Lesson 1

[Timothy Barley]

“Constantine” Thriller Conventions

What I learned doing this assignment is that I really like thrillers. Many types of thrillers. And one of my favorite movies is “Constantine,” which falls into the sub-genre of supernatural thriller for many reasons (see below).

2. Conventions of “Constantine”

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Constantine is a tired, worn-out demon-hunter, that as a suicide survivor, knows he is going to hell when he dies. But, that doesn’t stop him from taking risks to do the right thing. He’s practiced in magic and knowledge of demons, angels and good v evil.

– Dangerous Villain: Mammon, the son of Lucifer himself, who unknown to his father is working with the angel Gabriel and a half-breed demon, Balthazar, to ascend to Earth and bring war.

– High stakes: Literally, hell on earth. Death. Eternal damnation.

– Life and death situations: Again, the life and death is literal, as Constantine travels to hell by electrocuting himself to determine if a police detective’s twin died by suicide. His goal is also to stop Mammon and save the detective to prevent billions from dying.

– This movie is thrilling because? It’s really well written (based on DC Comics source material) without being too inside baseball or over-the-top supernatural story. And it’s really well acted.

3. What is the BIG Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense of this story?

Big Mystery: What’s behind the uptick in demon sightings as well as the death of the twin and Constantine’s priest ally? Who is the servant of God helping Mammon?

Big Intrigue: While Balthazar is the face of the plot at bringing hell to earth, who is pulling his strings from hell? And does Lucifer even know? And what does Gabriel have to do with it, and what is their plan?

Big Suspense: Constantine experiences danger from soldier demons, as well as common demons, a half-breed demon named Balthazar working for Mammon and a duplicitous angel, Gabriel, all putting Constantine at risk being sent to hell.

<u style=”font-weight: bold;”>4. Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great thriller? It’s really well written and acted, touching on a bit of religious dogma, and throwing in a bit of horror as well.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Timothy Barley.

[Jennifer Miller]

Now those are some high stakes! Reading your post makes me want to revisit the film.

[Kaden San]

“The Bag Man” (2014) thriller conventions

What I learned is that great thrillers will tend to stick to these conventions.

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:

John Cusack’s character, Jack. He’s assigned a seemingly straightforward task by a crime boss to transport a bag but not to look inside. While he may have been unaware of the full scope of what he was getting into, he uses his wits and resourcefulness to navigate the treacherous waters of this assignment.

Dangerous Villain:

Robert De Niro’s character, Dragna. He’s the menacing crime lord who gives Jack the assignment. Dragna is enigmatic, powerful, and ruthless, ensuring that Jack and others who cross his path remain on their toes.

High stakes:

The contents of the mysterious bag. The urgency with which Dragna wants this bag, coupled with the mandate that Jack must not look inside it, creates an air of mystery and elevates the stakes of the movie. Everyone wants the bag, and are willing to kill him for it, but why?

Life and death situations:

Throughout the film, Jack finds himself in a series of escalating confrontations. He has to deal with rival criminals, corrupt cops and unpredictable characters at the motel, all while ensuring that he remains alive and in possession of the bag.

This movie is thrilling because?

“The Bag Man” is thrilling because it combines elements of suspense, mystery, and action. The enigma of the bag’s contents, the deadly cat-and-mouse games between Jack and those who want the bag, and the unpredictable nature of many characters keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Furthermore, the dark and seedy setting of the motel amplifies the tension, making it a gripping watch.

Big Mystery:

The main mystery in the story revolves around the contents of the bag. Throughout the film, viewers and the protagonist, Jack, are left wondering what’s inside the bag and why it’s so important. This central question drives the plot and motivates many of the characters’ actions.

Big Intrigue:

The intentions and plans of Dragna, the crime lord played by Robert De Niro, represent the big intrigue. Dragna’s reasons for wanting the bag, his endgame, and how all the characters fit into his larger plan are kept hidden, adding layers of depth and uncertainty to the narrative.

Big Suspense:

The imminent danger Jack faces while trying to fulfill his task creates the primary suspense in the film. With rival criminals, corrupt cops, and other unpredictable characters all trying to get their hands on the bag, Jack is constantly in peril. His situation is further complicated by Dragna’s mandate not to look inside the bag, adding an element of psychological tension as curiosity battles with obedience. The seedy motel setting and the various characters Jack encounters heighten this sense of danger, as he never knows who he can trust.

[Gisele FRAZEUR]

What I learned doing this assignment is: How important a strong villain is. A milquetoast villain cannot propel the plot forward.

Movie: The Weekend Away

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Beth – – a new mother whose marriage is shaky – – accepts an invitation for an all-expenses paid weekend getaway with her best friend (Kate) from college. When said best friend disappears after a regrettable night of wild partying, Beth’s intuition tells her Kate has met with foul play. Discouraged to pursue her concerns by police, her husband, and Kate’s Ex, against increasingly insurmountable odds, Beth kicks at the darkness long enough for the truth to shine through.

Dangerous Villain: I think a flaw of this film is that I cannot identify a dangerous villain that propels the plot and creates a throughline and journey for the hero. The likely candidate would have been Beth’s husband, Rob. Rob is Kate’s murderer. Rob, however, seems to me to react to the plot more than proact upon it. There are mini villains. Sebastian, the peeping tom owner of the Air B & B where Kate and Beth reside. Another mini villain is the police officer (Pavic) whose sexual advances were rejected by Kate – – and thusly refuses to take Beth’s concerns regarding Kate’s safety seriously. More mini villains are the male escorts hired by Kate who end up robbing the ladies after an evening of debauchery. Beth’s husband has had an affair with Kate but serves as one of the mini villains in my opinion rather than the antagonist he is meant to be.

