Iconography in mystery thriller films

This is one of the main things that all films use, however it is more used in mystery thrillers to create excitement and mystery. There is usually a conflict between two characters (the protagonist and the antagonist), this will help create excitement in the film and the protagonist will be the main character. There is also usually a victim of which the protagonist will save, this is one of the main story lines of the film which is the cause of most of the action, creating suspense. It will also have a mystery revolving around the whole storyline, this is what the protagonist tries to solve and most likely, by the end, the whole mystery will be revealed. Also, the protagonist usually has a sidekick which will help to solve the mystery and save the victim, they usually have a weapon or item that is only for them, this is clearly shown to the audience.

The mystery is created mostly through lighting. The lighting is usually normal however, when the antagonist is around it is usually low key lighting to hid their face. This creates a mystery of that character, the audience wont know for sure who they are so they will begin questioning other characters, wondering if it is one of them, this helps create tension and suspense in the film. There identity is usually revealed at the end of the film along with the mystery. Silhouettes are created using lighting and these are very commonly used in mystery thrillers to create the whole mystery aspect of the film, it also makes it more thrilling because it could be a silhouette of someone holding a weapon (such as a knife) or just generally someone sneaking up on the protagonist.  Silhouettes are used to create fear in the audience, therefore keeping them engaged.

Weapons are also used a lot in mystery thrillers, this is to show the audience that violence has occurred or that violence is about to take place. It could also be to symbolise that someone has just been murdered, brutality and pain, this creates tension and suspense in the scene. Also, if a weapon (such as a knife) has been used then it will have blood on it, this is a typical mystery thriller convention. Weapons are used to engage the audience into a scene because it clearly shows them that something has either just happened or is about to happen which is usually a murder or someone being injured.

Scary locations, such as woods (especially at night), are also a typical iconography features in mystery thrillers. Woods creates tension and suspense because it's as if the characters are lost, they usually aren't familiar with the area and so when something happens (maybe running away from the antagonist), the character(s) must try and escape. This can create a sense of vulnerability for the character(s) and suspense for the audience.

Street lamps are also common in mystery thrillers, the protagonist will usually be stood underneath it which empathises that they are good but are surrounded by darkness. It also connotes that they are alone in the darkness and illustrates isolation which creates a sense of fear and tension for the audience.

The movie, Psycho, is a good example of how silhouettes can be used to create suspense and tension, it also has a knife in the silhouette which creates fear for the audience.