Survey

I have been asking people a series of questions about what they think thrillers are and most people aren't clear on this.

What is a Thriller film?

People thought that thriller films would be scary and contain alot of jumps. They would be contain alot of adreneline and car chases and would thrill you. It would include alot of danger and somebody trying to solve the mystery. They are constantly thinking 'Will they, Won't they...?' and keep your pulse beating.

This is the general public's view on what a thriller film is and it I think it is pretty closet. Wikipedia's definition of a thriller film is:

'Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of more-powerful and better-equipped villains. Literary devices such as suspense, red herringsand cliffhangers are used extensively.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_films#Film 4th November 2008

Which of the Following films would you describe as a thriller?
A) The Bourne Identity
B) House of Wax
C) Saw
D)Lord Of The Rings

Most people thought that Saw was a thriller film, however this film is from the horror genre. Other people thought that House of Wax is a thriller, this is also a horror film as certain characteristics make it so, e.g. it is more gorey and less action packed. The right answer is The Bourne Identity, this includes chases and is much more thoughtful and clever. Horror films are normally just pointless killings and make the audience scared, rather than making them think.

Who do you think is the target audience of a thriller film?

Most people think that the target audience for a thriller film ia aimed at teenage boys, who are interested in high speed car chases, big explosions and action packed scenes, but this is not true. I think that the typical target audience for a thriller is between the ages of 16 and 35, and someone who likes the challenge of working out the answer or the secret killer. They will like an adreniline rush but are just as into thinking about the story line.

In conclusion, i don't think that the general public really know what a thriller film. Because thriller uses ideas from horror, mystery and other genres, sometimes films might no have a clear, definate genre.