Thriller Subgenres - Zombie and Shark Films

(Sharf, 2021), (Keaney, 2017)

I did research about two popular subgenres of thrillers films: Zombie and Shark films. I studied how these subgenres were created and how they developed in the timeline of filmmaking.

Then, I analysed a clip from The Shallows (2016) - a shark film - to see how this thriller builds tension in a part of the film:

Film language that builds tension:

• Slow motion - makes the girl's screaming more impactful and emphasises her anxious feelings 

• High tempo soundtrack - fastens the pace of the sequence

• Torn clothes - presents girl as vulnerable due to her compromised clothing not protecting parts of her body

• Camera composition of wave engulfing surfers - foreshadows their death as these shots make it appear as if the wave that they are on is consuming them

• Shaky cam - unstable camera reflects the unstable situation in the sequence, reinforcing chaos

Bibliography

• Sharf, Z., 2021. “Army of the Dead” Official Trailer: Zack Snyder Kicks Off His Epic Netflix Zombie Franchise. [online] IndieWire. Available at: <https://www.indiewire.com/2021/04/army-of-the-dead-trailer-zack-snyder-netflix-zombie-franchise-1234629774/> [Accessed 10 Dec. 2021].
• Keaney, Q., 2017. 7 Movies Your Shark-Obsessed Kids Will Get a Kick Out of This Summer. [online] POPSUGAR Family. Available at: <https://www.popsugar.com/family/Shark-Movies-Kids-43638636> [Accessed 10 Dec. 2021].