The Suspense Thriller: Films in the Shadow of Alfred Hitchcock / Edition 1

by Charles Derry

Overview

This book is a comprehensive study of one of the most popular genres in the cinema. From a perspective sympathetic to popular culture, this study analyzes a large number of primarily American and European films by a variety of distinguished directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Claude Chabrol, John Frankenheimer, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Costa-Gavras. Indispensable to anyone interested in understanding how suspense thrillers work and what they mean, this book provides insightful analysis of hundreds of memorable films, while at the same time working as a virtual how-to manual for anyone trying to write a Hitchcock-like thriller.

The first section of the book is primarily theoretical. It offers a bibliographical survey and then explains why we so profoundly enjoy these suspenseful films of murder and intrigue. A chapter on "Thrills: or, How Objects and Empty Spaces Compete to Threaten Us" explores the psychological concept of the thrill and relates it to the psyche of the spectator. To what extent does the suspense thriller represent a symbolic and vicarious experience of danger? A chapter on "Suspense That Makes the Spectator Take a Breath" explores the crucial narrative concept of suspense and relates it to the psychological mechanisms of anxiety incited in the spectator. Why do we like to be scared? A final theoretical chapter offers a dynamic definition of the suspense thriller derived in part from Edgar Allan Poe and based primarily on content analysis.

The second section of the book is more of an historical survey and devotes one chapter to each of the suspense thriller's primary sub-genres. These chapters provide close readings of more than 150 major films and detailed analysis of the suspense thriller's conventions, themes, and recurrent iconography. Sub-genres include The Postman Always Rings Twice, Body Heat, The Manchurian Candidate, The China Syndrome, Missing, The Passenger, Spellbound, Obsession, Marathon Man and Blue Velvet. A final chapter explores areas for further research and offers concluding insights.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786412082
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	09/20/2001
Series:	McFarland Classics
Edition description:	ALTERNATE
Pages:	360
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.72(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Charles Derry is professor emeritus of motion picture studies at Wright State University. He has written widely on a variety of popular culture topics, including film, television and ideology.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	viii
Part I.	Toward a Definition of the Suspense Thriller
1.	Perceptions and Dilemmas	3
2.	Thrills; or, How Objects and Empty Spaces Compete to Threaten Us	21
3.	Suspense That Makes the Spectator Take in a Breath	31
4.	A Definition	55
Part II.	Different Kinds of Thrillers
5.	The Thriller of Murderous Passions	72
6.	The Political Thriller	103
7.	The Thriller of Acquired Identity	175
8.	The Psychotraumatic Thriller	194
9.	The Thriller of Moral Confrontation	217
10.	The Innocent-on-the-Run Thriller	270
11.	To Be Continued ...	321
	Notes	327
	Bibliography	335
	Index	337

Editorial Reviews

detailed…provid[es] numerous references…a solid choice”—Library Journal; “recommended”—The Book Report; “enlightening and interesting”—Film Review Annual; “an astute survey of the genre”—Classic Images; “perceptive analyses”—American Cinematographer; “invaluable resource...unique...comprehensive...unrivaled all-encompassing scope...a god-send”—CityBeat.

From the Publisher

enlightening and interesting

Film Review Annual

recommended

The Book Report

detailed...provid[es] numerous references...a solid choice

Library Journal

Perceptive analyses.

American Cinematographer

An intelligent analysis of the genre.

Burlington County Times

Scholarly...recommended.

Book Report

A comprehensive study.

Sightlines

Film critiques have agreed that there is a suspense thriller film genre, but have not been able to agree on its specific criteria and features. Derry (writing and film criticism, Wright State U., Dayton, Ohio) develops a generic classification and vocabulary as a framework within which to analyze these films. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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