Iconography of a Thriller

Iconography basically means the props that are associated with that particular genre. It’s an item that makes it clear to the audience what distinct genre it is. The iconography connected with the thriller genre is one of the easiest to identify as there are a wide range of props that consists within it, which symbolise certain aspects of the thriller.

These are the typical types of props that define the thriller genre:

The knife is by far the most obvious part of iconography associated with the Thriller genre. However the knife does relate more to the Sub Genre Horror/Thriller as it symbolises a horrific and gory death. The connotations of knives are predominantly pain, gore, blood and death which clarifies why it links more towards a horror, although knives in Thrillers tend to show a less masochistic approach.

Guns are mostly connected to the Sub Genre gangster/thriller as it is the quick effortless way to take a life. It is commonly the gangster’s preferred weapon to the knife as you can kill from range, with minimum effort, if they make a mistake they have another chance and it is the quickest way.

Shadows and Silhouettes are what give thrillers the sense of mistery and enigmas. They demonstrate actions given out by a character but cloak that character and the scene in mystery. They collect thoughts of anxiety and darkness as well as giving the audience questions and clues. A character with a silhouette is most often the antagonist which generally won’t be discovered until the end.

The impression of claustrophobia is typically concealed in a Thriller. The sense of being in a confined space gives the audience feelings of being trapped and moribund. It can also provoke a particular reaction or feeling such as physical characteristics heavy breathing and sweating.

Oliver Fitch