Codes and Conventions of Mystery/Psychological Thrillers

Looking at the top 100 thriller films on IMDb, I have picked out the top 10 films which could be classified as Psychological or Mystery Thrillers:

Inception (2010) - Rated 12
The Dark Knight (2008) - Rated 12
Fight Club (1999) - Rated 18
Rear Window (1954) - Rated PG

Psycho (1960) - Rated 15
The Usual Suspects (1995) - Rated 18
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Rated 18
Se7en (1995) - Rated 18
Memento (2000) - Rated 15
The Shining (1980) - Rated 15

When assessing the codes and conventions of a mystery/ psychological Thriller, the renowned sample films above share specific correlations of which we plan to incorporate within our five minute production. Ranging from the sixties all the way to 2010, the directors who create these films tend not to produce their own society, while rather reflecting upon the ever-changing world through people, places and events.

When evaluating the films above, the most prominent codes and conventions concern their attention to detail within the theme of degeneration, whether this concerns a protagonists psyche, society or establishment. Such examples would include Se7en, where the constant raining (mise-en-scene) and low –key lighting (cinematography) presents a world which has lost its way. Films such as Fight Club or The Shining moreover anchor how a mind can degenerate and collapse when pressed and pulled by the pressures of life, to the extent where you can lose your mind, causing severe harm to those around you, and society as a whole.

This overall bleakness and almost jaded perception upon life is anchored by the typical codes and conventions of the mystery/psychological Thriller’s Mise-En-Scene. Hitchcock being the most dated director on the list, he uses this cinematic framework, particularly in Psycho and Rear Window to hold a subconscious iron-tight grip over the audience, a stranglehold conjuring up a world of fear and relentless madness. However, as our thriller hybrid shall be sparse in its duration, we will have to consider how we can entwine such codes and conventions in a way which anchors the genre, in a restricted amount of time.

In terms of Cinematography, the typical codes and conventions of the genre would consist of close-ups, long shots and Ariel shots. This is anchored through films such as Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. Like our film, this 1980’s classic centres around Jack Torrance’s mental degenerate in the Overlook Hotel, therefore Kubrick samples a series of Long/Ariel shots, to anchor his isolation, and close-ups to highlight his insanity. In terms of camera movement, we have followed “The Shining’s” codes and conventions of the dolly shot, as it almost conveys the notion that the delusional lead protagonist is furtively stalking his victim.

An interesting, almost perverted code and convention featured in Rear Window and the vast majority of psychological mystery thrillers concerns the point of view shot. Here the audience are almost welcomed into the protagonists psyche, and get to see life through their eyes. In this sense, this shot may be most true to the genre, as it involves the mind, and how people function.

In terms of Sound, the codes and conventions of the films above tend to stay true to their protagonists, and therefore revolve around dialogue heavy scripts to reinforce and anchor the leading figures psyche. This cinematic framework however seems to break codes and conventions depending on the film. For example, films such as Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” and “Inception” incorporate bold, mainstream and dynamic soundtracks, while “Se7en”, “Memento” and “Rear Window” delve into the realms of silence to voice their protagonist’s sour opinions upon the world and those that inhabit it.

It fundamentally appears that despite sound has no restricted code and convention in the thriller genre, it still has to serve the purpose of conveying the protagonists feelings and perception upon life, which I guess in a certain sense means that the thriller has a specific sound code and convention.

Overall, I would suggest from this research that the codes and conventions of the Thriller genre are very loosely woven together. All the films above are unique in their own special way, which rises the question what makes them a Thriller? It is when the director entwines sound, mise-en-scene and cinematography in a way that presents a slightly distorted abnormal world through another figures eyes where we see the genre taking shape. It is this individual take upon the genre that makes the psychological/mystery Thriller stand out for me, which the group will hopefully exploit to make a short 5 minute sequence that is like no other.