Genre combining thriller and psychological fiction
Psychological thriller is agenre combining thethriller andpsychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describeliterature orfilms that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting.
In terms of context and convention, it is asubgenre of the broader rangingthriller narrative structure,[1] with similarities toGothic anddetective fiction in the sense of sometimes having a "dissolving sense of reality". It is often told through the viewpoint of psychologically stressed characters, revealing their distorted mental perceptions and focusing on the complex and often tortured relationships between obsessive and pathological characters.[2] Psychological thrillers often incorporate elements ofmystery,drama,action, andparanoia. The genre overlaps with thepsychological drama andpsychological horror genres, the latter generally involving morehorror and terror elements and themes and more disturbing or frightening scenarios.[3]
Peter Hutchings states varied films have been labeled psychological thrillers, but it usually refers to "narratives with domesticated settings in which action is suppressed and where thrills are provided instead via investigations of the psychologies of the principal characters."[4] A distinguishing characteristic of a psychological thriller is it emphasizes the mental states of its characters: their perceptions, thoughts, distortions, and general struggle to grasp reality.[5]
According to directorJohn Madden, psychological thrillers focus on story, character development, choice, and moral conflict; fear and anxiety drive the psychological tension in unpredictable ways. However, the majority of psychological thrillers have happy endings. Madden stated their lack of spectacle and strong emphasis on character led to their decline in Hollywood popularity.[6] Psychological thrillers are suspenseful by exploiting uncertainty over characters' motives, honesty, and how they see the world.[7] Films can also cause discomfort in audiences by privileging them with information they wish to share with the characters; guilty characters may suffer similar distress by virtue of their knowledge.[5]
However,James N. Frey defines psychological thrillers as a style, rather than a subgenre; Frey states good thrillers focus on the psychology of their antagonists and build suspense slowly through ambiguity.[8] Creators and/or film distributors or publishers who seek to distance themselves from the negative connotations of horror often categorize their work as a psychological thriller.[9] The same situation can occur when critics label a work to be a psychological thriller in order to elevate its perceived literary value.[8]
Plot twist – Films such asPsycho andThe Skeleton Key have advertised the fact that they contain plot twists and asked audiences to refrain from revealing spoilers. Psychological thrillers with poorly received plot twists, such asThe Village, have suffered in the box office.[10]
Unreliable narrator –Andrew Taylor identifies the unreliable narrator as a common literary device used in psychological thrillers and traces it back toEdgar Allan Poe's influence on the genre. Criminal insanity may be explored as a theme.[11]
MacGuffin – Alfred Hitchcock pioneered the concept of the MacGuffin, a goal or item that initiates or otherwise advances the plot. The MacGuffin is frequently only vaguely defined, and it can be used to increasesuspense.[12]
Red herring – The term was popularized byWilliam Cobbett and is defined as a kind of fallacy that is an irrelevant topic introduced to divert the attention of the audience. A red herring is used to lead the audience to make false assumptions and mislead its attention.[13]
Many psychological thrillers have emerged over the past years, all in various media (film, literature, radio, etc.). Despite these very different forms of representation, general trends have appeared throughout the narratives. Some of these consistent themes include:[5]
In psychological thrillers, characters often have to battle an inner struggle. Amnesia is a commonplot device used to explore these questions. Character may be threatened with death, be forced to deal with the deaths of others, or fake their own deaths.[5] Psychological thrillers can be complex, and reviewers may recommend a second or third viewing to "decipher its secrets".[14] Common elements may includestock characters, such as ahardboiled detective andserial killer, involved in acat and mouse game.[15]Sensation novels, examples of early psychological thrillers, were considered to be socially irresponsible due to their themes of sex and violence. These novels, among others, were inspired by the exploits of real-life detectiveJack Whicher.[16] Water, especially floods, is frequently used to represent the unconscious mind, such as inWhat Lies Beneath andIn Dreams.[17]
Psychological thrillers may not always be concerned with plausibility. Peter Hutchings defines thegiallo, an Italian subgenre of psychological thrillers, as violent murder mysteries that focus on style and spectacle over rationality.[18] According to Peter B. Flint ofThe New York Times, detractors of Alfred Hitchcock accused him of "relying on slick tricks, illogical story lines and wild coincidences".[19]
Brad Anderson – Ethan Anderton of firstshowing.net describes Anderson's psychological thrillers as "unique" and covering the theme of memory loss.[20]
Dario Argento – Italian director known for hiscult films ingiallo, horror, and psychological thrillers. He is often referred to as "the Italian Hitchcock".[21]
Darren Aronofsky – Frequently covers themes of madness, pursuit of perfection, and psychology.[22][23]
David Cronenberg –Philip French states that Cronenberg is a "prime exponent" of a subgenre of psychological thrillers,body horror: "stories of terror involving parasites, metamorphoses, diseases, decomposition and physical wounds".[25]
Brian De Palma – Called a cineaste byVincent Canby, de Palma is known for his psychological thrillers and horror films influenced by Alfred Hitchcock.[26]
David Lynch – His surreal films have inspired the descriptor "Lynchian", which Jeff Jensen ofEntertainment Weekly defines as "bizarrely banal, or just plain trippy."[29]
Christopher Nolan – British-American director whose films deal with the mind, memory, and the line between fantasy and reality.[30]
Roman Polanski – Described as a "world class director" by Sheila Johnston ofThe Independent, she states that his reputation was established by his "superb early psychological thrillers".[31]
Humayun Ahmed – Known for a series of Bengali psychological thrillers based on a professor of psychology namedMisir Ali, whichThe Daily Star called unique in Bengali literature.[113]
Nicci French – Thepseudonym of husband-and-wife team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French, authors of eleven best-selling psychological thrillers.[114]
Patricia Highsmith –Reuters described her psychological thrillers as "intricately plotted" which existed in a "claustrophobic and irrational world".[115]
Freida McFadden – TheNew York Times published an article on "how Freida McFadden Conquered the Thriller Genre." She is one of the most popular and bestselling authors of psychological thrillers with more than 7 million copies sold across ebook, paperback and audio.[119]
^Dictionary.com, definition,psychological thriller (definition)[permanent dead link], Accessed November 3, 2013, "...a suspenseful movie or book emphasizing the psychology of its characters rather than the plot; this subgenre of thriller movie or book – Example: In a psychological thriller, the characters are exposed to danger on a mental level rather than a physical one....",
^Christopher Pittard, Blackwell Reference,Psychological Thrillers, Accessed November 3, 2013, "...characteristics of the genre as 'a dissolving sense of reality; reticence in moral pronouncements; obsessive, pathological characters; the narrative privileging of complex, tortured relationships' ( Munt 1994)..."
