Psychological – Elements that are related to the mind or processes of the mind
Thriller – A genre of fiction that attempts to "thrill" its audience by placing characters at great risk.
Psychological + Thriller – By combining these two terms, the definition changes to a narrative that makes the characters exposed to danger on a mental level rather than a physical one. Characters are no longer reliant on physical strength to overcome their brutish enemies (which is often the case in typical action-thrillers), but rather are reliant on their mental resources.
The suspense created by psychological thrillers often comes from two or more characters preying upon one an other's minds, either by playing deceptive games with the other or by merely trying to demolish the other's mental state.
Stream of consciousness - a literary technique which seeks to describe an individuals point of view by giving the written equivalent of the character's thought processes. In psychological thrillers, the narrative tries to manifest the character's psyche through word usage, descriptions, or visuals.
First-person narrative - a literary technique in which the story is narrated by one or more of the characters, who explicitly refers to him or herself in the first person. This direct involvement that the characters have with the story in turn makes the reader more involved with the characters themselves, and thus able to understand the mechanics of the characters' minds.
Back-story - the history behind the situation at the start of the main story. This deepens the psychological aspect of the story since the reader is able to more fully understand the character; more specifically, what the character's motivations are and how his past has shaped his current cognitive perceptions.
Tuesday 20 July 2010
Cry Silent Tears
*His father was the only person he could rely on to help him.
*At the age of 5 Joe's father took him to work so he would be away from his mother. Joe's father went into work to speak to someone briefly and left Joe in the car. There was an explosion and Joe saw his father running around on fire; Joe watched his father burn to death. After watching this ordeal, Joe was then struck dumb.
*He was left to live with his mother and brother who raped and abused him.
*Joe was locked in a cellar and forced to lick scraps of food from the floor. This happened for most of Joe's childhood, but his mother invited other people to rape her son, such as Joe's step dad.
* At the age of 14 Joe finally managed to get away and lived in a hideaway near a railway line, where he met other run aways who he spent most of his time with.
Damaged
True life story
http://www.cathyglass.co.uk/damaged.html
*A true story about a relationship between an obese 8 year old girl called Jodie with behavioural and mental problems.
*Jodie had been fostered by many different carers but her behaviour was too difficult to handle, when she first arrived and Cathy's house she soiled herself and smeared faeces all over her face and walls.
*When she met new people she would kick them and be physically and verbally abusive towards them.
*Jodie was often found performing sexual acts on herself and her dolls and when questioned about this she explained that she was loving her dollies like her father had loved her.
*Jodie was also known to self harm, and would smear blood all over her body. When Cathy asked her if she could take a photo of Jodie, Jodie took her clothes off as this is what her father had asked her to do.
*Jodie was sexually abused by her mother, father, aunt's and uncle's.
*Jodie was told by her father that if she ever told anyone, the monster under her bed would bite off her arms and legs.
*Jodie set the family dog on fire in an attempt to set her house on fire, and upset her dad.
*As Jodie grew older, she learnt to trust Cathy and started to disclose information about how she had been treated by her family.
The Grim Sleeper
The first known victim was Deborah Jackson. She was 29 when she was found with three bullet wounds to the chest. She was a cocktail waitress, who had left her friend's apartment and was walking to the bus stop when she disappeared.
Just over a year later, another victim, Henrietta Wright was found a few miles away from Jackson's body. Like the other women, she had been sexually assaulted and shot.
On August 14 1986, another body was found. Thomas Steele 36 who had once worked as a pimp, and who was in town from San Diego visiting family was found in the middle of an intersection.
Bernita Sparks, 23, had run out to grab some cigarettes on April 15 1987 and never came home. She was found in the dumpster on Western Avenue the next day.
Alicia "Monique" Alexander18 had been making a run to the store for her dad, she never returned and was found a few days later, she had been sexually abused and shot.
Mary Lowe 26 had gone out on Halloween night in 1987 to the Love Trap Bar. Walking to or from her destination at some point the killer picked her up. She was found the next day in an alleyway on Western Avenue.
