Thriller is a wide genre of literature, television and film. A lot of the time they include sub genres such as a horror thriller. They are stereotypically fast paced films with a lot of action and drama. Alot of thrillers use devices such as cliffhangers to cause suspense. Thrillers usually include a villain, hero, chases, narrow escapes and near death experiences. They create escapism from reality for the audience and gives them an insight to a life with fear,action and danger
Alfred Hitchcock's - North by Northwest
North by Northwest is a film made in 1959, written by Ernest Lehman and directed by Alfred Hitchcock.It starts with a New York advertising executive who is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies. He is pursued around the country and has to find a way to survive. This film is a classic thriller which includes all the stereotypical elements such as villains, a hero, chases etc...
Even in the first fifteen minutes of the film it includes all the action and fast pace filming. This technique is used in such films to grab the audiences attention straight away.
This film is fast pace and full of action for example when the hero is being chased around a deserted field by a plane trying to kill him. This creates tension and engages us.
The film also has red herrings, such as the character 'eve'. At first we think shes a regular woman and then assume that she is part of the villain crew. However we later on find out that she is working with the FBI. Another example is when the hero gets shot the audience believe he is injured, however we later see that it was all staged.
The Macguffin in this film is the micro film but in other films could be money, survival, source of power or could just be unexplained. This is the object in which the film revolves around and why all the action happens. However as Hitchcock said "the audience don't care" as it is irrelevant when watching all the drama and fast pace action.
I think that North by Northwest was successful in its time. It got a very good reception and was popular among viewers. Time magazine called the film "smoothly troweled and thoroughly entertaining". The New York times said it was "year's most scenic, intriguing and merriest chase". This classic film was nominated for three academy award and won a Edgar award for Best motion picture screenplay. Even now it is still well known and seen as the seventh top ten classic film according to AFI in 2008.