High stakes: Many, many people do not want Beth digging around as they have many nefarious deeds to hide. As a result of this – – nobody supports her on her hunt for truth for fear of being discovered. Beth’s passport is taken by the police at one point, raising the stakes.

Life and death situations: Kate’s body floating in the ocean in the opening credits. Beth and Kate’s night out with the mail escorts who drug Beth. Beth’s encounter with her peeping tom landlord. Beth on the run from the police – – resulting in Pavic’s death. Kate’s confrontation with Rob. Beth’s final confrontation with Rob after finding a bead from Kate’s necklace in his jacket pocket.

This movie is thrilling because they do a good job of isolating Beth from any source of support in finding her friend’s killer. She is the victim of gaslighting by almost every character she turns to for help. It is also thrilling because she is left alone in Croatia – – a place wherein she does not know the customs, the language, or have allies to aid her in her quest. The removal of her passport compounds this thrilling component as she is stranded there and has no choice but to continue in order to go home. It is less thrilling at times because of how preposterous and contrived most of the plot twists are. They simply are neither organic nor believable.

Big Mystery: Who killed Kate?

Big Intrigue: Rob’s need to keep his affair and the subsequent murder of Kate a secret.

Big Suspense: Will Beth get killed because she won’t give up pursuing the identity of Kate’s killer.

[Peter Saltzman]

What I learned is that you can create a thriller by building an intricate set of puzzles and slowly unraveling them. This is something I’m particularly good at with music, so I’d love to see how I can apply it here.

Sharper (2023, Apple)

• Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Tom, bookstore owner, would-be novelist, son of a billionaire who sees him as a disappointment. He is at the absolute bottom of the pyramid of people being played, conned for their money. He appears passive and depressed but, over time, manages to figure out how he’s been scammed out of his fortune.

o Hero 2: Because of the clever structure of this script, there is a secondary hero, the love interest, Sandra, who initially scams Tom, but eventually helps him uncover it.

• Dangerous Villain: At the top of the pyramid of scammers scamming scammers is Madeline, a true pro-con-artist who plays the longest and most sophisticated game of them. She scams and the scammer who scams the scammer. Eventually, it comes back to bite her when the scammed work their way back to the top.

o Sub-Villain 1: Max who uses Sandra to scam Tom’s dad and is then scammed himself by Madeline. He’s just as bad as she is, not quite as clever.

• High stakes: Tom’s inheritance and possibly his life. Sandra’s mental health as she spirals into drug addiction after being used by Max.

• Life and death situations: For Tom and Sandra, their well-being; for Richard Hobbes, his life if you believe Max and Madeline are willing to go that far (which they aren’t.)

• This movie is thrilling because? For a long time, you don’t know who’s at the top of the scheme, and then you don’t if Tom is ultimately being taken down.

3. What is the BIG Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense of this story?

• Big Mystery: Who is at the top of the scam pyramid?

• Big Intrigue: what do the scammers ultimately want? Where/when will they stop?

• Big Suspense: Will Tom and Sandra survive?

4. Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great thriller? The structure and set-up are clever to the max (no pun intended). Almost too clever as it starts to become tedious. But they made it all pay off with a terrific ending in which the scammed ended up out outplaying the scammers.

[Jennifer Miller]

I love a great double cross film filled with cons and scheming characters and I think on many levels this film succeeds, but I do recall not feeling blown away (or thrilled) by it. And, after reading your post, I think I now know why – the stakes, at least the ones listed, don’t seem high enough, well his life is a pretty high stake, so maybe it’s that the dangerous villain isn’t fully committed to do anything it takes to achieve their goal. Hmm. That’s interesting to ponder. Great post and I may have to revisit this film, too, and see if I can pin point why I wasn’t blown away because I am a fan of the cast and I love bookstores. And, please keep us posted on how this aligns with how you to compose music.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Jennifer Miller.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Jennifer Miller.

[Peter Saltzman]

You know, you’re right: in the end, I wasn’t really blown away by the film. I liked almost everything about it, but it didn’t entirely add up. I think you may have hit the nail on the head: the stakes weren’t high enough. That and the fact that there was a creeping tedium to the structure as we went through the world from the POV of the four main characters. After the third act, I was tired of it. Still, I loved the twist at the end. I liked the film, but I didn’t love it.

Thanks for your comments.

[Tom Wilson]

BLADE RUNNER Thriller Conventions

Doing this assignment, I found instances of Mystery, Intrigue and Suspense:

· The unwitting but Resourceful Hero is Deckard who hates killing replicants because they’re so human-like.

· In this story, one mystery is why and how are the replicants evolving? Will their superior traits enable them to conquer the humans who made them?

· It’s a mystery to dangerous Villain Roy Batty why replicants were made to live only two years. Batty uses intrigue to kill his makers one by one.

· High stakes involve Batty killing the principals of the company that manufactured him and the other replicants.

· Life and death situations: The replicants are much stronger than humans and ruthlessly kill them without a second thought. Surprisingly as he dies, Roy shows he has more respect for humans than they have for themselves.

· This movie is thrilling because the audience is caught up in Deckard’s dilemma and suspense. Who’s human, who’s a replicant?

BLADE RUNNER a great thriller. Protagonist Deckard, who’s a cop, quit hunting and killing replicants because they are so human-like. His old boss forces him to do it because some replicants escaped off-planet jobs, returned to Earth to discover their origins and to take revenge on their “makers,” and Deckard is the best at the job he hates.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Tom Wilson.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Tom Wilson.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Tom Wilson.

[Timothy Barley]

The great thing about Blade Runner (and the ’92 director’s cut is the best…) is that you can watch it again again and find different parts so profound. Good choice!

[Jamie Stegner]

BARBARIAN 2022 is a horror thriller. Written and Directed by Zach Cregger. Budget 4.5MM Box Office 45MM. Rated R (for ickiness!)

