History of a thriller- Miss.Georgiou

Thriller is a genre of literature, film, and television programming that uses suspense, tension, and excitement as its main elements.Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer's moods, giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and terror. Films of this genre tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast-paced. (source:wikipedia)


1940:
Alfred Hitchcock is an english film director and producer who created many techniques in the suspense and physiological thriller genres.In the 1940's he directed a film named "Foreign Correspondent" and "Rebecca" which consisted of a romance between a young woman and and an emotionally distant rich widower.Hitchcock then continued to direct many other films throughout the 1940's. 

George Cukor produced a psychological thriller called "Gaslight" in 1944, this film was about a man who planned to make his own wife go insane so he could inherit her inheritance.the second film produced buy Cukor was "Noir" which was murder investigation made by a police detective named Dan Andrews.

1950:

Hitchcock is continued to produce films like "Strangers on a Train" which was about two train passengers who both traded murders with each other .Another was “Dial M For Murder” in 1954 which was about a husband who attempt to murder his wife, yet another was “Rear window” in again 1954 which was about a man who was convinced his neighbour was a killer. Other thrillers which were made in the 50s were movies such as “Niagara” 1953 by Henry Hathaway this movie starred the famous Marilyn Monroe who plays a character who plots to kill her husband.

1960:

Director Michael Powells “Peeping Tom” (1960), was about a psychopathic cameraman, this film was released prior to Hitchcocks “Psycho” (1960) which was about a lonely man and mother fixated motel owner. J.Lee Thompson released a production called “Cape Fear” in 1962 which featured a menacing character seeking revenge.Stanley Donens thriller of 1963 called “Charade” which had numerous plots and twists starring a pair of characters on the search for hidden loot which takes them to Paris.

1970: 

During this time period there was many films produced in the thriller genre.In 1972 was “Frenzy”, Hitchcocks first British film in almost two decades, was given a rating “R” for its explicit content.In this period brought the first film about a individual being disturbingly obsessed with their idol, this came in Clint Eastwood’s “Play Misty For Me” 1971.Director Nicolas Roegs macabre “Don’t Look Now” of 1973 emerged a tale of despair in Venice as a couple grieving the death of their daughter.Other 1970 Thrillers include: Francis Fords Coppolas tense thriller, “The Conversation” (1974), Irvin Kershner, “The Eyes of Laura Mars” (1978) and Brian De Palmas psycho-thriller “Sisters” (1973).The 80’s approached bringing us Dressed to Kill (1980), the assassination thriller “Blow Out” (1981) and “Body Double”

1980:

Brimstone and Treacle’ was released in 1982 but Richard Loncraine. It has a certificate rating of 18 this means that extreme violence is allowed to be shown, including blood and gore, also bad language, and even sexual scenes such as rape, which is actually part of the movie.

1990:

The 90s started with Rob Reiners “Misery” 1990 which was based on a book by Stephen King, then in 1991 came “Sleeping With The Enemy”. “The Hand That’s Rocks The Cradle” by Curtis Hanson was produced in 1992, the plot was of a nanny who was seeking revenge against her dead husband patient.The famous Jonathan Demme’s produced “The Silence Of The Lambs” (1991) where a young FBI agent is in a psychological war against a cannibalistic psychiatrist named Hannibal Lector, David Fincher created “se7en” in 1995 which was about a search for a serial killer who conducted the seven deadly sins.


Hannibal according to this table has had the biggest lifetime gross and largest opening. Hannibal was an American crime thriller produced by Ridley Scott in 2001 adapted from a novel of the same name. The main theme of this film is revenge,the plot turns on the revenge motive of wealthy quiet man called Mason Verger, who seeks to avenge the fact that he now fits the words of the Christmas carol that children once sang outside his bedroom window.When he heard these words he realized that he must make Hannibal Lecter, the man who did this to him suffer. The target audience for this film would be anyone older then 18 as the BBFC has rated it an "18" most likley due to an excessive amount of violence.

Red Dragon is a 2002 American crime thriller film based on Thomas Harris' novel of the same name, featuring psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It is a prequel to both The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal.A major theme of the film Red Dragon is the concept of mental instability and the idea of a human being having the capacity to commit murder. Will Graham is a gifted investigator, who has tracked down two serial killers who both taxed his mental state before he retired from the FBI. Will Graham is the main character who started as a diesel mechanic

and later became the FBI agent that hunts Hannibal.The BBFC has rated this film a 15 meaning that anyone of the ages of 15 and above are able to watch however the target audience may not streatch across the whole spectrum.

The Cell is a 2000 science fiction psychological thriller film directed by Tarsem Singh.Catharine Deane is a psychotherapist who is part of a revolutionary new treatment which allows her mind to literally enter the mind of her patients. Her experience in this method takes an unexpected turn when an FBI agent comes to ask for a desperate favour. They had just tracked down a notorious serial killer, Carl Stargher, whose motive is to abduct women one at a time and place them in a secret area where they are kept for about 40 hours until they are slowly drowned. The main theme of this film is quite unclear. This film is also rated 18 which means the target audience would be above 18 as the contents of film is not suitable for anyone younger.