Episode 129: Elements of the Thriller Genre

Notes:

Fable reads a definition of thriller. Here is that definition:

Thriller: A fast-paced, gripping, plot-centered story…usually the protagonist is in danger from the outset. These fast-paced stories typically involve major threats…and the attempts to prevent something from occurring. Common elements: faster pace, action scenes, plot twists, prominent villain, “ticking clock” timing. - “What’s the difference between Suspense, Thriller and Action Adventure?” by Liz Schriftsteller

Here are some articles and videos that we found helpful in preparation for this conversation:

Masterclass Dan Brown Article - “Writing 101: What Is the Thriller Genre? Definitions and Examples of Thriller in Literature”

Masterclass Article - “What Is a Red Herring in Writing? Definition of Red Herring with Examples”

“Jordan Peele’s Advice on Writing Thrillers” – Get Out - YouTube Video

“How to Write a Contained Thriller” by Tyler Mowery - YouTube Video

“A Classic Alfred Hitchcock Plot Structure Device For Screenwriters” by Michael Hauge - YouTube Video

“How To Write A Thriller” - Tom Bradby gives four top tips on how to write a thriller - YouTube Video

“How Knives Out Switches Genres (Twice)” by Just Write - You Tube Video

The Invisible Ink Blog Article - “Superior Position” by Brian McDonald

Reedsy Blog - “How to Write a Thriller in 7 Heart-Stopping Steps”

Fable references a quote from an interview with director Alfred Hitchcock, where he compares surprise and suspense. Here is that full quote:

There is a distinct difference between ‘suspense’ and ‘surprise,’ and yet many pictures continually confuse the two. I’ll explain what I mean.
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We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let’s suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, ‘Boom!’ There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o’clock and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene. The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen: ‘You shouldn’t be talking about such trivial matters. There is a bomb beneath you and it is about to explode!’
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In the first case we have given the public fifteen seconds of surprise at the moment of the explosion. In the second we have provided them with fifteen minutes of suspense. The conclusion is that whenever possible the public must be informed. Except when the surprise is a twist, that is, when the unexpected ending is, in itself, the highlight of the story."

We touch on several of our previous podcast episodes. They are as follows:

Episode 60: Let's talk about mysteries

Episode 106: Adventure stories (part 1)

Episode 107: Adventure stories (part 2)

In this episode, we also reference two classes from Masterclass. Those are:

Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers

David Baldacci Teaches Mystery and Thriller Writing

Books & Movies Mentioned:

24 Season 1

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Get Out – Directed by Jordan Peele

The Pelican Brief – Directed by Alan J. Pakula

The Pelican Brief by John Grisham

The Client – Directed by Joel Schumacher

Runaway Jury by John Grisham

Runaway Jury – Directed by Gary Fleder

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum

The Bourne Trilogy - Directed by Doug Liman / Paul Greengrass

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: A George Smiley Novel by John le Carré

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – Directed by Tomas Alfredson

Mission: Impossible – 6 Movie Collection

Casino Royale – Directed Martin Campbell

Memento – Directed by Christopher Nolan

Ex-Machina – Directed by Alex Garland

Gone Girl – Directed by David Fincher

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Knives Out – Directed by Rian Johnson

Blade Runner - Directed by Ridley Scott

Blade Runner 2049 - Directed by Denis Villeneuve

The Maze Runner Series Complete Collection Boxed Set (5-Book) by James Dashner

The Maze Runner – Directed by Wes Ball

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

The Silence of the Lambs (Hannibal Lecter Book 2) by Thomas Harris

The Silence of the Lambs – Directed by Jonathan Demme

Music from: https://filmmusic.io
’Friendly day’ by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)