The Villain’s plan has been in place a long time. The original home owner imprisoned women in the basement and impregnated them and then their children for several generations. The secret basements in this once middle- class neighborhood are carefully hidden. He’s now elderly and bedridden with one remaining daughter who lives in the underground secret tunnels. All she wants is her baby. She prowls by night and has taken over the active Villain role.

The current owner is unwitting but not a hero. He rents the house as an AirB&B and is totally ignorant of the situation in the secret basements.

The Heroine is Tess who unwittingly comes to this house which is now an AirB&B. She is not particularly skilled or talented in self-defense. Her one saving virtue is compassion for the crazy monster daughter. Her understanding and lack of fighting extends her life until she can shoot her dead.

After a somewhat slow start, the tension steadily mounts, the mystery deepens, the stakes are high – life/death. It’s gripping, non-stop to the climax.

It’s thrilling because: dark night, pouring rain, strange city, woman traveling alone. Basements are always scary. Ordinary people – it could be me finding secret underground rooms and passages.

Initial Mystery: There’s already someone, Keith, in her reserved AirB&B who has the same reservation (he’s nice and the thrill is delayed for a potential romance? a misdirection? A red herring mystery – why are there two reservations for the same place / who is this guy?

The real Mystery is what’s going on, or did go on, in the secret rooms and tunnels. Where do they go? What are the cages for? Who or What killed Keith? We find out from a man who is surviving on the edge in the abandoned neighborhood.

Intrigue: The characters are not particularly intriguing. They are all pretty straight forward who they are.

Suspense: Will Tess be able to escape the daughter despite her compulsion to go back to help everyone else?

What I learned:
Start faster. If not watching for the assignment I might have switched
to something else. The filmmakers could have increased intrigue
of layers and complexity of the characters and had less repetition of going
down into the secret tunnels. Avoid
repetition

It’s not a great thriller, but kinda interesting. Lacks catharsis.

[Timothy Barley]

This movie was a great slow burn with a monster twist (no pun intended).

[Brenda Clarke]

“I Came By” 2022 Thriller Conventions

This was more a Mystery Thriller set in present day UK. With an actor Hugh Bonville, that normally plays gentlemanly/”Nice guy” roles. So casting against type was great which created the first part of BIG INTRIGUE.

The Audience knew he was a dangerous Villain from the outset, so the BIG MYSTERY was HOW is he going to be caught and Who is going to Catch him?

The first hero was unwitting and resourceful, a young 23 yr old Graffiti Artist, try to do good but he didn’t make it. The second hero was his mother, who tried to trace her missing sons whereabouts, who also didn’t make it. LIFE AND DEATH Risks for anyone trying to catch this Villain.

Eventually risking HIGH STAKES because he was a young black man, he put his life, his relationship with his young partner and new baby boy all at risk.

this was a great thriller because they went against type, a High Court Judge who had police connections (that protected him from the outset) but was a crazy killer who chopped up his victims and burnt them in his deceased wife’s pottery kiln. Both the young men, who you would normally cast as common criminals were the actual heroes, so once again going against type created great intrigue from the outset.

Big SUSNPENSE was created when each hero tried to rescue someone or trap the villain and failed leaving it to the third hero to finally trap the villain, rescue another hostage and alert the police for a final arrest.

What I learned is that you can reveal the villain early on, but the how and who is going to trap him is all in the M.I.S. Also I learned that you can have more than one hero, especially when the villain is bumping everyone off!

Not a film I would normally watch, but really enjoyed watching the Thriller conventions in play throughout the script.

[Heather Estay]

“Mr and Mrs Smith” Thriller Conventions

What I learned doing this assignment is that I don’t think just having a lot of nail-biting action scenes makes a thriller. To me, though I thought it made a fun action comedy, Mr and Mrs Smith didn’t seem to have a lot of mystery or intrigue.

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:
Mr. and Mrs. Smith, first individually as they try to kill one another
(though Jane seems more serious about killing John) then as a couple as
they battle the joined forces of their employers

Dangerous Villain: Initially,
they are both “villains” but after they join forces, it’s the joint forces
of their employers

Red Herring: Not sure there
really is one except for a brief time when Eddie (John’s buddy) might be
the one ordering their deaths

High stakes: First, one or the
other must die; then they are both the target and must die

Life and death situations: First,
they’re supposed to kill each other (and neither of them really want to
kill the other); Then they have no where to hide and will die unless they
defeat the armies of their employers

This movie is thrilling
because? Their lives are constantly on the line

Big Mystery: At first, the
mystery is that both are assassins but neither know about the other.
Later, the “mystery” is who wants to kill them; the plant (Tank) at the
end

Big Intrigue: Do they love each
other? Will they be able to stay together now that they know what they
know?

Big Suspense: Will they kill
each other? And later, will they both get killed?

Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great thriller? I’m not sure it was a great thriller. I chose it because it’s supposed to be a comedy thriller but I think it was more of an action comedy. We find out early on what both of them do and there’s not much mystery about who wants the two of them dead.

[Kelly Joseph]

MISSING: Thriller Conventions

I learned that when I see the breakdown down the Thriller conventions in movies I can see how simple they really are.

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:

June is unwitting but very resourceful.

Dangerous Villain:Yes, June’s father is dangerous.

High stakes: her moms life is in danger.

Life and death situations: mom is missing and every clue points to something bad happened.

This movie is thrilling because? It has all the Conventions of a Thriller throughout the movie.

Big Mystery: Will she find her mom?

Big Intrigue: her father’s plan to get rid of her mother and reunite with his daughter.

Big Suspense; the trail of clues that point to something really bad happened to her mom.

[Alfred Dunham]

Alfred Dunham: Silence of the Lambs, Thriller conventions

What I learned doing this assignment:

I learned the Thriller Genre conventions and the Big M.I.S. – what they are and what they mean.

