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This genre is a cross between near-future science fiction and thrillers. The most significant aspect of the mise-en-scene is the cutting-edge, complex technology, either as something to obtain, or working for or against the protagonist. This means the main characters are intellectual due to the fact that they will need to be able to use this technology, and to their own advantage. Techno-thrillers often overlap with near future science-fiction. This means that stereotypical locations include someplace abnormal and out of the ordinary, for example outer space.

Example – The Matrix (1999)

This film is stereotypical of the techno-thriller sub-genre as cutting-edge technology is the most significant factor of the narrative. This is because a computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers. This narrative is conventional of the sub-genre as war is a typical aspect of techno-thrillers. Also, terrorism is also a common aspect of techno-thriller narratives. Secondly, it is conventional due to the fact that one of the main characters is a computer hacker, meaning they are experienced and brainy when it comes to computers and technology.

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Trailer for the Spanish horror film "El Orfanato" or "The Orphanage". This is the original Spanish trailer, since in my opinion the American trailer was completely stupid and made this movie look bad. There are English subtitles for this movie, though.

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Tom Cruise ignites the screen in this runaway smash hit that "holds you on the edge of your seat before blasting you out of it." (Howard Rosenberg, Los Angeles Times). Cruise stars as Ethan Hunt, a secret agent framed for the deaths of his espionage team.

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This Means War (2012) Trailer - HD Movie - Chris Pine, Tom Hardy Movie

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The world's deadliest CIA operatives are inseparable partners and best friends until they fall for the same woman. Having once helped bring down entire enemy nations, they are now employing their incomparable skills and an endless array of high-tech gadgetry against their greatest nemesis ever - each other.

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In this sub-genre, unrealistic and otherworldly elements are introduced, usually put into place by the antagonist. The protagonist may have to defeat this antagonist with physical fore, or supernatural powers of their own, e.g. psychic abilities, or other supernatural elements. A range of different characters are displayed in supernatural thrillers. It can range from innocents who unintentionally cross paths with a supernatural being or a psychopath with traumatic past experiences with something supernatural. Another common character of a supernatural thriller are people actively searching for supernatural beings, e.g. ghost hunters. Horror is a significant aspect of a supernatural thriller as unrealistic CGI can be put into place to frighten and thrill the audience. Therefore, isolated environments with low-key lighting are most likely to be apparent supernatural thrillers. Locations that are home to supernatural beings or in which unusual situations take place are a common setting of supernatural thrillers.

Example – The Orphanage (2007)

This film is conventional of the supernatural sub-genre. The narrative involves a child going missing from a house in which was an orphanage, home to many orphans, who were murdered. A child who was killed by bullies as a result of his disability “haunts” the orphanage, and be-friends the child. This creates a sense of uncertainty, adhering to the supernatural sub-genre, as he is dead but able to communicate with the living. The setting in which it is set is conventional due to the fact that it is isolated from the public, as they know about the eerie atmosphere that surrounds it. The child in which is haunting the house is conventional of the thriller genre as he wears a creepy mask, creating a sense of enigma. The mother and father are stereotypical of the supernatural thriller genre due to the fact that they’re completely innocent, however their child is still taken from them by a supernatural being.

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Spy thrillers are typically based around a protagonist having to carry out some kind of mission. Although, there may be some obstacles in the process, put in place by the antagonist, they almost always come out on top. Stereotypical locations could include recognisable locations, making the experience more personal for the audience, or urban locations as it’s easier to incorporate innocent bystanders. The characters present in spy thrillers are intelligent. This is due to the fact that they have the ability to use complex technology, to their advantage, a key aspect of the mise-en-scene. The antagonist needs to be clever as well, so they can attempt to overcome the protagonist. Death and gore are common aspects also, adhering to the thriller genre.

Example – Mission: Impossible (1996)

The film series is stereotypical of the espionage thriller genre. This is because the protagonist is always asked to complete a mission, usually to defeat the antagonist or something put in place by them. To do so, the protagonist has to overcome issues by carrying out thrilling tasks, e.g. jumping from tall buildings, etc. These buildings can include ones recognisable for the audience, creating a sense of realism.

The main characters are always using complex equipment and partaking in almost impossible tasks – hence the title, Mission: Impossible. Adhering to the conventional narrative, the protagonist commonly comes out on top.

