Section 1: Thriller Theories

Northrope Frye

Northrope Frye thought that the hero in a thriller should be one of us, an ordinary person who becomes extra ordinary under circumstances that make him/her a hero.

For example Brad Pitt's character in the filim Seven.

G. K. Chesterton

G.K Chesterton was a 20th Century Thriller writer whom argued that thrillers took urban settings and transformed them into exciting locations for dramatic stories. He suggested Thrillers should be set in large urban enviroments where they would be transformed by danger. Chesterton also suggested that Thrillers add probability and change into films. E.g. Se7en

Pascal Bonitze

Pascal's theory was that in thrillers you could only see so much i.e blurred , this effect doesnt give away too much about the film and the killer which is hidden from view. E.g. The shark in Jaws

Lars Ole Aqurberg

Lars' theory was of concelement and protraction, he suggested in pulling the audience in different directions but giving a clue to the action plot. This delays the suspence, the outcome and countdown to the dilemma for example a bomb.

Noel Carroll

Carrolls theory was of questioning a dn answering model. He suggested that the audience would be always questioning and must always be kept in suspence. In doing so they would be left with the questions to keep them intrested whilst waiting in suspence. He also suggested that for the questions to be stated clearly, answers must not be given to the audience.

John Cawelti

John's theory was that in thriler films there should be an exotic, for example an exotic place, item, jewel, object or a lady. Many thrillers make use of old artifacts as exotics which would not be boring such as a crown jewel.

W.H. Matthews

Matthews' theory was involving mazes and labyniths, twists and dead ends.

He involved the idea of E.g coming out of an alley way and coming out somewhere totally different to the place before. This was seen as unexpected, maze like which was complex.

Pressure could be gained from long lasting mazes and clues would be given to build up more tension.