The Story Conventions:

1. Unwitting but Resourceful Hero?

Clarice Starling

2. Dangerous Villain?

Buffalo Bill

Hannibal Lecter

3. High Stakes?

Buffalo is a serial killer who skins his female victims

Hannibal {the cannibal] Lecter wants out of confinement to continue his killings

4. Life and Death Situations?

Death to other unsuspecting women because of Buffalo Bill

Death to others by Hannibal, should he escape

Death to Clarice by either man

5. This movie is thrilling because?

We don’t know who Buffalo Bill really is, and…

…He almost kills Clarice, at the end of the movie

Hannibal does manage to escape

The Big M.I.S. — What is:

1. The Big Mystery?

Who and where is Buffalo Bill?

Why is he killing and skinning young women?

2. The Big Intrigue?

Will Clarice figure out who he is, in time?

Will Hannibal be a help or a liability?

Will Hannibal get inside Clarice’s head and endanger her?

3. The Big Suspense?

Will Bill’s current victim be killed before Clarice finds Bill?

Will Clarice be harmed in the process of finding her?

[Jess Paxton]

AIR FORCE ONE — ACTION THRILLER

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero

The President has laid out his global-scale anti-terrorism program, but as he relaxes on his flight home from Moscow, he awakens to learn that Air Force One has been commandeered by terrorists and his family and his entire cabinet are hostage! He must use his wits as a diplomat and his skills as a former Vietnam helicopter pilot to fight back! AND he knows Air Force One inside and out.

Dangerous Villain

In a role made for Gary Oldman, the chief terrorist is hateful, vengeful, determined, resourceful, and canny. He is also willing to kill everyone on the plane, including the President and his family!

High stakes

It’s the President! And his family! And his Cabinet! Or set the evil Khazak dictator free!

Life and death situations

Terrorists kill all security detail on AF1.

Prez ejects in escape pod over forest.

Terrorists kill pilots and AF1 almost crashes.

Prez goes one-on-one against terrorists.

Hostages killed one by one.

Refuel plane explodes.

Prez nearly thrown off AF1 to certain death.

Prez captured.

First Lady taken as shield.

Traitor (head of Secret Service detail) still on board.

MIGs attack.

Evacuation to back-up plane.

Traitor revealed, tries to kill Prez.

AF1 crashes.

This movie is thrilling because

The terrorists bypass all security forces and apparatus.

The President stands alone against the terrorists.

Air Force One comes close to crashing more than once.

It’s Die Hard on Air Force One.

THE M., I., & S. OF THRILLERS

THE BIG MYSTERY

The secret, question, or puzzle that must be solved by the hero.

How to get the hostages off the plane and rescue his family.

Who is the traitor that helped the terrorists get on AF1?

THE BIG INTRIGUE

The covert, underhanded, or clandestine force or plan of the Villain.

There is always the traitor in the background.

The terrorists want the evil General released.

The terrorists want to rebuild the Soviet empire.

THE BIG SUSPENSE

The main danger that the hero experiences.

The Prez is one man against seven.

COMMENTS:

Air Farce One: We never learn why a Secret Service bigwig wants to help a band of Russian terrorists.

Even with his help, the terrorists get past security so easily they even mock the security measures.

I learned that a Thriller can be easily broken down and analyzed by the genre’s core components (conventions). Also that the conventions are more important than the story making sense (this was a hit movie).

[Timothy Barley]

Gave us the great line, “Get. Off. My. Plane.”

[Chris Kraft]

GONE GIRL thriller conventions

What I learned:

Finding the MIS within the characters themselves makes the story especially compelling.

Unwitting but resourceful hero:

Nick, the unwitting husband who draws on his understanding of his sociopathic wife’s tendencies to outwit her.

Dangerous villain:

Amy, the sociopathic wife who has set herself up as a murder victim to frame her husband.

High Stakes:

Nick is the prime suspect for murder and must stop his wife before she destroys him.

Life and death situations:

Amy has staged her own death and created a web of clues to frame Nick. She resorts to murder when trapped or cornered.

Why the movie is thrilling:

The cat and mouse game between Nick and Amy gets incredibly twisted and dark.

The Big Mystery:

Who kidnapped/killed Amy

The Big Intrigue:

Will Amy’s twisted plan succeed in framing Nick or will he be able to outwit her?

The Big Suspense:

Amy’s psychological games get more dangerous when she turns to murder.

Anything else that makes it a great thriller:

Amy as unreliable narrator whose fake diary makes the audience believe she is the innocent victim until midpoint.

[H. Vince]

GONE GIRL is a great example of a Thriller movie.

[penny WINGERT]

Loglin- Tremendous catastropic event threatening humanity.

BIG mystery Will humanity survive.?

Big Intrigue Is the heroine secretly aligned with the devil?

Big supense-Main danger Mother Earth opening up with earthquakes and floods and sea monsters.

Learne to have fun with it.

[Monica Arisman]

<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Subject: POLAR Thriller Conventions

What I learned doing this assignment is how to break down a thriller movie using the model making it easy to understand how to write one.

Watch the movie and as you do, note the conventions of THIS story.

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:
Duncan
Dangerous<div>

Villain: Mr. Blut

High stakes: Assassins on the verge of retirement are
killed so the company doesn’t have to pay their pension.

Life and death situations: They
send Duncan on one last job but they are setting him up to be killed.

This movie is thrilling
because?

It shows the methodical way
the assassins sent to kill Duncan go about finding him. How he figures it
out and ends up killing them all in the end.
Betrayal by a friend that ends
up with Duncan captured and tortured.
Twist: Camille, at the end, is
a survivor from one of his jobs and she wants to kill him.

3. What is the BIG Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense of this story?

Big Mystery: Who is Camille
really?</div>

Big Intrigue: Kills retiring
assassins so he doesn’t have to pay their pension.

