pictures, Viva International Pictures, CatchPlay, Golden Screen Cinemas, Golden Village Pictures, Hollywood Classic Entertainment, Kam & Ronson Enterprise Co, Lionsgate, Paramount, Prorom Media-Trade, RCV Home Entertainment, Spentzos Films, Universal Studios Home Entertainment,

Special Effects: ReThink VFX, Curv Studios, Michael Kaelin & Associates, Tippett Studio, i.e. Effects

Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

Drag Me To Hell is a Horror, however it features a lot of conventions of a Thriller film. As the film is a sub-genre, it still uses common aspects of the Thriller genre but within a Horror story line.

The narrative structure of the film follows Todorov's theory- It begins with an equilibrium which is then disrupted, causing a disequilibrium, sparking off a series of events. His theory then says that the problems are solved, restoring the equilibrium. However, in Drag Me To Hell, the end equilibrium is then disturbed once again to create a shocking ending.

It is common for characters in Thrillers to back up towards something; It is an action that makes the audience feel that the character is disoriented and it is also a kind of premonition that a bad event is about to occur. Fear is created through shadows in this film also; a convention that is utilised in most Thriller films. The use of rain, wet streets and dark lighting are also common aspects of Thrillers that have been used in this Horror. A location that particularly stood out to me in Drag Me To Hell was the car park- this is very generic of a Thriller as the location is an enclosed space, connoting claustrophobia. The lighting in a car park is quite dim; there are a lot of dark, shadowy places for people to lurk. It is an ominous location.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Director: Guy Ritchie

Writers: Guy Ritchie

Release Date: 28 August 1998 (UK)

Genre: Comedy/ Crime/ Thriller

Produced By: Stephen Marks (executive producer), Georgia Masters (co-producer), Peter Morton (executive producer), Angad Paul (executive producer), Sebastian Pearson (associate producer), Jan Roldanus (associate producer), Trudy Styler (executive producer), Steve Tisch (executive producer), Jon Slan (executive producer), Ronaldo Vasconcellos (line producer), Matthew Vaughn (producer)

Production Companies: Summit Entertainment, The Steve Tisch Company, SKA Films, HandMade Films, Polygram Filmed Entertainment

Distributors: The Steve Tisch Company, Universal Pictures, Gramercy Pictures, BV-film AS, Falcon, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Distribution, REP Distribution, United International Pictures (UIP), Warner Sogefilms S.A, BDG, Columbia Home Video, Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International, Columbia TriStar Home Video, LK-TEL, PolyGram Video, Universal Pictures Canada, V8
Special Effects: Cinesite (digital effects), Ken Lailey Effects

Sound Mix:Dolby Digital

User Ratings:

Males- 8.2

Females- 7.7

Aged Under 18- 8.5

Males Under 18- 8.6

Females Under 18- 6.5

Aged 18-29- 8.4

Males 18-29- 8.4

Females 18-29- 8.3

Aged 30-44- 7.9

Males 30-44- 8.0

Females 30-44- 7.8

User Comment:

**********- CriticNick

"I suppose the most obvious feature of this movie is that it is beautifully balanced between being serious and humorous at the same time. The characters are two-dimensional. The villains are menacing, and yet they are made to look like idiots, and the good guys think they are so smart yet keep getting the rug pulled from under them. They are all projected as 'cool' yet the situation is always out of their control. Maybe it could be called a satire on true life."

"I haven't even mentioned the excellent and unique camerawork, speaker blowing soundtrack, beautifully threaded plot, perfect ending and the grittiest visuals I've seen. You wont see any reflective glass laden sky scrapers here, or 'over head city shots', or incredible special effects. This movie has actors I have never heard of, dialogues that you have to rewind and replay to understand, buildings that look as though they have been condemned for demolition, cars that wouldn't even be seen in our scrap yards, has probably been made with a budget that most movies in Hollywood use for make-up alone, has no love scenes, or romance or complex relationships, no Oscar-worthy performances, and yet is perfect entertainment."