One victim seemed to signal that the killer was trying to communicate something to or by his victims: Lachrica Jefferson's body was left in an alley, her faced covered with a napkin. The word "AIDS" was scrawled ominously on the napkin.
Enietra Margette was the only survivor. Lonnie pulled up beside her when she was on the way to the shops and then going onto a party. He eventually persuaded her to get into the car and he drove her to the party where she invited him in. His mood changed and he shot her. She blacked out and when she woke up Lonnie was on top of her raping her whilst talking photographs.
Just over a year later, another victim, Henrietta Wright was found a few miles away from Jackson's body. Like the other women, she had been sexually assaulted and shot.
On August 14 1986, another body was found. Thomas Steele 36 who had once worked as a pimp, and who was in town from San Diego visiting family was found in the middle of an intersection.
Bernita Sparks, 23, had run out to grab some cigarettes on April 15 1987 and never came home. She was found in the dumpster on Western Avenue the next day.
Alicia "Monique" Alexander18 had been making a run to the store for her dad, she never returned and was found a few days later, she had been sexually abused and shot.
Mary Lowe 26 had gone out on Halloween night in 1987 to the Love Trap Bar. Walking to or from her destination at some point the killer picked her up. She was found the next day in an alleyway on Western Avenue.
One victim seemed to signal that the killer was trying to communicate something to or by his victims: Lachrica Jefferson's body was left in an alley, her faced covered with a napkin. The word "AIDS" was scrawled ominously on the napkin.
Enietra Margette was the only survivor. Lonnie pulled up beside her when she was on the way to the shops and then going onto a party. He eventually persuaded her to get into the car and he drove her to the party where she invited him in. His mood changed and he shot her. She blacked out and when she woke up Lonnie was on top of her raping her whilst talking photographs.
Research continued
The Italian Josef Fritzl
*Michele Mongelli has been dubbed the Italian Josef Fritzl
*He locked his daughter up for 25 years and raped her and his son repeatedly.
*The 64 year old groomed his son to sexually abuse his sister.
*Detectives have said that he started raping his daughter when she was 9 years old. She managed to escape once and told the police about her sexual abuse however her father managed to convince the police that she was mentally ill.
*His daughter was forced to live in a darkened room with no electricity and was only allowed out with her father.
*Michele's brother had also sexually abuse his own children aged 6, 8, 12 and 20.
The case was uncovered after police secretly planted listening devices in the household and recorded the 9 year old daughter saying: "Dad, get your hands off me. You are a bastard, stop it."
*Michele Mongelli has been dubbed the Italian Josef Fritzl
*He locked his daughter up for 25 years and raped her and his son repeatedly.
*The 64 year old groomed his son to sexually abuse his sister.
*Detectives have said that he started raping his daughter when she was 9 years old. She managed to escape once and told the police about her sexual abuse however her father managed to convince the police that she was mentally ill.
*His daughter was forced to live in a darkened room with no electricity and was only allowed out with her father.
*Michele's brother had also sexually abuse his own children aged 6, 8, 12 and 20.
The case was uncovered after police secretly planted listening devices in the household and recorded the 9 year old daughter saying: "Dad, get your hands off me. You are a bastard, stop it."
Research Into True-Life Crime
Josef Fritzl Story
*Josef Fritzl started sexually abusing his daughter Elisabeth at the age of 11.
*At the age of 18 she was lured into her basement by her father. She was kept there for 14 years and fathered 7 children with her father, one of whom became suffered from breathing problem and died a few days after birth. Josef burned the body in an incinerator and scattered the ashes in the garden of his house.
*Josef and his wife adopted 3 of his daughters children, however Josef’s wife, knew nothing about the hidden cellar as Josef had claimed that his daughter had runaway to join a sect. This was plausible as Elisabeth had a history of running away; at the age of 15 she ran away with a friend but was later brought back to her parents by police.
