Typical conventions of a thriller.

The concept of thriller falls somewhere between a genre proper and a descriptive quality that is attached to other, more clearly defined genres such as spy thriller, detective thriller, horror thriller. There is possibly no such thing as a pure, freestanding thriller thriller. (Thrillers by Martin Rubin).

Ecothriller tales, as the name suggests, involve some threat (natural, or more often manmade) to the environment. The damage may be local or even worldwide. Paul Tabori's novel The Green Rain is a strange example. Michael Crichton's novel State of Fear became a best-seller. (The science invoked might be rigorous, but either way, sometimes these novels are controversial.) Espionage thrillers are seldom about the routine lives of actual spies or analysts, but rather the mythical havoc created by relentless agents and those who oppose them. This subgenre is usually set in periods of international tension, such as World War Two, the Cold War, and more recently the war against Islamic extremism. Gay Courter's novel Code Ezra leads up to Israel's strike against Saddam's reactor at Osirak, while Vince Flynn's novels are 'torn from the headlines.' (Often these authors have some real-life experience.) Exploration subgenre stories were more popular when much of the globe was mysterious, and long before Google Earth. Even now the hero's stint in rugged mountains, or along jungle rivers, can provide a thrill. John Darnton's novel Neanderthal fits this category, as does Michael Chrichton's novel Congo. (Often the explorer-hero has a scientific motive.) Legal thrillers take place in and around the courthouse. Often a lawyer finds a new case to be anything but typical, and soon lives are at stake. Those who bypass the law are ultimately judged by it. This subgenre was popularized by John Grisham, with his blockbuster novel The Firm. Also popular are Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent and others. David Ellis's novel Line of Vision is another example.

Medical thrillers are well-described by their name. Often a doctor's life is threatened (perhaps because they helped a certain patient), or a mysterious (usually artificial) disease has broken out. Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen are leaders in this subgenre. Sandra Wilkenson's novel Death On Call is an early example. (Often the authors are themselves doctors.) Mercenary tales center around this morally ambiguous type of character. Frederick Forsyth's novel The Dogs of War, filmed by John Irvin, is a powerful example. (Because of mercenary involvement in various infamous conflicts, Hollywood often creates this type of movie as a political statement.) Paranormal or Supernatural thrillers bring in an otherworldly element, overlapping the 'horror' genre, though usually in a restrained fashion. Often the hero and/or villian has (or at least claims) some psychic ability. Umberto Eco's novel Foucault's Pendulum is fantastically complex, and touches upon many elements of European occultism. Political thrillers are a popular subgenre, and often reflect poorly upon what Mark Twain called "America's only native criminal class" -- the U.S. Congress. Usually a low-level protagonist attracts unwelcome attention from the powerful and desperate. Brad Meltzer's novels combine deadly action with genuine civics lessons. Jeffrey Archer's novel Shall We Tell the President? is a gripping example. Psychological subgenre tales build up slowly, with ever-increasing doubt and tension, until some explicit action/violence takes place at the finale. Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, filmed by Anthony Minghella, is an oft-cited example. Many of Alfred Hitchcock's movies fit the bill.

Religious thrillers evoke this compelling aspect of of our psyches. Usually a sacred artifact or historical secret centers up the plot, and groups both known and secretive vie for dominance. Often the protagonist is drawn in through research into a seemingly innocent topic. Many of David Morrel's and Jon Land's novels contain such elements. Julia Navarro's novel The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud has vivid historical depictions, while Dan Brown's hit book and film The DaVinci Code have unleashed controversy -- and a horde of imitators. Romantic is a fairly new thriller subgenre, primarily from romance publisher Harlequin's Silhouette division. (Their offerings are technically known as a 'continuity series.') Instead of a 'romance' style plot-line, these novels/series follow 'thriller' patterns, with long story arcs and numerous crossover characters, emphasizing strong and compassionate heroines. One example is Harlequin's "Athena Force" series, with numerous authors. Survivalist thrillers center upon such rugged specimens of humanity. A disaster has struck a specific group of people, if not the entire planet, and survival depends upon toughness and skill. Jerry Ahern's epic "Survivalist" series leads this pack, and devotes long descriptions to every knife, gun, and other weapon in use. David Brin's novel The Postman, filmed by Kevin Costner, reverses this by making survivalists the villians. On a more personal scale, Michael Armstrong's short story "A Little Walk Home" depicts its stranded protagonist hiking 500 miles across the Alaskan wilderness. Technothrillers are a category large enough to almost merit full genre status. Tom Clancy is the undisputed father of this subgenre, mostly via his "Jack Ryan" franchise. These tales overlap with 'science fiction,' in that cutting-edge technology always plays a key role in the premise and ongoing conflicts. Dale Brown, Harold Coyle, and numerous others have followed suit. In Dean Ing's novel Loose Cannon, the nerdy protagonist saves himself via hand-tinkered little devices. (Experience and advisors often lend authenticity, yet some of these novels -- and their film versions more so -- slip badly on the science.) Treasure Hunter stories usually overlap with other 'thriller' subgenres. Whatever their motive, these protagonists seek lost treasures of obvious innate value, such as hidden gold. (Inca, pirate, Confederate, etc.) Many of Clive Cussler's novels fit the bill. The "National Treasure" movies, from Jon Turteltaub, take this premise to ludicrous extremes.

