Thriller Subgenres - Psychological Thriller Films

(Black Swan Movie Poster (#1 of 8), 2010) Black Swan; a psychological thriller

Since I decided to make my component 1 film opening coursework a psychological thriller, I did research on the conventions and development of the genre throughout the years of film.

FILM LANGUAGE GENRE MINDMAP (TYPICAL TECHNIQUES USED IN THIS SUBGENRE):

I also analysed a mainstream example of an opening of a Psychological Thriller, BLACK SWAN (Aronofsky, 2010):

Lowkey lighting, black clothing of man - Creates sense of mystery as man is camouflaged with dark set

Black monster costume - presents man as dangerous due to animalistic appearance

White dress of dancer and white spotlight against black set; JUXTAPOSITION - Victimises the dancer as she is the only person that can very easily be seen throughout the scene

One shot scene - keeps scene lively to indicate the mania of the dancer

Accelerating speed of soundtrack & camera movement - Fastens pace to reinforce mania of dancer

Pleonastic breathing sounds - reinforces mania of dancer as it makes her emotions more prominent

  

Push In shots - reinforces dancer's anxiety due to frame closing into her

Bibliography

• Anon 2010. Black Swan Movie Poster (#1 of 8). [online] www.impawards.com. Available at: <http://www.impawards.com/2010/black_swan.html> [Accessed 12 Dec. 2021].

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