Thriller Opening Conventions: Credits

 

 


Opening credits in thrillers are an important aspect of the film. As they are at the beginning, if used effectively they can establish a particular atmosphere or mood for the rest of the movie.

This is the opening credits of Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1960 thriller, 'Psycho'. I think it is an interesting opening because of the way that the text splits up. This is similar to the famous shower scene later on when the main female character is stabbed to death. It can be compared to the stabs and how they were frantic, rough and jagged. Also, it looks like how the water still coming from the shower obscured what was happening, and in this font here it is quite difficult to see what is says.

 


I think that this is a very good example of opening titles for a thriller movie- from 'Seven'. There are eerie noises like the sound of metal clanging and screeches. It is incredibly disturbing as we only see the hands of who we know to be the villain, and see him doing unsettling things- at one point he scratches off the skin on his fingertips so that he does not leave fingerprints. We also see him reading strange articles and books, highlighting particular parts. They are very mysterious opening titles, as we never see the criminal character's face, just his hands, and it stays this way for a long time into the film, as we do not see him. Along with the rest of the film, there is limited lighting in the credits, which is disturbing because the character does not seem to mind being in the dark.

 

From looking at opening credits to thrillers, I have noticed small details that enhance the titles, making them more dramatic and therefore creating a tense atmosphere. The following three screen shots are from 'Black Swan', 'The Sixth Sense' and 'Vertigo', all thriller films. You can see that the text in each of the images is in capital letters. Even though this may seem like a minor detail, it does add to the overall effect as it is more sudden, abrupt and harsh and this is appropriate for the thriller genre which is very striking and suspenseful.

Another convention of thriller openings is that the colour of the text will be quite drastic in front of the background. Especially in the top two images here when they are in black and white, and also with the psycho style above.

The backgrounds for the titles are usually quite simple- for example a solid colour- The Sixth Sense, Psycho. Or a simple image is used, like the eyeball in the 'Vertigo' still, or the outline of the feathers in 'Black Swan'.