Psychological thrillerResearch into genre

Definition of psychological thriller

• A suspenseful movie or television

show emphasizing the psychology of

its characters, rather than the plot.

Themes

• There are a variety of different themes that are

seen within psychological thriller film or

television show. These themes featured can

include things such as reality, perception, mind,

existence or purpose, identity and death. In

psychological thrillers, they tend to feature

characters that are battling with their own

minds.

Typical settings • In psychological thrillers, typical

settings can be old, abandoned

houses, such as Victorian buildings,

because this gives the idea that it

may involve spirits in the house.

• Other typical settings may be

abandoned hospitals, especially

mental hospitals, or set in a forest,

where there is no one for miles.

IconographyIconography is symbolic representation, that provide meaning, attached to an image, such as an object within the film.In psychological thrillers, there are certain things within the film that show the audience that it is a psychological thriller. Common things that appear in psychological thrillers can be knives, confided spaces and shadows. These give the impression that certain things are going to happen.

Examples of psychological thrillers within media

• Television: Hannibal, Dexter, Mad

Dogs

• Video games: Heavy Rain and Alan

Wake

• Movies: Black Swan, Shutter Island,

Se7en, The Shining and The Silence

of the Lambs.