CODES OF THE HORROR/PSYCHOLOGICAL

THRILLER GENRE

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS ARE RELIANT ON A CHARACTER’S MENTAL STRENGTH, RATHER THAN ON PHYSICAL STRENGTH TO OVERCOME THEIR ENEMIES. THE SUSPENSE CREATED BY PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS OFTEN COMES FROM TWO OR MORE CHARACTERS PREYING UPON ANOTHER PERSON’S MIND, EITHER BY PLAYING DECEPTIVE GAMES OR BY SOLELY TRYING TO DESTROY THE OTHER’S MENTAL STATE.

SOME OF THE KEY CONVENTIONS INCLUDE:

IDENTITYPSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS OFTEN EXPLORES MISTAKEN IDENTITIES, SUCH AS;AMNESIASCHIZOPHRENIASTOLEN IDENTITIESDUAL IDENTITIESTHIS USUALLY AFFECTS THE PROTAGONIST IN THE

FILM AS THE STORYLINE IS BASED AROUND THE CHARACTER.

MEMORYTHE INDIVIDUAL IS TORTURED MY BAD OR TRAUMATIC MEMORIES, OR OF A LOST MEMORY. THIS COULD BE CAUSED FROM AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TO THE CHARACTER OR THEY COULD HAVE BEEN BORN WITH THE CONDITION.

REALITY OF PERCEPTIONA PERSON’S PERCEPTION OF WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT REAL IS USUALLY EXPLORED IN PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS. EVENTS ARE DISPLAYED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MULTIPLE CHARACTERS.

MINDTHE HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS; THE LOCATION OF PERSONALITY; THOUGHT; MEMORY; INTELLIGENCE AND EMOTION, IS OFTEN USED AS A LOCATION FOR NARRATIVE CONFLICT.

CHARACTERSTHE REASON FOR WHICH SOMETHING EXISTS; AN AIM OR A GOAL HUMANS MOVE TOWARDS TO UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESSA LITERARY TECHNIQUE THAT LOOKS TO DESCRIBE A CHARACTER’S POINT OF VIEW, AND THE INDIVIDUAL’S THOUGHT PROCESS. IN PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS, THE NARRATIVE TRIES TO PORTRAY THE CHARACTER’S PSYCHE THROUGH THE USE OF WORDS, DESCRIPTIONS OR VISUALS.

NARRATIVE STRUCTUREMOST HORROR AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FILMS HAVE A CONVENTIONAL NARRATIVE OF BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END. THIS IS KNOWN AS THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE.

TODOROV’S NARRATIVE THEORYSTAGE ONE

EQUILIBRIUM (AN ORDERED STATE)

STAGE TWO DISRUPTION (BY SOME EVENT)

STAGE THREE

RECOGNITION (OF THE DISRUPTION)

STAGE FOUR

ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE

STAGE FIVE

(RETURN TO A) NEW EQUILIBRIUM