Psychological thrillers focus on the psychology of characters rather than plot, with themes of reality, perception, identity and death. Typical settings include old abandoned houses, hospitals, and forests where characters are isolated and battling their own minds. Iconography in these films, like knives, confined spaces and shadows, provide symbolic meaning and clues that psychological elements are involved. Examples given are the television shows Hannibal and Dexter, video games Heavy Rain and Alan Wake, and movies Black Swan, Shutter Island, Se7en, The Shining, and The Silence of the Lambs.

1. Psychological thriller
Research into genre

2. Definition of psychological thriller
• A suspenseful movie or television show
emphasizing the psychology of its characters,
rather than the plot.

3. Themes
• There are a variety of different themes that are seen
within psychological thriller film or television show.
These themes featured can include things such as
reality, perception, mind, existence or purpose,
identity and death. In psychological thrillers, they tend
to feature characters that are battling with their own
minds.

4. Typical settings
• In psychological thrillers, typical settings can
be old, abandoned houses, such asVictorian
buildings, because this gives the idea that it
may involve spirits in the house.

5. • Other typical settings may be abandoned
hospitals, especially mental hospitals, or set
in a forest, where there is no one for miles.

6. Iconography
Iconography is symbolic representation,
that provide meaning, attached to an
image, such as an object within the film.
In psychological thrillers, there are certain
things within the film that show the
audience that it is a psychological thriller.
Common things that appear in
psychological thrillers can be knives,
confided spaces and shadows.These give
the impression that certain things are going
to happen.

7. Examples of psychological
thrillers within media
• Television: Hannibal, Dexter, Mad Dogs
• Video games: Heavy Rain and AlanWake
• Movies: Black Swan, Shutter Island, Se7en,
The Shining andThe Silence of the Lambs.