Section 1: Background into the Thriller Genre

"Thriller" is a loose term referring to any film that generates suspense and excitement as a major aspect of its narrative.

There are many theories about Thrillers, documented in Thrillers by Martin Rubin. One such theory, the Transformed City theory by GK Chesterton, argued that Thrillers took urban settings and transformed them into exciting locations for dramatic stories, eg. Se7en. This was set in a purposely-unnamed city. Other examples include Cloverfield, The Day After Tomorrow and 28 Days Later.

Northrope Frye's Heroic Romance theory argued that Thrillers were stories that took ordinary people and threw them into extraordinary situations. Examples of this include SAW, White Noise, Red Eye, Phone Booth, Enemy of the State and Panic Room.

The Exotic theory, by John Cawelti, argued that Thrillers took the elements of ordinary life and added exotic elements.

WH Matthews' Mazes and Labyrinths theory argued that humans have a fixation with physical puzzles. Mazes and labyrinths are often used in the form of mysterious quests.

The Partial Vision theory, by Pascal Bonitzer, argued that the audience are given a partial view of things whilst important details are obscured.

Noel Carroll's Q&A theory argues that Thrillers are structured around a series of questions, the answers to which the audience are led to want.

The Enigma Codes theory by Roland Barthes was devised after Barthes analysed all narratives in terms of codes that operate moment by moment. Enigma codes are moments in which the audience is led to ask a question. In Thrillers, enigma codes are very important for telling the story in a suspenseful way.