The first shot you see in LSTSB is a group people crowding a salesman. The man is selling goods illegally, so it is quite like the black market trade utilised in The Third Man. A cultural signifier is recognised almost immediately; the accents of the characters gives away the fact that they are from London. A mid close-up of the salesman is used and then the camera tracks round to the crowd, showing the interest in his quick sales. This is followed by police sirens; the men abandon the sales and run when the police come, suggesting that they are bad characters with criminal behaviours- a common convention of characters in thriller films. The use of gritty, unglamorous locations (wet floors, empty warehouses, garages etc) also refer to the thriller genre as it is something that is utilised in almost all of them. This film is shot in an urban/ city area, with blurred streets and a generally dark mise-en-scene; key lighting is used to highlight some characters and events occurring.

The main storyline of the film involves money and debt, suggesting crime. Aswell as the dark clothing and long coats; this is seen alot in thrillers, especially older thrillers and film noirs. The group of three men used in Once Upon a Time in America is used in this film too, suggesting that they stick together and that they are quite intimidating/ menacing. Violence is often incorporated in thriller films, as it is in this one; the character Harry dips someone's head in a barrel and there is the constant suggestion of violence through the dialogue used and the use of guns being featured in it. A shocking shot is of a man hanging from the ceiling and having knives thrown at him- this shows really extreme violent behaviour and reminds the audience of the criminal and thrilling aspects of the film. You see a scar on the face of one of the characters, causing them to be seen as having a dark past- this also makes the character immediately suspicious of them.

The boss owns a sex shop, this automatically reflects that he is a sleazy, seedy character. A low angle shot is used when the group enter a building, this makes the building tower over slightly, making you feel wary. This is reinforced by the characters' body language- it seems as if they are trying to be inconspicuous. Drugs are another suggestion of bad character used in LSTSB. There is a cage-type thing around the doorway of the drug den for security which refers to their criminal activity and could be suggestive of a prison cell.

British signifiers used in this film include a red phone box, the characters accents and some colloquialisms used. Phrases like "northern monkey" and "southern fairy" are both unmistakably british insults. Comedy is used in the dialogue- hence the sub-genre of the film. Close ups, extreme close ups and low angle shots are all used to reveal more about the characters- the low angle shots particularly create suspicion and an ominous feeling. Shadows (a common feature of the thriller genre) are utilised in this film along with the characters use of a torch. Stairs are often used in thrillers and they are used in this film, along with large shadows of the characters feet stretching across them. A rare feature of the film that i noticed was that at certain points a shot would be frozen and then a voice over would be used. Close ups of luggage are used quite a lot in thrillers also, to suggest that there is something in it to be wary of; this aspect is used in LSTSB in the form of a close up of a duffel bag.

This is not a conventional thriller as it uses dry humour; humour isn't something that is seen a lot in the thriller genre and so i think it makes the film stand out from others.

A Clockwork Orange

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Writers: Stanley Kubrick (screenplay), Anthony Burgess (novel)

Release Date: 13 January 1972 (UK)

Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Thriller

Producers: Stanley Kubrick (producer), Si Litvinoff (executive producer), Max L. Raab (executive producer), Bernard Williams (associate producer)

Production Companies: Warner Bros. Pictures, Hawk Films

Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures, Columbia-Warner Distributors

Asociácia slovenských filmových klubov (ASFK), Argentina Video Home, Warner Home Video, Warner Bros.

Sound Mix: Mono, Dolby Digital (re-issue)

User Comment:

********** - ickyptang

"Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" is one of the first movies that proved that cinema can be the most enlightening and amazing art form around."

"the film did exactly what it was supposed to. It showed how the world can be a weird and horrible place, and how this young man who goes around torturing people and being a wicked person ultimately doesn't have to pay for what he does"

"So this film brilliantly satirises this world, showcasing pure evil and people who ordinarily do not perform such evil are forced to laugh and observe what we all hate to admit is the truth. It's sick, but at the same time brilliant. And when one gets down to the core, you can't really explain it. It just is what it is. It's real. No one really sees it very often, but it is out there and everyone knows. And no one does anything about it. In essence, "A Clockwork Orange" is the ultimate satire, and one of the ultimate film experiences. It's art, it's life, and in a funky way, it's entertaining."