Top 5 thrillers
1) The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Like so many other films on this list, The Silence of the Lambs can undoubtedly be declared as one of the greatest thrillers ever made because of what it doesn t do and what it doesn t show you. There is no need for great amounts of gore and hysteria, because the power is in the story, the direction, the music and lighting; and of course, most importantly, the performances. Anthony Hopkins performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter is my favorite of any other character on this list. He is the personification of brilliant, hypnotic evil (Variety.) A great deal of this is also down to his movements and voice. Think back to your childhood, when you did something reaaaaaally bad. You knew you were going to get yelled at by your parent, but then they didn t yell at you. They lowered their voice and almost spoke in a whisper. Hopkins performs as Lecter in a familiar way. You wait for him to lash out, just as you wait your telling off, because at least then you won t have to suffer the suspense. It comes as no surprise that The Silence of the Lambs became the 3rdfilm ever to win Oscars in all Top 5 categories and still tops many Top Thriller lists.

 2)

Rear Window (1954) It was a tough call to make between Rear Window and Psycho, but I would say that Rear Window is Hitchcock s all-round best thriller. It goes just that little bit further, containing all of the suspense and thrills of Psycho but with more humor, wit, and artistic and technical skill. Although I enjoyed Psycho more for the intensity of the thrills, it is in Rear Window that we see Hitchcock exerting the full potential of suspense (Rotten Tomatoes). The tension builds throughout the entire film, rather than coming in waves. What also makes this film so effective is how we connect with our hero, L. B. Jeffries (James Stewart.) We are accomplices in his act of voyeurism, and so we share his morbid curiosity, fear, and guilt as the murder mystery develops (Ebert). We also share Jeffries frustrating physical restrictions, as the camera never leaves his apartment. We are thrust into this confined space and made to watch, powerless. For a thriller that really makes you identify with the protagonist and feel what he feels, Rear Window is The One.

 3. Old Boy (2003) Old Boy has to be one of my favorite foreign films of all-time, as well as one of the best thrillers out there! Directed by Park ChanWook, it s the story of a man who is kidnapped and held captive for 15 years. Suddenly released, he sets out to find his captors and take his revenge. The plot is incredibly well developed and all is slowly revealed to us like solving a puzzle. Similar to Memento, we learn as our hero learns. It reminds us of the power that a film can have by just having great storytelling. Old Boy is a breath of fresh air to anyone gasping on the fumes of too many traditional Hollywood thrillers (James Berardinelli.) Adapted from manga of the same name, its background brings a unique aesthetic to the film that appeals to 21stCentury audiences, whilst still reminding us of classic thrillers and revenge movies. Winner of the Grand Prix and Nominee for the Palme d Or at Cannes in 2004, this film is an incredible eye-opener for those looking to broaden their horizons. Spike Lee is set to do a remake, but I don t think you can improve on perfection!

 4. Se7en (1995) David Fincher is one of the finest directors working today. As well as Se7en, he is also responsible for The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Zodiac (2007) and of course, the newly-released version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011.) His thrillers are always exceptional. For me, Se7en is his finest. There are absolutely no weak links. The script, the craftsmanship and the performances compliment each other perfectly, and Fincher succeeds in visually creating a world that reflects its inhabitants: dirty, violent, polluted and often depressing (Fincher.) What is also interesting is that, in this story of the hunt for a serial killer, the murders themselves are never shown. The power of the thrillers seems to come from the ability to affect your audience without entering the realms of exploitation. Fincher is very selective in what he chooses to show us and this makes Se7en all the more thrilling, as we often are left imagining the sickest parts that we never see. This is just one of the many reasons why I love Fincher!

5. Psycho (1960) As I m sure my lovely readers are all very aware, Alfred Hitchcock is the Master of Suspense. If you don t know who he is, spend 10 minutes in the Naughty Corner and then go and rent this film. Hitchcock broke many rules (including being the first person to show a toilet on film) and made up new ones as he went along. Psycho may not necessarily be his best work, but it is certainly the most wellknown, as well as the top moneymaking film of Hitchcock s career. #1 on the AFI s list of 100 Years 100 Thrills, Of course, there is the now-famous score, which Hitchcock himself said created 33% of the effect of this film. It can be very easy for one to forget the power of both sound and silence in thrillers, but Hitchcock schools us here. There is also the pivotal scene of the murder of Janet Leigh s character, better known as the famous Shower Scene. Killing off the main character 40 minutes or so into the film is one way to certainly shake up your audience. It creates the Alienation Effect more commonly associated with the theatre of Brecht. The audience is put on edge and is now fully aware that they are in a world where anything might happen. This sensation runs all the way through to the film s triumphant and shocking climax. This film should be the first port of call for Hitchcock beginners. A thrilling ride and a work of cinematic art!