This is my in-depth analysis of the history of the Thriller Genre reaching back from the 1920s to the present day thrillers, here I've looked at how they've changed and evolved over time with thanks to well known directors such as Alfred Hitchcock.

1. The History of Thriller Genre:
As part of my research to my AS media coursework, I’ll be researching the history of genre thriller and how this
has developed over time. Included in my research I shall be lookingat key films and directors and how they’re
influence has modelled the idea of the thriller genre and how this has changed over time, right down from the
1920s to the present time.
1920’s-1930s: Safety Last 1923 was the first ever thriller film made. It was directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and
Sam Taylor. The film’s story was based on the life of serial killer Peter Kurten.
During this time early thrillers was still developing and beginning to make their mark in the film industry, key
director Alfred Hitchcock who was an English film-maker and director helped to shape that modern-day thriller
genre, beginning with his early silent film The Lodger 1927 described as a Jack the Ripper story, Hitchcock's films
often placed an innocent victim into a strange, life-threatening or terrorizing situation, in cases such as of
mistaken identity, misidentification or wrongful accusation. Other such early thrillers of the 20s; Spione (1928),
Blackmail (1929), The Bells (1929), The unknown (1927) and The Bat (1926).
The man who knew too much (1934) was another film by Hitchcock,black and white and one of Hitchcock’s
early thrillers. Other 30s thriller films included; After the thin man (1936), Charlie Chain in London (1934) and
The most Dangerous Game (1932).
1940’s-1950s: In this decade the thriller films continued to set down the basic codes and conventions. In the
1940s,Hitchcock continued contributing to the film industry, one of which was Rebecca (1940) which he won an
Oscar for it, he produced more classics like Strangers on the Tide (1951).
George Cukor was also a good contributor to the thrillers and suspense movies, he made a psychological thriller
Gaslight (1944) about a husband who plotted to make his own wife go insane to inherit her inheritance, and
another films be George Cukor's is a film called Noir which was a thrilling murder investigation.
In the 1950s, Hitchcock made history by adding Technicolor to his films, he also employed more blondes to add
more sexual interest to his films.
Henry Hathaway was also a notable director who made the Niagara (1953) starring Marilyn Monroe, who plots
to kill her husband. Other such 50s thriller classics; Vertigo (1958),Dial M for murder (1954), The night of the
hunter (1955) and North by Northwest (1959).
1960’s-1970s: Thrillers here began merging with horrors, more scenes of violence and deaths, however viewers
could still tell the difference between thriller and horror.
Michael Powell's peeping tom about a psychopathic camera man, linking to Hitchcock's psycho about a loner
and mother stalking a hotel owner.
1960s thriller included What ever happened to baby (1962), Blowup (1966),Shock Corridor (1963) and Le Doulos
(1962).
As time goes on the thriller period becomes more common, Steven Spielberg low budget film Duel (1971),he’s
later to become a most known producer.
Thriller films is also enhanced through the lighting and use of music quite often now, Alien (1979) directed by
Ridley Scott gave many viewers a lot to look forward to in this thriller.
Hitchcock’s films started to get more violent, such as Frenzy (1974) about someone being spied on whilst
covering up a murder. Thriller films of the 70s includes Deliverance (1972), Don’t look now (1973).
1980’s-1990s: Dead Calm (1989) was a psychological thriller where the film followed a villain driven plot where
the protagonist has to escape from the antagonist, this plot had a great influence on other thriller films after
this.
The 80s thriller period shown Brain de Palmas psycho thriller Dressed to kill (1980),Blow out (1981) and Body
Double (1981).
The 90s first thriller was based on a book by Stephen King’s Misery (1990),The Hand that rocks the Cradle
(1992) by Curtis Hansom of a nanny seeking revenge against her dead husband. David Fincher gave us se7en
(1995) in the search of a serial killer who commits the seven deadly sins.
Most known was Silence of the Lambs (1991) where a young FBI agent in a psychological war against a
cannibalistic psychiatrist. Other such break through thriller films of the 90s, The red circle (1970), Sleeping with
the enemy (1991), Unlawful Entry (1992) and Single white female (1992).
2000’s-present: Hittingthe 21st century, thrillers frequently combined with horrors, plots such as government
conspiracies, worldwide issues and terrorists hit are screens, films contained a lot more blood, gore, death and
violence, as vast film technology expanded, our films improved, grabbing the thriller seekers and raising their

2. adrenalin to an all time high. Films of the 21st century included Hostage (2005), A history of violence (2005),
Cellular (2006), Firewall (2006), P2 (2007),Captivity (2007),Eden Lake (2008), Funny Games (2008), the last
house on the left (2009). The year 2015 has brought us many thriller film blockbusters that we as an audience
could fully appreciate such as No Escape (2015), Knock Knock (2015), Everest (2015) with upcoming 2016
thrillers London has fallen (2016), The 5th wave (2016), Inferno (2016), The Accountant (2016) and many more
that we can look forward to.
Alfred Hitchcock: Akey director and influence of the film industry, Hitchcock’s contribution to films helped
shape the genre of thriller for decades, his first film The Lodger (1927) was one of the basis for the genre thriller,
without him the film industry wouldn’t have the basic codes and conventions that us the viewers would take for
granted today. Hitchcock who was an English film-maker and director who shaped modern-day thriller genre, he
made history by adding Technicolor to his films and by adding suspense, mystery and anticipation to his films to
keep his audience engage and focused as he caught their attention at all the right times during his films.
Key changes: By comparing thriller films from the 1920s to the present year, I can definitely see that the thriller
genre has adapted over time and has changed for the better. The use of colour, lighting and sound is only the
basics of how there has been many changes for the world of thrillers. Predictable endings have been improved
to give viewers that final shock instalment, allowing directors and film producers to take hold of the viewer’s
suspense and tension and using that to their advantage to have modern twists. I’ve also noticed that as the
thrillers go on more modern society thrillers genres fixate on present situations such as government
conspiracies to allow the audience to have an idea of what the film is about and have a sense of knowledge
about it. Music is used and is most important when used in thrillers, its key importance influences on the
characters (mainly the protagonists) to highlight the mood, tension, thoughts and atmosphere throughout the
film. Also low key lighting is effective to heighten the characters mood and situations they’re in, effectively
making a good thriller by darkening the shots to create suspicion and mystery.
Codes and Conventions of a Thriller film: Theaim of a thriller is to create suspense and tension, creating
enjoyment and excitement for the audience. The typical codes and conventions of a thriller would include:
*Low key lighting, connoting mystery and suspense, but to also keep their audience from making an
assumptions of what will happen at the end.
*Themes of isolation showing that the characters (mainly innocent bystanders and the protagonist) are
vulnerable to the antagonist.
*Props, Knifes, Guns, Vast Technology as computers, laptops, to signify terror.
*Protagonist and an Antagonist-with main screen time narrative belonging to the protagonist’s point of view,
showing the problems he/she has to overcome, with occasionally the Antagonist narrative shown commonly to
give viewers an insight to his plans and schemes.
*Black and white/montage shots.
*Constant twists in the plot building tension, suspense and fear.
*Clear sense of pursuit between protagonist and antagonist with them finally catching up to one another near
to the end of the film.