User Ratings:

Males- 8.6

Females- 8.2

Under 18- 9.3

Males Under 18- 9.2

Females Under 18- 9.4

Aged 18-29 - 8.7

Males 18-29 - 8.7

Females 18-29 - 8.5

Awards:

Won: Hugo Award, Silver Ribbon, KCFCC Award, NYFCC Award,

Nominated: Oscar (4), BAFTA Award (7), DGA Award, Golden Globe (3), WGA Award (screen)

The film starts with a sound-bridge of classical music- it creates tension instantly. The first image shown is of an unusual character staring at the screen; his make up is over exaggerated for use in ordinary day to day life and his facial expression is suspicious and ominous. The camera then slowly zooms out, revealing more characters and the room around them. This opening is very theatrical; making the audience question the genre. However, it then quickly cuts to a homeless man singing; tall shadows of people walking to towards him appear on the road. The people walking up to the tramp are the same characters from the start.

The lighting is very dark, with only streetlights in the distance- this is a generic convention of a Thriller. It is suggested from he oncoming group of people that they are some sort of gang. This is reinforced by their appearance; they all seem to be dressed similarly- the black hat being the common feature in all of their costumes. All of their costumes are light coloured though, which connotes innocence; this is ironic as the group seem to be far from it.

There is a close-up of the main character looking quite evil and dangerous- this suggests that something bad might occur. All of the men have bats; suggesting that they are violent. This shot if very interesting as you can only really see the outline of the men because of the darkly lit street. It then swiftly cuts to another group of men trying to rape a woman. This group is dressed in camouflage clothing, suggesting that they are rivals of the first gang.

After violently beating up the other gang, the first group of men get into a car and drive off. The image of them driving is another theatrical feature; the background flashes past rapidly in the background, making it seem slightly unreal. You then get a point of view shot of the long dark road they are driving on. Their driving is reckless and they don't mind out for other vehicles or people- suggesting that they too are reckless and quite laid back about it.

The main character lies to a woman to get inside her house; this makes the audience even more aware that he is a dark character. The group, once inside the house, proceed to attack the woman and her husband. The main character doing this all whilst singing "singing in the rain"- this suggests that he is very calm and does not care about what he is doing to the couple. It also could suggest mental instability. A lot of long shots and mid-long shots are used in this scene; close-ups are used when necessary, showing the extremity of the situation for the victims and how violent and unnerved their attackers are.

After this attack it cuts back to the first location- the milk bar. The colour scheme inside the room is monochrome which is well suited to the film. The colour black represents the group of men; their dark behaviour and violent attitude. Whereas the white represents the innocents; the victims of the gangs actions. The use of a voiceover is to tell the story, as there isn't a huge amount of dialogue used. However, the non-diegetic classical music is played almost constantly- creating tension and fear all the way through.

Jackie Brown

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writers: Quentin Tarantino (written for the screen by), Elmore Leonard (novel)
Release Date: 20 March 1998 (UK)
Genre: Crime/ Thriller
Production Companies: Miramax Films (presents), A Band Apart, Lawrence Bender Productions (uncredited)
Disrtibutors: Miramax Films, Bac Films, Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors, TriStar Films AB, ECT, Egmont Film, Filmes Castello Lopes, Frenetic Films, Kidmark a Division of Trimark Entertainment, Laurenfilm, Líder Films, RCV Film Distribution, Scotia International Filmverleih, Svenska Filminstitutet, Alliance Video, BMG Video, Imagem Filmes, Impuls Home Entertainment, KANAALTWEE, Miramax Home Entertainment, New Star Home Entertainment, Nordisk Film, RCV Home Entertainment, Starz! Network, TF1 Vidéo, Universum Film
Special Effects: Bellissimo/Belardinelli Effects

User Comment:
******** - Mattias Petersson

"Tarantino sets a different mood here compared to the more frantic and violent Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. This is more of a slow crime story that focuses more on being cool than being shocking."

"Tarantino seems to handle the whole story more gently than in Pulp Fiction. He doesn't stress it, he doesn't run the risk of over-doing the "cool" parts. The end result is enjoyable but a lot more somber than what you're used to from Tarantino."