Big Suspense: Main danger is
Duncan’s fellow assassins.

[Barbe LaPierre]

What I learned doing this assignment is that this is going to be a fun ride.

KNIGHT AND DAY Thriller Conventions

Unwitting but resourceful Hero: CIA Agent Roy Miller, assigned to protect inventor, Simon Feck, and his invention, the Zephyr battery, is accused of going rogue when he steals the battery and hides the inventor because Miller knows that his partner Fitz intends to sell the invention and the inventor to an arms dealer.

Dangerous Villain: CIA Agent John Fitzgerald (“Fitz”) sends a team onto the plane to retrieve the Zephyr battery and to kill Roy (and June) if necessary. Fitz, who was going to steal the battery himself, framed Roy for the theft. Roy is also pursued by arms dealer Antonio Quintana. Fitz kidnaps Simon to deliver him to Quintana.

High stakes: Roy’s life. June’s life. Simon’s life and the future of mankind because the Zephyr battery will fall into the hands of terrorists.

Life and death situations: Car chases, shootouts, plane crashes

This movie is thrilling because? The good guys turn out to be the bad guys. Poor June, who more than once is drugged and is in and out of consciousness as Roy helps them escape some life-or-death situation, never knows who to trust. It’s a whirlwind, round-the-world chase.

Big Mystery: Is Roy a good guy or a bad guy?

Big Intrigue: Will Roy successfully get the Zephyr battery and its inventor to safety? And June to her sister’s wedding?

Big Suspense: Will Roy, June and Simon survive?

Even though this movie has its share of shootouts, car chases and life-threatening situations, I chose it because the leads are a bit quirky and charming – even screwball – which is the tone I’m going for.

[Jennifer Miller]

Yes! Here’s to a fun ride. And, that was a fun movie.

[Alyssa Giannola]

Missing’s (2023) Thriller Conventions

What I learned doing this assignment: how fun it is to analyze a great thriller and discover what works and what doesn’t work, and determine the WHY behind it.

SPOILERS for the 2023 movie “Missing.”

• Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: June is an 18-year-old computer savvy teen who spends almost all of her time online. When her mother goes missing, she takes matters into her own hands to enlist help, find cameras, guess passwords, and hunt down who kidnapped her mom.<div>
• Dangerous Villain: The father who the movie tricks you to believe has died, but really he is organizing things behind the scenes to take revenge on the mom and get June for himself.
• High stakes: June’s mother’s life is in danger. A character who is revealed to be involved ends up dead, and then another character dies as well showing it’s getting more dangerous. At the end, June’s life is at risk too.
• Life and death situations: Her mom is assumed to be kidnapped as it’s seen on cameras. Towards the end, June is abducted and she has to work with her mom to outwit the delusional father and escape, or die.
• This movie is thrilling because? It has great setups, payoffs and reveals. The turning points are well done and keep you engaged as she discovers more and more about what’s going on.
• Big Mystery: What happened to June’s mom?
• Big Intrigue: The boyfriend who was with June’s mom has a criminal past and upon further digging, June’s mom also has a mysterious past sealed by a court order.
• Big Suspense: Will June be able to find and save her mom before it’s too late?

While I didn’t love the ending and there were some plot holes, I did love how it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. And it was clever in its use of clues: at one huge reveal, I was genuinely surprised but then I remembered that I actually had guessed that was coming earlier on when a clue was given, but the movie was so engaging that it MADE me forget that I had guessed it already, so I was still surprised!!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Alyssa Giannola.

[Jeannie Johanna]

Angel Has Fallen Thriller Conventions

What I learned doing this assignment is that intrigue and mystery serve two clear, distinct roles in a thriller and when they’re interwoven into an engaging plot with rounded characters, it makes for a fun ride.

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Mike Banning, a former military operative, and currently the lead Secret Service Agent for the President, finds himself at the center of an assassination attempt on the President by way of drones that kills every Secret Service agent on scene except intentionally circumvents Mike and which only barely misses killing the President, thanks to Mike’s efforts. However, when Mike awakens from his coma before the President awakens, he finds himself handcuffed to the bed and himself as primary suspect in the assassination attempt with much incriminating evidence found by the FBI stacked against him. During transport to jail, Mike escapes with every intention of discovering who’s trying to kill the President and why they’re setting him up.

Dangerous Villain: Wade Jennings, a former military buddy of Mike Banning, runs a contract militia group that is struggling due to cutbacks in the US Defense budget that aligns with the current President’s more conservative military spending policy. To get back into the game of war, Wade and his mercenaries make an attempt to assassinate the president and set up Mike to be the fall guy.

Super Villain: The Vice President is the true main villain as he’s the one pulling Wade’s puppet strings. The VP masterminded the entire assassination/set up plot so that he could become President.

High stakes: the U.S. going to war with Russia, Mike’s innocence, his family’s safety

Life and death situations:

Physical danger: Many people die physically as a result of the assassination attempt on the President (16 Secret Service agents). More people die in the ongoing attempt to keep Mike as the prime assassin suspect (Mike himself at every turn of him being on the run and then him going back to the hospital to protect the president again, 20+ of Wade’s mercenaries, Wade himself eventually). Some die in the process of investigating the mysterious nature of the assassination attempt (FBI agents). The threat of physical danger looms over Mike’s wife and child as they receive multiple death threats after Mike is identified as the assassin suspect.

Emotional danger: Mike wakes up from his coma post assassination attempt and finds himself handcuffed to the bed with a laundry list of evidence mounted against him. Mike has to process emotional wounds from his childhood in the midst of his fiasco due to needing the help of his estranged dad. Mike is exhausted throughout the entire ordeal, compromising his emotional stability.

