Mystery Thriller Movies

To gain an insight into the genre I will be basing my movie on, I will analyse some typical conventions and plotlines that come up in movies of the same or similar genre to discuss what is stereotypical and how to make the opening sequence and movie more unique and creative.

Psycho (1960) is a film which has conventions/plots that deal with a crazy serial killer, innocent victims, parent issues, an affair, stolen money and the setting surrounding a remote motel. The killer’s identity is slowly built up through various actions where he is hidden until some characters finally catch up with him to have him arrested. There is eerie music and it’s emphasised especially in murder scenes or iconic scenes to the movie. Although the movie is in black and white the victim is dressed in light colours whilst the villain is dressed in dark colours. The mother’s identity is never shown to create a feeling of unease as she gets away. The ending of the movie ends with a disruption of the equilibrium so the movie is open to possible endings.

Rear Window (1954) is a film which has plots following a typical night being disrupted by various activities from neighbours leading to a photographer believing one of them is a murderer. Different conventions show various suspects all of different personalities, a determined hero, and different subplots involving actions that make people look like suspects. A red herring is used to mask the killer’s identity till right to the end in which a struggle occurs as the villain tries to keep his identity under wraps and disappear. The setting is a typical apartment to link in with the plot and shows various rooms to create the atmosphere that the suspect could be anybody.

Dial M for Murder (1954) follows the plot of a man finding out his wife is having an affair and plans her murder. The movie starts off with 2 very unique points that make the movie stand out; the first is that the audience finds out that the wife is having an affair and the second is that the husband isn’t as nice as he looks. The movie shows the husband blackmailing an old friend to murder his wife. The conventions follow an affair, an attempted murder and an actual messy murder with a pair of scissors, a cover up and a blame up. Some scenes involving the husband and his friend are shot either at night or in the shadows to clearly portray them as villains whilst the wife and her boyfriend are seen in the light and in bright colours. The villain of the movie is known clearly from the beginning and so the audience is always aware of who the villain is. The ending is with the arrest of the husband and resolves the disruption of the equilibrium. The murder scene is in the dark to create tension and suspense. 

Memento (2000) has the typical conventions of an unsolved crime with the criminal gone free whilst one of the victim’s family goes hunting for them. Other conventions follow dodgy characters, beating up/killing suspects however the premise of the movie is quite unique so it does have different features like a contrast of black/white and coloured scenes. The mystery is built through the narrative structure but the character’s personality of always being suspicious of someone also helps build up tension. The scenes which have action are heavily emphasised with Foley etc the breathing or footsteps. The movie ends with a surprise but it doesn’t break the equilibrium.

Clue (1985) is a film which follows 6 different characters who get invited to dinner at a stranger’s house who has been blackmailing them all. As the movie progresses different staff members and strangers from outside are getting killed off one by one. The conventions which are followed are a murder to start the movie, strangers who are linked without them knowing, growing suspicion of each other, different objects used to murder victims and different things going wrong within the dinner party. When the murders occur the lighting either goes off or the characters are separated to create tension and suspicion. The mystery aspect is built near the end well with the characters rushing around the house going through possible scenarios, their frantic actions add to the atmosphere. The ending solves the mystery with a surprise twist and the murderers are all revealed.