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This sub-genre involves a growing relationship between two characters, with typical conventions of thrillers of tension, suspense and excitement. Stereotypical characters found in a romantic thriller include innocent members of society falling for or becoming involved with someone with an abnormal occupation, e.g. assassins, etc. Settings include recognisable or urban locations to adhere to the romance aspect, as there’s nothing out of the ordinary. Guns and other weapons are apparent due to the occupation of the lovers.

Example – This Means War (2012)

This film is very conventional of the romantic thriller sub-genre as romance is the main aspect of the film, although conventions of the thriller genre contribute to the plot line. The narrative consists of two undercover assassins beginning to fall for the same girl, and instead of doing their job of fighting others, they begin to compete with one and other. The main aim of the two characters is to get the girl – adhering to the romance aspect. The settings denoted in the film are conventional as they’re recognisable and general day-to-day settings. The female protagonist is stereotypical as she is an innocent woman looking for love. She is completely oblivious the male’s hidden occupations as she begins dating them. This connotes her vulnerability, adhering to Propp’s character archetypes of a damsel in distress. The male protagonists are conventional of the thriller genre as they are masculine and capable of winning multiple fights. Finally, the antagonists are conventional of the thriller genre due to the fact that they’re foreign, and foreign villains are a common aspect of thrillers.

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HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET Trailer (Jennifer Lawrence)

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A boy who meets a girl next door with a sickening twist : his sister murdered his parents and disappeared... House at the End of the Street Movie TRAILER - In theaters September 21, 2012. © Relativity Media Suscribe now to get the best movie trailers !

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This subgenre uses the history and myths of religion. Stereotypical narratives of a religious thriller involve a religious artefact or historical secret is discovered. Therefore, settings could include isolated environments, in order to keep this prized possession out of reach by an antagonist. It usually involves the unusual coming together of different people and groups as they seek control of the artefact. The characters of religious thrillers are more than likely religious leaders, e.g. priests.

Example – The Exorcist (1973)

“When a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter.” This adheres to the religious sub-genre as two central characters of the narrative are priests. The aim of the film is to complete a task that is only going to be completed as a result of a religious ritual. This film is conventional of the religious sub-genre due to the fact that it takes place in an isolated environment, as they wish to keep the possessed girl away from the public, to prevent it from occurring within anyone else.

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In this sub-genre a lot of conflict is mental, rather than physical, confusing the characters and the audience. The protagonist becomes involved in a dangerous situation which threatens their life and their sanity. Instead of using physical force to overcome the antagonist, they battle mentally, whether the battle is inside their own head or it’s a battle of wits. Conventional settings of a psychological thriller, similarly to a mystery thriller, involve isolated environments due to the effectiveness of the mise-en-scene. Also, the characters involve stalkers and psychopaths.

Example – House at the End of the Street (2013)

This film is conventional of the psychological thriller genre due to the fact that the antagonist has a stalker/psychotic personality. The protagonist’s role is to battle mentally with the antagonist, who was initially her boyfriend. The protagonist is vulnerable and unaware of the antagonist’s history as she’s new to the town. The title represents the isolated setting of the film, adhering to the stereotypical conventions of the genre.

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This sub-genre regards a political struggle, where political relations or the whole government are at stake. The protagonist is employed by the government to stop the decline. It usually involves giving political power to someone, while their opponents try to stop them. Political thrillers can either be based on true events or not. Typical settings usually involve areas isolated from the public, however not eerie or mysterious settings. The lighting would be more high-key to reflect a real life political setting. The characters will be intelligent due to their position of power.

Example – All the President’s Men (1976)

Based on a true political story: “’The Washington Post’ reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.”

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"Shutter Island" - Official Trailer [HD]

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A high-profile slaying becomes the case of an ambitious attorney's career in this legal thriller based on the novel by William Diehl. Richard Gere stars as Martin Vail, a famed defense lawyer who volunteers his services to Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), a Kentucky teenager charged with the murder of a Chicago archbishop.

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A mystery thriller is much more fast-paced, with the protagonist on the run and the threat of another crime serving as the “ticking clock”. Typical settings of thrillers include isolated locations, which adhere to the mystery aspect as mise-en-scene, for example, low-key lighting is more effective in these environments. Stereotypical characters include psychopaths, e.g. with split personalities or just general mental illnesses. The main aim of the protagonist is to solve some kind of issue, in order for the narrative to result in a restoration.

