The location or setting of a film is important in order to create a more intense mood and to make the experience of watching the film more immersive for the audience. Particularly in thrillers, the location is important at maintaining suspense. For instance, a potential victim would seem more vulnerable alone in a haunted mansion than amongst crowds in a busy city at rush-hour.
To get an idea about what sort of locations were most effective for our chosen genre, we looked at the most popular films that fit into the psychological thriller category. We wanted to look at some films that we had not previously studied as part of the coursework, so the films that we analysed included "Memento" (2000), "Black Swan" (2010), "The Machinist" (2004), "Vertigo" (1958), "The Sixth Sense" (1999) and "Get Out"(2017).
1. "Memento" - the anonymous US city location keeps the audience on the edge of their seats because neither themselves nor the protagonist are familiar with their surroundings. This alienation creates suspense, since the character's familiarity with their environment can be somewhat reassuring for the audience. This proves that sometimes keeping the exact location ambiguous can be effective at retaining suspense throughout the film.
2. "Black Swan" - set on Broadway, New York City, this film's location is certainly familiar to most people who watch it. Having a well-known location for the setting of the thriller film also proves effective due to the idea that the audience can share some of their own knowledge with the characters. Having a well-known setting may also help the audience to empathise with the characters more as they can put themselves a character's position with more ease and accuracy.
3. "The Machinist" - being set in an industrial town, there are many unique dangers to this film that are not common in most psychological thrillers. This makes it so much more captivating, since the dangers are very much visible (the use of mise-en-scene in such a location helps to emphasise these dangers - exposed machinery, for example). Although it may not be explicit as to where the film is set, the type of location is recognisable to many people and is therefore more relatable for the audience.
4. "Vertigo" - Again, this film uses a familiar setting: San Francisco Bay Area. The fogginess of the location creates a great sense of mystery and the natural dramatic landscapes and structures of San Francisco add to the dramatic narrative about love and death. In many ways, the variation and scale of the locations (steep hills, long and high bridges) aids and reflects the narrative, which helps to increase the intensity of the tension due to the representational and visional aid.
5. "The Sixth Sense" - This film is set in Philadelphia, USA. It is not set in a typical large city like New York or London, and so it is relatively unique in the idea that it is still set in a large city, but people might not be as familiar with it as other cities. The urban/suburban setting is commonplace for most people in western society, so the films psychological effect could be more effective, since the location would be relatable to a wider demographic. More importantly, the film involves many characters, so setting the film in a city keeps the plot realistic and believable as well; one of the most important elements of filmmaking.
6. "Get Out" - Unlike the previously analysed films, "Get Out" is set in a house in the middle of the woods, giving the sense of isolation to both the protagonist and the audience alike. This automatically adds suspense because the protagonist is made to appear extremely vulnerable and trapped (this is later reinforced by the protagonist's psychological entrapment as well as his physical one). Being isolated creates greater suspense for the audience and retains it throughout the film, which installs an element of fear in the audience; ideal for a thriller. The difference with this film is that it contains an element of comic relief; the 'trapped' protagonist's contact with a comical friend (who remains surrounded by society and has a job in the authorities) offers a sense of momentary security for the audience.
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