Sin City. Directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez

The extract begins with a high angle long shot of a women sauntering to the edge of a ornatly built balcony, the gothic look of this balcony adds to the thriller genre, added with the low key lighting made by the night, added with the rain gives the opening a very dark moody theme. But the genre is tossed into a hybrid, by the noir type editing, the black and white. But the iconic red dress and dark red makeup she wears, initially points her out as a iconic character, the red symbolizes, potential danger, that the women is in danger, also the backless dress and her extremely frail appearance tells the audience that she is vulnerable and in danger. The way that the women regularly hides, and shading of her face, suggests she is hiding something, denoting a mystery aspect to the genre.

A mid shot of the back of the women pans upwards to reveal a panoramic view of the built city, with huge sky scrapers bright lights, fog and the mysterious mist caused by the heavy rain. The urban city reinforces the thriller genre. A man approaches the women from behind, he is dressed in dark sinister clothing, suggesting mystery. He offers her a cigarette and a lighter, this suggests less elegance gritty and real life reinforcing the thriller genre. The black and white editing throughout the film, symbolizes mystery, and a sinister mood, adding to the Thriller genre. Eventually the mysterious man, after small conversing shoots the women, the smooth actions of the murdered, and the continued slow pace of transitioning scenes, tells the audience that this mysterious man is indeed a killer, and does not care for the deed he has just committed.

In the beginning of the extract, we over hear the diegetic ambience of the city, giving it a realistic and gritty sense, reinforcing the thriller genre. With non diegetic Jazz music also playing, the smooth music giving the film a mysterious theme, reinforcing the thriller/mystery genre that the film has. Also the Diegetic noise of the gun shot, suggest violence and gritty nature. The silenced shot tells the audience of a clean murder, perhaps cloak and dagger, adding to the thriller genre.

Analysis on the opening of the birds.

The Birds. Directed by Alfred Hithcock. 1963

The extract begins with a heavy sense of Binary opposition, the silhouetted birds, tearing vigorously across the screen. Instantly creates a uncomfortable feeling building tension at the start. Th binary oppositions shows the birds in darkness, and creates their mood as a evil and mysterious essence. The Background is a simple cold blue, but gives additional uncomfortable feeling, due to the coldness personified by the cold and uncomfortable look of the background. Simple text sans serif appears in the title sequence commonly used in Thirllers.

Digectic squawking of the crows is heard during the sequence. The high pitched and numerous screams of the birds, create a colossal amount of tension, and continue to build the uncomfortable feeling, along with the frantic flapping of the birds, a sense of panic is given to the title sequence.

A commonly linked Thriller editing process, a fade. Moves the sequence unto a establishing shot of a women. The way she is established tells that she may be a main character, due to her being panned and centralized by the camera, creating audience Familiarization and connection. A P.O.V shot of her looking up at the large gathering of birds, creates tension and shows something is brewing, further on the camera shot showing her against insignificantly against a large city building, shows her as a weak character against the landscape of the city, and just a regular citizen.

What is a Thriller?

The Genre Thriller, is a broad genre throughout the genre classifications, it umbrellas out into a vast array of different genres. Such as Action, Horror, Drama's. But of course, their are many codes and conventions that separates a thriller from other large genre classifications. A popular director who has created a large amount of thriller movies, is Alfred Hitchcock. With movies such as "The Birds" and "Vertigo" his movies, were one of the founding and most influential types in this Thriller genre, and opened alot of directors into more. ]

The initial affect a Thriller tries to generate, is suspense and tension. These are iconcicly the main features of a genuine thriller film, with the attempted affect to keep the audience, tense with anxiety and enthralled in a prediction driven nature. The Cliff hanging motive, is what drives the thriller genre forward. Along with tension. Most of the time affective with such themes as mysteries or menacing situations. Most of the time enveloping near death scenarios. And quoted from [www.Filmsite.org] "a dangerous mission from which escape seems impossible" The protagonists in a Thriller film, are usually thrown into conflicts with other people, or susceptible evil. and Maniacal attitudes, perhaps hidden or unknown. Shadowy. Or shaded.

As previously mentioned Thrillers, majority of the type generally Hybrid Genre's. You have many different types. Encompassing a wide variety. Horror Such as "28 Day's Later" Action films such as "The Bourne Trilogy" Film-noir, like "Sin City" These are all Hybrid genre's. All these genre's encompass some kind of suspense motive in them, but also throw forth the traditional codes to their genre. Such as Explosions, guns, comedy. Creating, a film with great potential and a vast array of different codes to be used.

Sin City Poster. A type of Film-noir/Action Thirller.