Example – Shutter Island (2010)

This film is stereotypical of the mystery thriller genre as the narrative is revolved around the mystery of a missing mental patient from an asylum. This setting is stereotypical of a mystery as it creates suspense and a sense of uncertainty. This means the audience don’t know what to expect. The ending is conventional due to the fact that it is revealed that the protagonist is psychopathic and believed he was someone else throughout, solving the mystery.

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This sub-genre involves something used for medical purposes becoming a deadly weapon or threat to society. Often it is a virus outbreak that is killing a lot of the population off. The main characters (the protagonist and antagonist’s) are usually doctors or police. The protagonist tries everything they can in order to stop the outbreak of the virus, and the antagonist’s role is to make sure it harms as much people as possible. The typical settings of a medical thriller are an urban or recognisable location so it gives the medical issue more of an opportunity to harm others.

Example – Containment

This film adheres to the medical sub-genre as it involves an epidemic which becomes a large problem due to the amount of death it has caused. The protagonist’s role as a doctor is to try and stop the virus outbreak from killing any more people, while aiming to find out what it is and why it’s killing the number of people it is.

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Legal thriller narratives are normally based on a lawyer fighting for a client, while establishing if they are guilty or not as the film progresses. Not only is the lawyer trying to find out whether they’re innocent, but so are the audience. The stereotypical clients the lawyers have to deal with are most commonly murderers. This adheres to the thriller side of the genre. The lawyers are most likely intelligent; however, they could be portrayed as weak at times if they incorrectly judge their guilty clients. Thus sub-genre takes place in and around the courtroom, emphasising the legal aspect of the genre.

Example – Primal Fear (1996)

This film is stereotypical of the legal sub-genre due to the fact that the most significant setting in the film is either a prison cell, or a court room. The central narrative is based around a murder. A lawyer is aiming to find out if the suspect committed the crime or not. The lawyer is intelligent, but vulnerable as he is the only one that believes the suspect is innocent, and the rest of society is against him. The audience are thrilled throughout as they want to find out who committed the crime, and as the film progresses, the suspect seems more and more innocent. However, at the end it is made apparent to the audience that the suspect as guilty, despite the lawyer’s allegations, and he is a psychopath. This adheres to the thriller aspect.

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The Impossible NEW TRAILER (2012) Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts Movie HD

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Official trailer for "Number by numbers" (2002) Castle Rock Entertainment. (c) Warner Bross. Sandra Bullock, Ryan Gosling, Michael Pitt, Agnes Bruckner, Chris Penn, R.D. Call and Ben Chaplin.

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In this sub-genre, the protagonists are forensic scientists who involvement in an unsolved crime threatens their lives, and others lives, as if they are unable to identify a killer, it puts society at risk. It involves characters who are intelligent in forensic science, and are able to determine who killed somebody just by studying the dead body. The setting of a forensic thriller could be a rather isolated location, as hospital wings aren’t open to the general public and not somewhere everyone visits in daily life. Murder is a large aspect contributing to the narrative, and the climax is usually based on finding the killer.

Example – Murder by Numbers (2002)

This is stereotypical of the forensic sub-genre as it is a film in which someone who has forensic knowledge has the ability to carry out “perfect” murders. This thrills the audience as they will want to find out why one would do such a thing. The fact that they set someone up to look like the murderer also adheres to this sub-genre due to the fact that they are able to make it seem like it is him in the forensics. Therefore, the forensic matter of the murders is the central aspect of the narrative. Finally, the protagonist's mission is to find out who is committing these murders, according to the evidence found in the autopsy's of the high-school student's victims.

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Trailer for Martin Scorsese's film starring Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Joe Don Baker, Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck, Martin Balsam, Illeana Douglas, Fred Dalton Thompson, Zully Montero, Craig Henne, Forest Burton, Edgar Allan Poe IV, Rod Ball,

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JFK (1991) Official Trailer - Kevin Costner, Oliver Stone Thriller Movie HD

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A trailer for the movie Speed, released in 1994. Was the final project for my editing class at Temple.

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Eco-thriller’s include a protagonist aiming to stop a threat to the environment that will have consequences for society if left unchecked. This could be either an unrealistic threat, or a threat that could actually occur in real life. Settings of eco-thrillers could include anything environmental, for example a jungle or the desert. Characters of eco-thrillers are determined and motivated to stop whatever it is that is threatening the environment. Suspense is created due to drastic events, for example, deaths that make take place as a result of this issue, and the audience will wish to find out why this is happening.

