A Case Study Into Psychological Thriller
What is Psychological Thriller?
Psychological thriller is a sub-genre of the thriller genre. Therefore, to define psychological thriller, it is best to first define what a thriller is.
Thriller films look to create high levels of suspense and anticipation in the viewer by creating intense, complex, and plot-twist-ridden stories. These films often have darker themes and visuals, and can even at some points blur the line between mere suspense and horror.
Psychological thrillers build off of this foundation laid down by thrillers. Psychological thrillers tend to share all of these aforementioned qualities, while having an emphasis on the psychology (the mental state) of the main character and those around them.
Content Commonly Seen in Psychological Thriller
A defining characteristic of many psychological horror films is the use of an unreliable narrator. What do I mean by this? Many psychological thrillers make use of protagonists who are not psychologically sound without the viewer discovering this until later in the film or without it ever even being revealed. This can lead to many of the main events being twisted through the perspective of the protagonist. A good example of this is with one of the protagonists of the film The Sixth Sense (1999), Dr. Malcolm Crowe. We the viewer see the story unfold from Dr. Crowe's perspective and are led to believe that he is a child psychologist who is treating a young boy who claims to see ghosts. However, it is not revealed until the end of the film that Dr. Crowe is actually deceased and is one of the ghosts that the boy sees.
Malcolm Crowe and Cole Sear, The Sixth Sense (1999)
The use of an unreliable narrator can lead the viewer to question many aspects of the plot. However, another common trait of psychological thrillers that can achieve this same questioning is the tendency to make the viewer uncertain about the truthfulness of other characters in the film. For instance, the main character of Vertigo (1958) is mislead throughout the film by his love interest, leaving the viewer to question everything they witnessed throughout the film, along with the main character.
Lastly, a staple of the psychological thriller genre is a good plot twist. Psychological thrillers love to spin the story around on the head of the viewer, changing their whole perception on their viewing experience hitherto. Plot twists in psychological thrillers are often developed and hinted at throughout the entire story, and often occur near the end of the film (in order to change the meaning of the ending and therefore the entire story so far) or near the mid-point (to change the meaning of the film from that point-on). Common twists in psychological thrillers may include the change of perspective of the protagonist based on realizations of their mental state or the discovery that something that was thought true is actually false.
Techniques Commonly Used in the Production of Psychological Thrillers
Psychological thrillers tend to have darker tones in both the story and visuals. To achieve a darker visual tone, these films tend to make use of low-key lighting, which emphasizes shadows and high contrast to bring out the darker aspects of the story.
Use of Low-Key Lighting in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The editing style is also distinct in psychological thrillers. Fast-paced editing may be used in some instances where a character feels mentally unstable or disconnected from reality. Or, perhaps, slower paced editing, with longer and more drawn out shots may be utilized to build suspense during key moments.
Psychological thrillers also tend to use more avant-garde elements, such as experimental visuals to represent how a certain character is feeling mentally, or to represent a key idea in the film. An example would be in Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958), where the experimental spiral visuals are representative of disorientation, both in the sense of the protagonist's vertigo and his confusion regarding the truth, and his obsession with his lover, evident in the hypnotic nature of the spirals.
Opening Credit Sequence, Vertigo (1958)
Marketing
Most psychological thriller movie posters make use of dark and muted colors, reflective of the darker themes and moods associated with this sub-genre of film. Specifically, the color back can be attributed with mystery and fear, drawing the potential viewer in to what will be a film full of suspense. This can be seen in the film posters at the end of this blog post.
Psychological thrillers are often geared towards people aged 15-30, and of either genders. However, they specifically appeal to those who love suspense and exploring the mysteries that lie within the human mind. It is for viewers who want a film that will leave them thinking when they leave the theaters.
Analysis
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Requiem for a Dream follows four main character, assessing the idea of addiction throughout each of their stories. Protagonist Harry, and his best friend Tyrone both become entrenched in the life of heroin dealing and use. Harry's girlfriend decides to chase her dreams of being an artist, and his mother becomes addicted to diet pills after watching TV advertisements. What makes this film a psychological thriller is its in-depth look at the characters' psyches through experimental visuals and editing, painting a horrifying depiction of their spiral into addiction.
Nightcrawler follows Lou Bloom, an ordinary man turned freelance reporter, selling footage of violent crime scenes and accidents to news stations for profit. However, Bloom becomes enveloped in his work, losing all sense of morality (if there was even any to begin with), pushing the boundaries of the role of an "observer." This film earns its place as a psychological thriller as it gives insight into the psychotic mind of Lou Bloom, and puts the viewer into the stressful situations that he carelessly meanders into, and sometimes even creates. This film involves the viewer, as Lou Bloom is written to be a hated character. The disgust and loathing the other characters feel for Bloom is also felt by the viewer. It is the ultimate form of a psychological thriller.
Other Psychological Thrillers
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