THE CONVENTIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

Farai Mbudaya

Definition

Psychological thriller is a sub-genre of thriller which places emphasis on the psychology of it’s protagonist rather than the plotline. It combines elements of mystery, drama and even horror in some cases.

Themes in plotline and characters In psychological thrillers the characters are not dependent on

physical force/strength to defeat their enemies or get out of a dilemma but more on their mental ability.

Psychological thrillers usually involve "tightly-plotted narratives, clever red herrings, and a certain element of surprise," according to Psychology Today.

The suspense could come from one solitary character resolving conflicts with their own minds or “by battling wits with a formidable opponent” (Wikipedia). Conflicts take the form of two or more characters plays games of deception on each other with the other or by seeking to tear down the other's mental state.

Examples

Consistent themes

1. Reality – Characters try to determine what is real and what isn’t.

2. Perception – Frequently a character’s understanding of the world tends to be warped and unreliant.

3. Mind – A first person narrative is mainly used thus allowing the viewer to able to understand the mechanics of the characters' minds.

4. Existence/Purpose – Characters battle to find their purpose or encounter troubles as they try to achieve it.

5. Identity – Characters doubt themselves andset out to discover their “true” identity.

6. Death – Characters have a connection or fascination with death.

Mise-en-scene features

Shadows and low level lighting are conventions of thrillers film and they are used to create tension and represent the fear or inner darkness of characters.

Rapid editing and odd /frequent changes in camera angles are utilised often during important or thrilling’ scenes.

Flashbacks/premonitions/dream contribute to a sense of seemingly eternal confusion in a thriller and this alienates the audience. Flashbacks can give an insight into why the characters are the way they are.

The music is often eerie and strange and switches to being load and tense during climatic scenes – there’s also a mix of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds.