Different Subgenres of Thrillers.

I have done a research regarding different sub-genres of thrillers. I looked at the most popular sub-genres of thrillers, researched their typical synopsises and looked at most siginificant films that could well represent each sub-genre. I also added theatrical posters created to promote the films to show, which films I am researching. Thriller genre is characterised by mystery and suspense. These are the two themes that are key ones to create a thriller movie. Thriller genre is broken down into many sub-genres that include the key following:

• conspiracy thrillers
• psychological thrillers
• erotic thrillers
• crime thrillers
• political thrillers.

Each thriller subgenre has its own characteristics that make it different from the others but all of them include mystery and suspense themes. 

 

 One of the sub-genres is conspiracy thriller. Its typical synopsis is usually about a character who has to face the evil on their own as it is only them who can see the wrong. A perfect example is the film by Oliver Stone called JFK. It was made in 1991. It is about the events that led to assassination of President John F. Kennedy being seen and examined by former New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison.

Another quite a popular sub-genre is psychological thriller. This sub-genre usually is usually telling stories about psychopathic or mentally unstable characters who come across a conflict or a situation they cannot resolve, which leads to confusion and wrong decisions being made, or conflicts being created in the character's mind. Some of the psychological thrillers are just taking place 'inside' character's mind, and some of them overlap with crime films and thrillers, where the criminal is psychopathic and their actions are usually investigated by the best psychologists and psychiatrists. Some of them are also based on real stories. However, some of the psychological films are quite 'heavy' for the viewer, and require a lot of thinking and some of them have to be watched couple of times before they are understood by the audience. A good example of a psychological thriller is ''Secret Window'' directed by David Koepp, based on a novel by Stephen King called 'Secret Window, Secret Garden'. It is a story about a successful author who goes through a mental breakdown when he finds out his wife had an affair. He lives away from people, on his own trying to write more. Throughout the film, we learn that he has a split-personality disorder and commits murder and other crimes for his own reasons, the ones only known to the 'other him'. Also another good example of psychological thrillers comes from Alfred Hitchcock such as: 'Strangers on a Train'. 

Another sub-genre of thriller films are erotic thrillers. Usual synopsis of the storyline includes the character being sexually or emotionally involved with other main character, which leads to uncomfortable situations and a lot of complications. A perfect example is the film called Basic Instinct, directed by Paul Verhoeven in 1992. The film is about a police detective who is investigating the murder of a rock star. During the investigation, the police detective gets involved emotionally and physically into a relationship with the prime suspect, which leads to events that complicate the smooth run of the investigation. The film met a lot of controversy before and after its release but finally became a great success. 

Other quite a popular sub-genre of the thriller are crime thrillers. Crime thrillers and psychological thrillers often make a good combination of sub-genres that usually turn out to be a great success as they create a lot of suspense, mystery and excitement, which captivates the audience. Crime thriller usually focus only on the criminal, not the investigators or police officers or victims. It is about the criminal, how he works, his calculated plans and plots in his mind – that is why psychological thrillers go really well together with crime thrillers. Also, the audience can watch the struggle from the victims that try to stop the criminal from the crimes he commits but usually it is useless and pointless as the calculated criminal usually wins it all. Usually crime thrillers are also packed with action, gun-shooting, car chasing and racing and others as the directors usually put action over the psychology in crime thrillers, however not always. Good examples of crime thrillers are Seven or Silence of the Lambs. Silence of the Lambs was directed by Jonathan Demme in 1991. The film is based on a novel by Thomas Harris that features Dr. Hannibal Lecter – an amazing psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer. The storyline features a FBI trainee who seeks advice from the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to help establish and catch another serial killer, known as 'Buffalo Bill'. Talking to Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who used to be a very good psychiatrist is meant to help the FBI to locate Buffalo Bill, by finding out how his mind works, how he works and figure out his plans, by having an insight into his mind with help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, but it turns out it is not so easy, as Clarice Starling – the FBI trainee – first needs to gain the psychiatrist's confidence and trust. This is also a perfect example of crime thrillers and psychological ones being combined together. Another one of those combination could be Mindhunters, which is rather a new thriller but very psychologically and action based crime thriller.

Another respected sub-genre of thrillers, is political thriller. Films of this thriller sub-genre is usually arguing against the political power struggles in particular country that the film is set in. Some political thriller also have some characteristics of other themes, such as: psychological or crime thrillers. They also sometimes refer to terrorist attacks, assassinations of political figures, such as: The Man Who Knew Too Much by Alfred Hitchcock, which originally was made in 1934 and remade in 1956.