Codes and Conventions of the Crime Thriller Genre applied to “The Silence of the Lambs”

Crime and gangster films are often produced around menacing activities

of criminals or gangsters. They seem to particularly focus on bank

robbers, underworld figures or hoodlums who do not obey any laws and

get through their life by murdering and stealing. Older styles of these

films from the 1940s to the 1960s are called Film Noir. Film Noir is

characterized by a black and white style. However we shall be centring

our piece on the more modern type of crime drama, a crime thriller.

Crime Thriller

Crime thrillers include the enthralling aspects of a thriller with a crime film plot. The main

protagonist is often either a murderer, serial killer or centres on a robbery or manhunt. This genre

unlike film noir focuses on both the protagonist and the criminal. Both psychological and action

aspects are used to build suspense.

Characters

The characters tend to be criminals, assassins or thieves with a large number of victims. The

characters find themselves in a threatening situation and are often trapped and need to escape from

their situation. Main protagonist do not tend to realise they are in a dangerous situation. In crime

thrillers the hero is either a detective, police officer or private eye that tries to stop and solve the

criminal activity. The villains and heroes often share a past with the villain out to get the hero.

However emphasis is kept away from this aspect and instead focused on the plot.

Props

The props used in crime thrillers are items we do not associate with everyday life. There is a large

amount of weaponry such as knives and guns. These will be seen frequently throughout the film

putting focus on these props. Props associated with the hero are items such as detective hats,

polictape and badges etc.

Narrative

The narrative of a crime thriller keeps in line with the narrative of a thriller. It focuses around a

‘puzzle’ which needs to be solved which keeps the sense of mystery and engages the audience. As

the film goes on clues are usually found helping to piece together this puzzle creating a sense of

being one step closer to solving the puzzle and further drawing the audience into the plot. The main

realisation happens at the climax of the film where all the pieces are put together. The film can

remained fast paced keeping in line with the conventions of a thriller nut is cleverly slowed down at

tense moments in the film. Crime thrillers are set in capital cities and suburbs however some films

go against this trend and are instead set in areas such as the desert or the countryside.

Sound

Sound in crime thrillers is usually a backing track to compliment the dramatic or eerie scene taking

place. Non diegetic sounds are used rather than being diegetic due to prolonged scenes which cause

tension and suspense. The only diegetic sounds in crime thrillers would be weather conditions or for

props.