Mental danger: At the start, Mike is highly confused and knows nothing of what’s going on, MIke has no resources at his disposal so he has to mentally navigate his entire dilemma on the fly. Mike is exhausted throughout the entire ordeal, compromising his thinking. Mike eventually plays a mental cat and mouse game with Wade in an attempt to retaliate.

This movie is thrilling because? The stakes keep increasing and the super villain seems to be getting away with his ploy to engage the country in war all the while it seems impossible for Mike to be able to prove his innocence and prevent a second assassination attempt on the President by the villain Wade.

Big Mystery: Who in the White House has hired Wade and his militia group to carry out the assassination on the President and set up Mike as the fall guy?

Big Intrigue: Will the super villain be able to carry out his plan to engage the U.S. in war with Russia?

Big Suspense: Can Mike sneak back into the hospital undetected by FBI and other police and save the President from a second assassination attempt?

Additional aspects that made this movie a great thriller: There are so many setups and payoffs around each corner that elevate the story suspense, the reveals are cleverly executed and move the story forward with action, each character’s motivations are extremely clear.

[Maureen Tilyou]

Maureen’s Thriller Conventions for ‘The Fugitive’

What I learned doing this assignment is a really great film has it’s way with you every time you watch it. This is no accident. A good thriller is a carefully planned and executed attack on the audiences’ sensibilities- and the knowledge iof ow that breaks down is exciting in itself!

Film: THE FUGITIVE

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Richard Kimble, a Doctor condemned to death for murdering his wife, on the run to prove his innocence.

Dangerous Villain: One armed Man and the Pharma conspiracy that he works for.

High stakes: Kimble is relentlessly chased by US Marshall Lt Gerard and his team, he’s only just one step ahead of them, and if they catch him, he will go to prison and will be hanged- if they don’t kill him trying to escape. If the one armed man finds him, he will definitely try to kill him.

Life and death situations: Fights with his wife’s killer/ Condemned to death in court/watches as other convicts on the bus execute an escape attempt/ Major bus crash/ A speeding train bears down on the crashed bus while Kimble rescues an unconscious man/ Crashing train chases him down the track/ Kimble jumps from an aqueduct into a river hundreds of feet below to avoid capture/Gerard is always snapping at his heels while Kimble tries to find the one armed man who killed his wife.

This movie is thrilling because? It is absolutely the most relentless thriller I have ever seen. I have seen it maybe 12-13 times, and it still grabs on and doesn’t let go every time.

3. What is the BIG Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense of this story?

Big Mystery: Who is the one armed man who killed Richard Kimble’s wife, and why did he do it?<div>

Big Intrigue: The Plan of a Big Pharma Company to bring a new product to the market, and the lengths they are willing to go to to cover up the dangerous and lethal results during the testing period.

Big Suspense: Will Gerard catch and capture – or kill- Richard Kimble before Richard has a chance to find the truth and clear his name.

4. Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great thriller?

The Fugitive is an amazing movie. As the audience, you are completely emotionally involved with Kimble’s journey to clear himself. As if that’s not enough, the sheer physical danger that relentlessly pounding this man endures is mind boggling. You can’t help but admire the phenomenal determination , morality and smarts Kimble exhibits as he eludes the truly maniacal and magnificent Gerard. I love this film!

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• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by  Maureen Tilyou.

[Judith Watson]

Deleted this post.

[Judith Watson]

Unlawful Entry – Judith’s Thriller Conventions – Lesson 1

What I learned doing this assignment was that the movie “Unlawful Entry” had all the elements of a thriller.

UNWITTING BY RESOURCEFUL HERO – the main character, Michael Carr’s, house is broken into and the thief gets away. Mike has a beautiful wife, Karen. The police officer who comes to investigate, Officer Pete Davis, helps the couple out by arranging to set up a security system. HE sets up the security code word with the alarm company. He becomes friends with the couple. They invite him to dinner and a possible job on the side, guarding a new night club Michael has gone into debt to start a night club.

DANGEROUS VILLAIN: Pete Davis is the villain. The BIG MYSTERY is why? As the story goes along, we learn that he is a very lonely man. He becomes infatuated with Karen.

THE BIG MYSTERY: Pete wants Karen for himself. Why and what will he do to have her?

The BIG INTRIGUE is what is he up to with this couple. He seems to be helping them, alarm system, friendship, but all along he is getting Karen to like and trust him. He takes Mike on a ride-along and takes him to the house of the thief. Gives Mike the opportunity to beat the hell out of the thief. Mike refuses and Pete does it himself. Pete learns that Karen is disappointed that Mike did not beat this guy up and she feels safer with Pete.

THE BIG SUSPENSE is will Karen succumb to Pete. She’s a bit naïve about him and stands up for him against her husband when he tells her to stay away from him.

UNWITTING BY RESOURCEFUL HERO – Mike is resourceful in that he realizes that Pete is up to no good. He wants to avoid him. He messes up and follows his lawyer’s advice to pay Pete off to stay away from his wife. Pete threatens him. He goes to Pete’s partner to get him to help since the report Mike files with the department against Pete has no evidence. And at the very end when Pete is at the house, taking over Mike’s life, because he got him arrested, we see Mike’s last bit of resourcefulness when during the fight he is having with Pete the alarm goes off and when Pete tells the security company the wrong code, the police will come to investigate.

DANGEROUS VILLAIN – Pete is a cop. Has all the power. Gets on the good side of the wife because she feels he will protect her, and her husband won’t. He is covert in that he seems so nice and helpful. And as we as the audience realize that he’s really not a nice guy, the suspense builds. Will he get Mike out of the way by getting him arrested and put in jail? What will he do to Karen when he finds out she is not wanting to be with him?

HIGH STAKES – Pete is willing to kill. He kills his partner; he kills Karen’s friend. He will be willing to kill Mike to have Karen and Karen if she resists him.

LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS – see above stakes plus he puts a gun to Mike’s head. He takes away Mikes livelihood, and he gets Mike arrested for a false cocaine charge.

This movie is THRILLING because we are not sure until the end if Pete will get Karen to be on his side and how Mike is going to be able to stop Pete.

[Jennifer Miller]

The Pope’s Exorcist Thriller Conventions:

What I learned doing this assignment is that by narrowing the focus onto the key components/conventions makes things very clear and less overwhelming.

Conventions:

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: The Pope’s Exorcist is Father Amorth

Dangerous Villain: Asmodeus, The King of Hell

High stakes: Asmodeus wants to unleash an army of fallen angels and to possess Amorth, so he can infiltrate and destroy the church.

Life and death situations: The family’s life, Amorth’s life, Father Esquibel’s life, and the destruction of the Church, all that is good, and the world if the demon succeeds to bring down the Church through a powerful priest like Amorth.

This movie is thrilling because? The main characters must face and confront demons from their past in order to battle and ultimately defeat EVIL, a powerful demon determined to unleash Hell.

What is the BIG Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense of this story?

Big Mystery: Who is the demon possessing Henry?

Big Intrigue: Asmodeus, the King of Hell, who has possessed a boy in order to lure Father Amorth to him in order to possess him and use him to infiltrate and destroy the church.

Big Suspense: Will Amorth and the family be harmed or killed trying to stop Asmodeus and his evil plan.

[Michael HARRIS]

Subject line: “The Lincoln Lawyer” Thriller Conventions

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Mick Haller, a criminal defense
lawyer<div>

Dangerous Villain: Louis Roulet, a rich young client with a nasty
obsession

High stakes: Louis handpicks Mick to defend him while at the same
time setting him up should he be betrayed, He kills Frank, Mick’s top
detective when Frank learns too much, he sets Mick up for the murder of
Frank, he threatens Mick’s family, He plays on Mick’s guilt for not
believing a former client that Louis also set up.

Life and death situations: Frank’s death, Mick’s battle with guilt,
attorney client privilege that doesn’t allow him to bring his own client
to justice, Mick is set up for Frank’s murder, Mick’s family is in danger.
This movie is thrilling because? The suspense builds as it becomes clear
that Mick is being set up time after time and it is uncertain how/if he
can win against his own client and his own guilt.

<div>

What is the BIG Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense of this story?

Big Mystery: Is Louis innocent? </div><div>

Big Intrigue: What can Mick do to win, retain his license and
protect his family when pitted against a client with nearly inexhaustible resources
and a devious mind.

Big Suspense: Can Mick survive Louis’s attacks.

4. Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great thriller?

The extremely reluctant hero (Mick) struggles with self and his client. In the beginning of the movie his whole motivation is money but as he realizes he has been set up it brings back memories of a client he let down and a desire to redeem himself.

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[Diane Phelps]

SWU Thriller class

August 2023

Notes & thoughts

<hr>

Assignment: “Port Paradise” – Psychosocial Thriller Movie

What I learned doing this assignment is…

Creating a psychosocial thriller requires a delicate balance between suspenseful plot elements and deep exploration of the characters’ psyches. The interplay of mystery, intrigue, and high stakes is crucial to keeping the audience engaged and invested in the story.

—

“Port Paradise” – Psychosocial Thriller Movie

1. Conventions of the Story:

– Unwitting but Resourceful Hero: Our protagonist, Alex Turner, a disillusioned journalist returning to his hometown, becomes entangled in a web of intrigue while uncovering dark secrets. He’s resourceful but initially unaware of the danger he’s stepping into.

– Dangerous Villain: Mayor Evelyn Monroe, a charismatic figure with a sinister side, controls the town through manipulation and fear. She masks her true intentions beneath a façade of community leadership.

– High Stakes: The fate of the entire town hangs in the balance as the villain’s schemes threaten to tear it apart. Uncovering the truth becomes a race against time to prevent disaster.

– Life and Death Situations: Alex finds himself facing life-threatening situations as he delves deeper into the town’s secrets. He must navigate treacherous terrain both physically and psychologically.

This story is thrilling because…

“Port Paradise” intertwines psychological tension with physical danger, creating a gripping narrative that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The atmospheric setting of a small gulf coast town adds an additional layer of unease, amplifying the suspense as the hero battles against both external threats and his own internal demons.

2. The Big M.I.S. of the Story:

– Big Mystery: Throughout the story, the central mystery revolves around the inexplicable disappearances of several townspeople. As Alex investigates, he uncovers clues that point to a hidden agenda that goes far beyond the surface.

– Big Intrigue: Unbeknownst to Alex, Mayor Monroe is part of a secret society with the goal of harnessing a supernatural energy source beneath the town. This covert plan involves sacrificing the townspeople’s lives to gain power and control.

– Big Suspense: The main danger to Alex is his gradual realization that everyone he encounters might be involved in the sinister plot. As he uncovers fragments of the truth, his life becomes increasingly endangered by those who wish to protect the secret.

3. What I learned doing this assignment is…

Creating a compelling psychosocial thriller requires careful planning of plot intricacies and character development. The balance between the visible external dangers and the hidden psychological ones adds depth and intrigue to the narrative, providing an opportunity to explore the human psyche under extreme circumstances.

4. Posting in the Forums:

Subject Line: “Diane Phelps’ Big M.I.S.”

Deadline: 48 hours

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[H. Vince]

Student: H. Vince

Subject: The Last Son (2021) Thriller Conventions

Mastering the Thriller Genre – 2023

Lesson 1: The Conventions of Thrillers

What I learned from doing this assignment is…

A few things.