*Josef claimed the sex was consensual however Elisabeth stated that she was chained to a wall and repeatedly raped.
*Josef was a qualified electrician and had installed electric locks on all the doors in the cellar so the family could not escape. The cellar was also sound proofed and had no windows. He would get food delivered to them at night so no-one would see. The room where his family was kept was hidden in the cellar but a shelf unit.
*Josef was eventually discovered when Elisabeth's eldest daughter became seriously ill and needed medical treatment. Elisabeth hid a note inside her daughter's clothing, this was discovered by hospital staff.
*When Josef was arrested he said that he knew there was something wrong with him because what he was doing was wrong, but it became an addiction for him.
*He took toys and books into the secret room because he wanted to care for his family and make them happy.
*Josef Fritzl started sexually abusing his daughter Elisabeth at the age of 11.
*At the age of 18 she was lured into her basement by her father. She was kept there for 14 years and fathered 7 children with her father, one of whom became suffered from breathing problem and died a few days after birth. Josef burned the body in an incinerator and scattered the ashes in the garden of his house.
*Josef and his wife adopted 3 of his daughters children, however Josef’s wife, knew nothing about the hidden cellar as Josef had claimed that his daughter had runaway to join a sect. This was plausible as Elisabeth had a history of running away; at the age of 15 she ran away with a friend but was later brought back to her parents by police.
*Josef claimed the sex was consensual however Elisabeth stated that she was chained to a wall and repeatedly raped.
*Josef was a qualified electrician and had installed electric locks on all the doors in the cellar so the family could not escape. The cellar was also sound proofed and had no windows. He would get food delivered to them at night so no-one would see. The room where his family was kept was hidden in the cellar but a shelf unit.
*Josef was eventually discovered when Elisabeth's eldest daughter became seriously ill and needed medical treatment. Elisabeth hid a note inside her daughter's clothing, this was discovered by hospital staff.
*When Josef was arrested he said that he knew there was something wrong with him because what he was doing was wrong, but it became an addiction for him.
*He took toys and books into the secret room because he wanted to care for his family and make them happy.
Crime Sub-Genre
- A crime film, is a film that involves various aspects of crime and the criminal justice system.
- Films focused on the Mafia are a typical example of crime films.
- Films dealing with crime and its detection are often based on plays rather than novels. Agatha Christie's stage play Witness for the Prosecution was adapted for the big screen by director Billy Wilder in 1957. The film is a classic example of a "courtroom drama". In a courtroom drama, a charge is brought against one of the main characters, who says that they are innocent.
- Often, the private investigator storms into the courtroom at the very last minute in order to bring a new and crucial piece of information to the attention of the court.
- When a courtroom drama is filmed, the traditional device employed by screenwriters and directors is the frequent use of flashbacks, in which the crime and everything that led up to it is narrated and reconstructed from different angles.
Crime thrillers - thrillers in which crime plays a large part. Examples include Seven, Witness, Memories of Murder and Running Scared.
Crime horrors - horror films in which crime plays a major part. Examples include the Saw films, From Hell and the Hannibal Lecter film series
Crime comedies - crime and comedy films. Examples include Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, In Bruges and Mafia!.
Film noir - a genre popular in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, often fall into the crime genre. Neo-noir films refer to more modern films influenced by film noir such as Sin City.
Mob films - are films which focus on characters who are involved seriously with the Mafia or Gangs. Examples, Goodfellas, The Godfather, Public Enemies, Once Upon a Time in America, Road to Perdition, White Heat, Bugsy, Carlito's Way, Pulp Fiction, Manhattan Melodrama, Angels with Dirty Faces, Little Caesar (film), Mean Streets, Get Carter, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Donnie Brasco, Gangs Of New York, The Untouchables, The Public Enemy, Layer Cake, Casino, Miller's Crossing, Scarface (1932), Reservoir Dogs, Bonnie & Clyde, Pusher trilogy and The Departed.