User Ratings:
Males- 7.6
Females- 7.4
Under 18- 7.9
Males Under 18- 8.1
Females Under 18- 5.3
Aged 18-29 - 7.7
Males 18-29 - 7.7
Females 18-29 - 7.6

Awards:
Won: Silver Berlin Bear, Golden Slate, KCFCC Award
Nominated: Oscar, Saturn Award, Golden Berlin Bear, DVD Premiere Award, Image Award, MTV Movie Award, Golden Satellite Award, Screen Actors Guild Award

Tarantino breaks the conventions of the Thriller genre by using a middle aged black woman at the front of the film. It begins with a tracking shot of her (Jackie Brown) and continues with a low-angle and and close-up tracking shot. This shows the importance of the character, as she is the only character that you see for the first minute or two.

Samuel L. Jackson plays the part of Ordell: a drug dealer and gun runner. The film gives an unglamorous representation of L.A, by the use of location etc. Quentin Tarantino utilises Thriller conventions in the murder sequence of Beaumont Livingston. Ordell is his benefactor; you can tell the characters' importance by their costumes. Beaumont looks more vulnerbale in an old baggy basketball vest whereas Ordell is in much smarter clothing; Ordell is clearly superior, this is shown by the fact that Beaumont walks behind him.

Approaching the murder sequence, Ordell puts Beaumont in the boot of his car- Beaumont thinking that he is going to pop out of the boot and pull a gun out on someone when they reach the said location. He only agrees to this because Ordell bailed him out of jail; he owes him. The use of a boot is a Thriller signifier as it is a claustrophobic space. There is then a close up of Ordell after he gets into the car- he has a gun and is putting gloves on. There is also the use of noir lighting; all of these features lead the audience to believe that Ordell is a suspicious character and creates bad predictions. This is reinforced by the deserted, wet street that they drive from- another generic convention of a Thriller film.

A panning shot shot is used as Ordell drives round the corner to an isolated area; it's an unglamorous urban waste ground. The murder shot of Beaumont is captured through a long distance shot, connoting an emotionless, detached attitude. Ordell drives off swiftly afterwards, with his music still playing, suggesting that he is relaxed about the situation and pretty cold blooded.

Thelma & Louise

Director: Ridley Scott

Writer: Callie Khouri

Release Date: 12 July 1991 (UK)

Genre: Adventure/ Crime/ Drama/ Thriller

Producers: Mimi Polk, Callie Khouri (co-producer), Dean O'Brien (co-producer), Ridley Scott (producer)

Production Companies: MGM, Pathé Entertainment, Percy Main, Star Partners III Ltd. (in association with)
Distributors: MGM, NBC, Alamode Film, Chapel Distribution, Columbus Film,
Tobis Filmkunst, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Argentina Video Home, Columbia Home Video, MGM Home Entertainment, MGM/UA Home Entertainment, United International Pictures, Warner Home Video

User Comment:
********** - Steve (ruth.boaz)

"It is clever, exciting, and funny and is shot in the middle of the breathtaking scenery of the American Southwest. However, the thing that makes it special is its illustration of pure friendship."

User Ratings:

Males- 7.2

Females-7.7

Under 18- 7.3

Males Under 18- 7.8

Females Under 18- 6.2

Aged 18-29 - 7.3

Males 18- 29 - 7.3

Females 18-29 - 7.8

The Film:

Thelma & Louise is set in Colorado, America. The country music and landscape are cultural signifiers. The two characters are very different from one another; this is evident from the first few minutes of the film. Louise has a job and is dressed smartly; Thelma on the other hand has messy hair and is quite scatty. She is less independent that Louise and is controlled by her vein, conceited and cheating husband.

At the beginning of the scene we looked at, Thelma & Louise are in a well lit bar with lots of people- this is quite a safe environment. However, it then cuts to the car park- a generic location for a Thriller; the mise en scene is dark and the car park is deserted. The only people in it are Thelma, who is drunk and unstable and the man she had been dancing with. The "friendly" man automatically creates suspicion and this is proved when he turns violent and tries to rape her. Louise steps in to help- acting as the hero character of the film; reiterating the contrast between the two. Louise is like the male figure; she carries a gun which is commonly thought to be a male weapon.