1. Most of the movies Hal listed as Thrillers, Amazon Prime calls them Suspense except for Silence of the Lambs they categorize as Horror and North by Northwest is Thrilling

2. I happened to find out about this movie I analyzed because I read an article about the actor Sam Worthington and how he purposely became homeless before James Cameron sought him out for Avatar. I then realized he has been filming a few more Avatars simultaneously up to Avatar 5 which is set to be released in 2031. Can you imagine locking that down?

3. So I wondered, “what else has Sam been in?” and one title caught my eye. It was the movie “The Last Son” which I hadn’t heard about. I started writing a movie in 2020 called “The Last Son” which is the one I’m going to work on for this last class. It so happens it is also a SciFi Thriller but completely different story line. So of course, I had to watch it and rethink my own title.

4. This movie made $955 according to IMDB!? Recognizable actors are in it such as Heather Graham, Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly). The movie went from winning a couple of awards at some festivals to straight to DVD and internet release.

Movie Conventions (Warning: Major SPOILER ALERTS upcoming)

Unwitting but Resourceful Hero:

You may think it’s Lieutenant Solomon raised by the Cheyenne but it’s actually the daughter.

Dangerous Villain:

Isaac LeMay and his son Cal is also.

High Stakes:

Surrounding people are minding their own business but they could get caught up with a bullet. A man of God tried to warn Solomon they’re chasing the devil so everyone is at risk for encountering evil and death.

Life and Death Situations:

People are getting killed left and right in this film so it’s basically a who is going to die next scenario.

This Movie is Thrilling Because?:

This is something I learned from making a movie. The script is a good base but the final product brought on by the editing really creates the mood. The movie is set in the wild west with harsh conditions, uncaring attitudes and suspenseful music. And you’re wondering which child is going to kill the cursed guy in the end.

Big Mystery:

The big mystery to me for a bit was who is really the good guy in all of this?

Big Intrigue:

Who is going to kill who throughout the movie and in the end.

Big Suspense:

There was a scene which is was so telling about people not knowing who they are trying to track down in the old west if they’ve never seen them before. Cal came across his dad at one point but didn’t realize it was his dad.

What else worth mentioning that made this movie a great thriller?

The movie got to the point immediately. It started off with the villain, which may be an unconventional way of telling a story because the hero usually gets the beginning introduction with a build up for the audience to root for them. I like this different way of presentation. Also, the hero was given a short time to be cared for by the audience and I think that delivered.

[Lynn Vincentnathan]

Lynn Vincentnathan

Movie (screenplay): THE SIXTH SENSE

What I learned doing this assignment is that I need to focus more on life and death situations than what’s in THE SIXTH SENSE, since I am not as skilled as M. Night Shyamalan (his movie falls a bit short in that area). However, his movie does have a lot of great mystery and a major thrill at the end and a lot of dramatic emotion, which holds it up.

I chose THE SIXTH SENSE because I am thinking of including ghosts in my thriller (though it will have more life and death situations as found in regular thrillers). For THE SIXTH SENSE regular life and death situations come too early or are too vague in the future: by page 10 Malcolm is shot and the implication that Cole could kill Malcolm if he fails in curing him seems vague and in the future. The story is more about serious emotional dangers: loss of a wife’s love and his beloved career/practice. What drives it more than SUSPENSE is MYSTERY.

WATCH THE MOVIE AND AS YOU DO, NOTE THE CONVENTIONS OF THIS STORY.

UNWITTING BUT RESOURCEFUL HERO: Malcolm is unwitting about what Cole’s (and Vincent’s) problem is and how to solve it, he is unwitting that he is actually dead, but he is quite resourceful and perseverant in is profession and coming up with smart solutions that finally pay off.

DANGEROUS VILLAIN: I do not consider Vincent, who shot Malcolm on page 10 or Cole (who much later could turn into a Vincent) to be the main or dangerous villains. It seems to me the DISGRUNTLED GHOSTS are the dangerous villains (sort of like a mild Zombie Apocalypse, but Malcolm doesn’t believe in them, then can’t see them). They are harming Cole (as they did Vincent), which interferes with Malcolm’s career success. Also his marriage in that he attributes working too hard on Cole’s case for neglecting his wife. That is the ghosts seem dangerous until the end when Malcolm figures out they just need someone to listen to them so they can go on.

HIGH STAKES: Failure in love/marriage and profession (which are high stakes for most people, esp Malcolm). There is also this niggling fear that Cole if he grows up disgruntled like Vincent could be a threat and is a threat or great challenge re Malcolm’s need for success this time.

LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS: In the first 10 pages, after a celebration of his successful career and loving conversation with his wife, Vincent threatens then shoots Malcolm because he could not cure him as a child. Thereafter Malcolm’s situation (we assume he recovered from his gunshot wound) is more in EMOTIONAL DANGER of his wife rejecting him and losing his practice. He needs to regain his wife’s love and his professional practice. The opportunity arises when he gets his first patient, the boy Cole, much like Vincent, who has serious problems.

THIS MOVIE IS THRILLING BECAUSE we are sympathetic to Malcolm’s and Cole’s situations (including the bullying Cole receives) but something creepy and weird is going on, a mystery and a bit scary. And it is really thrilling when Malcolm accepts the ghosts are real near the end, and finally when we find out Malcolm himself is one of those dissatisfied ghosts who need to let go. Whoa, what a spine-chilling thrill.

WHAT IS THE

BIG MYSTERY: What is troubling Cole, why is it so difficult for Malcolm to help him, this just escalates as the story progresses, even after we, then Malcolm, find out it is ghosts and their behavior.

BIG INTRIGUE: the whole disgruntled ghost world and how it interfaces with living people.

BIG SUSPENSE: Will Malcolm cure Cole, find success, save his marriage, get over his depression and sense of failure? Plenty of suspense with the struggles and blockages to this endeavor.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT WHAT MADE THIS MOVIE A GREAT THRILLER?
Though not as much a thriller as other thrillers, it is really unique and a must see.