Yakuza films - a Japanese variant of the mob film, dating back to the 1940s Examples,
Akira Kurosawa's Drunken Angel (1948), Battles Without Honor and Humanity and Ichi the Killer.
Martial arts action - martial arts action films in which the protagonist is usually a policeman trained in martial arts fighting. Criminals often engage in acrobatics and stunts to increase the action. Examples include Jackie chan's Police Story, SPL: Sha Po Lang, Flash Point, Kiss of the Dragon, and Rush Hour Series.
Heroic bloodshed - a sub genre of Hong Kong action cinema revolving around stylized action sequences and dramatic themes such as brotherhood, duty, honour, redemption and violence, often featuring triads. Examples include The Killer and Hard Boiled.
Heist films - these films deal with a group of criminals attempting to perform a theft or robbery. Examples include The Killing, Oceans 11, Dog Day Afternoon, The Sting and Reservoir Dogs.
Police procedural films - often with a surprise twist ending. Examples: He Walked By Night (1948), Stray Dog (1949), In the Heat of the Night (1967), Madigan (1968), Klute and The French Connection (both from 1971), The Usual Suspects (1995), Lone Star (1996), and Blood Work (2002).
Detective films - professional private detectives hired to solve a crime, usually a murder or missing persons case. Examples: The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Big Sleep (1946), Kiss Me Deadly (1955), Harper (1966), The Long Goodbye (1973), Chinatown (1974), Twilight (1998).
Legal dramas - are not usually concerned with the actual crime so much as the trial in the aftermath. Examples include Awaara, 12 Angry Men and A Time To Kill.
Prison films - are films that follow the life of the protagonists in prison. Examples include The Shawshank Redemption and Escape from Alcatraz.
Hood films - are films dealing with African-American urban issues and culture. Examples include Menace II Society and Boyz n the Hood.
Poliziotteschi - a type of crime film made in Italy in the 1960s and 1970s. Typically these films are very gritty and violent. Examples include Violent Naples and High Crime.
Mumbai underworld films - an Indian variant of gangster films, revolving around crime in the slums of Mumbai, often involving the Indian mafia.
Snuff films - a sub genre that depicts the actual death or murder of a person or people, without the aid of special effects.
True crime - films are based on real events, though details may be altered for the purposes of storytelling. Examples include Bonnie & Clyde, Dog Day Afternoon, Goodfellas, Public Enemies.
The sub genres that we are mostly interested in are: Crime gangster, Crime thriller, Crime horror and True crime.
Monday 19 July 2010
"Tell me when the lambs stop screaming" (Intro)
Hey! Alix, Lauren and Kia here! :D
Okay, so.. first blog.
We are following our brief. Which is:
To create a promotional package, which includes; a teaser trailer, together with two of the following; a website homepage/magazine front cover or poster.
Okay, so.. first blog.
- Romance
- Teen (Horror)
- Crime/Thriller
- Quite quickly we decided to rule out;romance, as we didn't feel there was much scope to create that genre. As we have a very low budget, which would make this specific genre much harder to create.
- After doing some more research into romance in particular, we discovered that, firstly we would need professional and quality actors. To prevent the genre being portrayed as very corny and cheap. Moreover there are many complicated copyright laws, especially with the non diegetic sound as we would probably need an existing and inaccessible song.
- * We have researched the sub genres of Crime which are: Gangster Crime, Crime Thrillers, Crime Horror, Crime comedies, Film Noir, Mob Films, Heroic Bloodshed, Heist Films, Police Procedural, Detective Film, Legal Drama and Prison Film. Within these sub genres we have obtained a list of films that we have started watching for inspiration.
- We have not yet decided on a specific sub genre but we are currently thinking about doing either Gangster Crime, Crime Thriller or Crime Horror. Once we've decided one the sub-genre which will hopefully be sometime this week, we will begin constructing ideas for a plot and promotional package. we can also allocate films in this sub genre to watch and deconstruct.
- That's all for now. We'll keep you up to date!
- Group 3 xx
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