Example – Jurassic Park (1993)

This film is a stereotypical eco-thriller as dinosaurs begin to cause a threat for the environment and everyone living, as they escape from their enclosures. The protagonist’s job is to make sure the dinosaurs do not make as much harm as they are able to. This is conventional because, if the park owners left the dinosaurs to roam freely around the place, the consequences would be endless and harmful for the environment.

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In this subgenre, a natural disaster could take place, for example a tsunami or an earthquake. The protagonist has to save themselves, their families or stop the disaster on a whole. Family plays a big, conventional, part of disaster thrillers. This is due to the fact that they either get split up, or the protagonist’s motive is to save them. Disaster films usually take place in recognisable/urban areas. This is to thrill the audience and make it more personal to see famous landmarks be destroyed. CGI is one of the central aspects of the disaster sub-genre, as without it the sense of realism would not be created as a result. The characters present in a disaster film adhere to Propp’s character archetypes. This is because it’s very common to see a male protagonist who is masculine and capable of saving everyone from the disaster, and female damsel’s in distress, who are helpless and need saving.

Example – The Impossible (2012)

This film is stereotypical of the disaster sub-genre as it includes a family who get split up as a result of a tsunami. Based on a true story, this thrills the audience as they wish to find out if they survive and eventually reunite. The narrative is based on this family whose aim is to get out alive. The thriller aspect is represented through the many deaths that take place throughout the film.

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A crime thriller is a thriller in which the central characters are involved in crime. Whether it be committing crimes, or solving them. Stereotypical characters of a crime thriller include a lawyer as the protagonist and a criminal as the antagonist – creating a crime vs. law binary opposition. Stereotypically, the protagonist’s challenge is to find out who the criminal is. The narrative consists of the police gathering evidence, who may find out gory/intense details in the process, adhering to the thriller aspect of the genre. Crime thrillers are conventionally set in recognisable locations, to create a sense of realism for the audience. Imprisonment is a convention used commonly in crime thriller’s, typically at the end of the film after the crime has been solved and the criminal has been found.

Example – Cape Fear (1991)

This crime thriller adheres to the ideologies of the genre due to the fact that the central narrative is based on the antagonist being released from prison and creating havoc with his lawyer that “failed” at his job – therefore resulting in the antagonist being put in prison. The film tracks the criminal’s progress as he is released from prison, and thrills the audience as they find out that he continues to break the law, despite spending a while in prison. Although, it could be argued that the fact that the criminal is made apparent to the audience immediately, it subverts the stereotype of the police force unravelling who the criminal is.

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Conspiracy thriller’s usually have protagonists who are amateur investigators or journalists, who discover a secretive conspiracy. They may be unable to tell what is true about the conspiracy, or even what is real. Overall, they have difficulty distinguishing between the conspiracy and real life. Rumours and lies build upon one another until this becomes an undecidable question. The characters present in conspiracy thrillers are stereotypically intellectual and intelligent. This is needed as they are going to be faced with confusing ideas and beliefs. The setting can vary from isolated locations to recognisable locations, depending on the extent of the conspiracy.

Example – JFK (1991)

This film displays a mixture of fact and speculation regarding the assassination of president John F. Kennedy. This film includes conventions of the conspiracy sub-genre as it makes the audience really think about the death of JFK and the conspiracy theories surrounding it.

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Thriller films of the action sub-genre are films in which the protagonist faces a number of challenges before reaching the climax of the narrative. These challenges are stereotypically put into place by the antagonist, although the protagonist conventionally gains victory at the end. Stereotypical conventions of the action thriller subgenre include explosions, guns and violence. The thriller aspect of the genre comes into it through the use of the violence, as gore and torture could also appear in action thrillers, creating suspense.

Example – Speed (1994)

The stereotypical race against the clock narrative adheres to the ideology of an action thriller sub-genre. The fear of a bomb, planted by the antagonist, in order to kill the protagonist also adheres to this as it represents the binary opposition of Good vs. Evil. The film, on a whole, is leading up to the explosion of a bomb, a convention commonly used in action thrillers. Finally, the fear of death and many that take place during the film are what creates a sense of tension and makes it thrilling.