Their characters personalities are reflected through their costumes also: Thelma wears girly, feminine clothing. Whereas Louise wears more masculine things; her clothes suggest that she is stronger than Thelma, her behaviour seems to be similar to the male also. She shoots Harlem, which is a very irrational reaction: a reaction that is more likely to come from a man as they are recognised to be more irrational than women.

The roads they drive on are dark, wet and seem to be enclosing in on them; a generic feature of the Thriller genre. The light is broken up, suggesting that their lives have been broken up- now that they are on the run. They are surrounded by huge trucks which are male signifiers; their small car is vulnerable compared and it sort of personifies them. This also suggests that there is a male vs. female theme to the film.

Ridley Scott seems to be representing the midwestern males as misogynists throughout the film. For example: Daryl (Thelma's husband) and Harlem (Rapist) The attitude of men in the era that the film is set is that a woman's role is to gratify and serve men; the quote "we don't live in that kind of world Thelma" backs this. Scott turns this on it's head by using two women as main characters- this is quite uncommon and adds a twist to the Thriller genre.

Essex Boys

Director: Terry Winsor
Writing Credits: Jeff Pope, Terry Winsor
Release Date: 14 July 2000 (UK)
Genre: Crime/ Thriller
Production Company: Granada Film Productions
Distributors: Buena Vista, Filmark, Madman Entertainment, Miramax Films, Pathe
Producers: Pippa Cross (executive producer), Paul Frift (line producer), Jeff Pope (producer)
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

User Comment:
******** - Donald Thomson

"Winsor's film, it seems to me, brilliantly evokes both the drabness and cruelty of the criminal mindset. It does this partly through the choice of dull, flat Essex landscapes with their coastal marshes, grey motorway links, flash nouveau riche mansions and the tawdry glamour of seafront locations."

"The characters are both repellent and yet curiously mesmerising. This is not a film in which it is easy to lose interest."


User Ratings:
Males- 5.9
Females- 5.9
Under 18- 4.9
Males Under 18- 5.0
Females Under 18- 4.7
Aged 18-29 - 6.1
Males 18-29 - 6.0
Females 18- 29 - 6.7


Essex Boys has a very authentic feel to it as it is based on a true story. At the beginning of the film, while the credit are on, there is a non-diegetic sound of perhaps a car being scratched; this automatically identifies the genre of the film. This is also backed up by the use of black and white on the screen. The first shot is quite ominous with dust, cobwebs etc and the mise en scene is overall very dark. The establishing shot is of Billy in a garage- he is lit by chiaroscuro lighting; also suggesting the genre and creating suspense. The garage is a good choice of location because it's a claustrophobic space and the darkness of it emphasises the corruption of the characters.

A voiceover is used as a cultural signifier; we automatically notice the Essex accent. The purpose of it's use is to engage the audience and to address them directly.

The first shot of Jason Locke is from a point of view shot. The image of him is very powerful as he stands out in the garage, staring straight through the car window towards Billy. As they are driving, you notice that there are wet, deserted roads, enclosing walls around them and a highly unglamorous industrial, grey look. All of these visual aspects show how Winsor is utilising the Thriller genre. The tunnel that they drive through is used as a kind of vanishing point; connoting claustrophobia once again but also could be a metaphor, as it looks like the barrell of a gun.

The "Welcome to Essex" sign is very ironic as the image given to the audience of the county so far isn't good. It is used to take the audience into "Jason's country". The light that goes across the car window as they are driving looks like jailbars; suggesting that billy is being blinded and corrupted by Jason. He has been brought into Jason's world through the job which he naively thinks is just chauffuering Jason wherever he wants to go. Another thing that could be suggested from that image is that the light is like piano keys; Billy is being played by Jason.
Jason is a very violent character, Billy finds this out when looking through the wing mirror of the van to see Jason attacking a man. This is done through a point of view shot and is quite a common feature in Thrillers. The violent behaviour of Billy tells the audience that he is a dark character; maybe a criminal or someone with a dark past.

At the end of this clip, the victim is left stranded, in a horrible situation. Jason and Billy drive off and a shot of Essex landscape follows, reitterating the statement that it is Jason's country. By leaving the victim stranded there, it suggests that he has been kept as a prisoner in Jason's world. You can see the white van driving off in the distance of this shot; the van is another generic signifier of a Thriller.