2.  The protagonist in danger
 Antagonist cleverer than protagonist
 Storyline revolves around a mystery
 Dominated by protagonists perspective
 Focus on justice and morality of characters
 Innocence within a corrupt world
 Protagonist and antagonist face off against
each other

3.  Crime Thrillers
 Psychological Thrillers
 Spy Thrillers
 Paranoid/Conspiracy Thrillers

4.  These are films which focus on solving a
crime or puzzle, commonly a murder.
 They normally aim to deceive the audience by
placing “red-herrings” within the plot.
 2 types : open and closed
 Open – the culprit is revealed to the
audience who then watch the crime unravel.
 Closed – the culprit isn’t revealed, plot
usually revolving around suspense.

5.  “Whodunit”
 Deceiving audience
 Investigations
 Suspense

6.  Notorious (1946) – Alfred Hitchcock
 Rear Window (1954) – Alfred Hitchcock
 Rebecca (1940) – Alfred Hitchcock
 The Prestige (2006)– Christopher Nolan
 Unbreakable (2000) – M . Night Shyamalan
 The Departed (2006) – Martin Scorsese
 Blood Simple (1984) – Coen Brothers

7.  They focus on the unstable emotional state of
characters.
 Typically overlap other genres such as horror
and drama.
 Focus on solving a mystery, usually involving
insanity or mistaken identity.

8.  Perception
 Reality
 Identity
 Insanity
 Purpose

9.  Psycho (1960) – Alfred Hitchcock
 Repulsion (1965) – Roman Polanski
 The Machinist (2004) – Brad Anderson
 Shutter Island (2010) – Martin Scorsese
 Insomnia (2002) – Christopher Nolan

10.  Typically involving a mix of action and
mystery.
 Focus on espionage.
 Revolve around solving a crime or mystery,
the protagonist usually placed in danger.

11.  The protagonist unravels a mystery.
 Usually involves getting “in too deep”
 Characters have difficulty in figuring out the
truth.
 Involves rumours and lies.
 Climax after revealing a secret.

12.  Used camera in ways to create suspense and
maximise anxiety and fear.
 Moved camera to mimic people’s gaze. Viewers
forced into voyeurism.
 Career lasted longer than 50 years.
 Appears in all of his films.
• The Lodger (1926) • Vertigo (1958)
• Blackmail (1929) • North by Northwest (1959)
• The 39 Steps (1935) • Psycho (1960)
• Rebecca (1940) • The Birds (1963)
• Notorious (1946) • Marnie (1964)
• Strangers on a Train (1951) • Torn Curtain (1966)
• Rear Window (1954) • Topaz 1969)
• The Wrong Man (1956)