In your opinion what is the key to an edge of your seat suspense thriller?

Question

And what makes you go back and see it again and again?

This is the real Jerry Bruckheimer on Yahoo! Answers

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Hmm… so you have already decided the title, cast, the plot and even the release date of that film.
So, perhaps the reason you asked the question in the first place is either because you want to see if that film will be to our liking OR because you are planning on another film.
If it is the latter (I hope it is) then the following might be helpful:
1. The title should be something catchy and the film poster, attractive, the trailer should be superb and tempting.
2. All-back-to-normal and satisfactory ending. There should be at least two survivors.
3. Main character(s) should not die or, at least, should live.
4.There should be wonderful, lovable and satisfactory twist(s).
5.Excellent but less known actors. All actors should be really good at acting.Special recommendation – James Marsters.
6.If a mystery movie, then less number of characters and limited area might make it more thrilling.
7.Complex themes or plots that are understandable to only professionals, can be unsuccessful.
8.Words that mean something when read one way and quite another thing the other way, might help. Eg- WOW and MOM
9.Cool or eccentric or smart detectives as characters in a mystery
10.Complex, eccentric, smart, in-depth characters.
11. The plot should be fast and should NEVER drag on and on.
12.Smart, witty, appropriate dialogues.
13.Quite modern situations. Don’t think of ancient plots.
14.Sparks of romance between some characters.
15.Characters who remain cool about everything that happens are either the actual villains or people with real good insight. This can be used for deception.
16.The time of day can be an effective thriller. Like 12:00 midnight or the use of the number 666.
17.It would be a good idea not to reveal the villain till the end, so that audience might think “I never thought of that”.
18.If the villain continues playing indestructible, it will be boring (or perhaps even scary)
19.Death of ‘some’ (minor) characters. Too many deaths make it lame. If there are no survivors or just one main survivor, it would be lonely…
20.Following the wrong clues or trails for some time before the mistake is realised.
21.Create a situation of dramatic irony where the audience yells at the character to do something or not to do something, while the character is unaware of the consequences. Or when the villain is known by the audience but not the hero.
22.Bad guy turning good or vice versa.
23.Something to have the attention of the audience and keep them spell-bound, so that they really jump off the seats when something scary happens. Like evil, cold, high pitched laugh in the middle when the audience is so absorbed…
24.Electricity failure or, best, malfunctioning (esp. light).
25.Uncertainty in the matters of trust, right decision, no-other-choice-but-this, etc.
26.Effective use of lightning, moonlight, footsteps, a sudden movement or sound, shadows, background music etc to intensify the crisis. Eg – revealing a scary face at the flash of lightning and/or rumble of thunder; hearing footsteps come near when a character is most scared, etc.
27.Things that do not connect till the middle of the movie, effective tying of loose ends, etc.
28.As much believable reality as possible. Like the police actually turning up.
29.Do not focus only on one character, even if it is the main one.
30.Having the audience think at first someone is a villain, then all the evidence points out that he isn’t (the audience believes it, too) and then finally it turns out that it truly is him. This can be an effective deception.
31.So many clues… uncertain where to start… time is short… dangers rise…

In addition, you can refer:
1)Harry Potter (Books NOT movies)
2)House of wax (film)
3)Mummy & Mummy returns (films)
4)Evil Dead I and II (films)
5)Agatha Christie books & films
6)Mind hunters (film)
7)Saw I, II and III (films)
8)Anaconda I (film)
9)And there were none AKA Ten little Indians ( book and film)
10) Psycho I, II, III and IV (films)

People really are at the edge of the seat when their favourite actor or character is in mortal peril or is about to be attacked from behind, when evil stalks someone, etc…

What makes us really see a movie again and again:
1)Excellent acting of the actors.
2)Lovable characters.
3)Appropriate witty and cunning actions or dialogues or laughs or even expressions of villains.
4)The stunning discoveries. The end. The final fight. Etc

In horror films the following greatly matter:
1)Supernatural scary beings or situations.
2)Death – The number of deaths AND the types of death
3)Marvellous portrayal of villains and Super-villains.
4)Characters matter far more than actors.
Hope I have been helpful.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Answer chosen with help from the Yahoo! editorial team.

Many thanks.

Answer 2

waiting for oscar to jump out of the garbage can?

Answer 3

A good plot----The village is a good example-- although it's not too scarey and not much of a horror-- It has a genious plot

MYSTERY AND SUSPENCE

Create tension

leading the audience on to a twist--a fake lead on

Playing with the audience's imagination-- Use many connotations that we associate with horror and change them

Creating a relationship/ somebody the audience can relate to closely--more fun and watchable

Lots of music to suggest that something is going to happen--quick tip-------DO NOT play the music to show something is going to happen and then nothing happens- Trust me on this one, everyone i've watched a thriller do not like this--It is boring and nobody can tell if something is going to happen--puts me straight off movies because there is no (or not much) dramatic irony which can make the audience more on the edge of their seat and excited--yelling at the charactor to do something when the charactor does not know=fun--Also creates a sence of relationship with the charactor as u are concerned for them--makes u want to watch it and such.

Lots of point of view shots always compliment a good thriller and also over the shoulder shots.

Hope these are a help--sorry couldn't help u out on what makes u see a film over and over but i'm not really sure--sorry

Have a great Christmas and a happy new year-- Good luck with the movie--hope it turns out well!!

Bonnie

xxxxxx

Source(s):

Me : )

Answer 4

making you feel as if this could ttru;ey happening somewhere in rhis twisted world with all the individuslistic differences , the spectrum of good vs. evil - human ways

Source(s):

life

Answer 5

Most of all An original idea.

Also hit my inner spirit. Make me care. Go to areas I want to be true, give me a spirtituality I don't have. Create your own religion. Only the shadow knows


Give me the girl I can't live without. The one with many dimensions that is imposible to get. Make me want her like nothing else. Make her witty. Make her unpredictable. Make her sly. Give her a dark past but a sincere heart. Have the world lash out.

Give me a puzzle. Dazzle my mind.

Give me the flawed hero. Trent's last case, batman, Monk (TV show), ...

Bring mystery of the past, present or future, wierd religion but don't make it stupid or dumb it down. Don't do the star wars thing and make everybody my father or droid.

DaVinci Code had merits for example. My problem with it was it was same book he wrote 4 times before. Guy deserved one best seller but he got 5. Still, he had the woman down pat, he had a fascination with the past his own mythlogy with a grain of truth. He screwed it up a bit with some dumbness but had enough twists to make it interesting.

Marvel comics in the 1960s like DareDevil and Spiderman had surprisingly good use of suspense.

I can watch batman the animated series again and again.

Give me Spirited Away. The strange place where I find myself by the Japanese master Miyazaki.

Take me somewhere interesting and don't do something that was down before. Don't remake the master pieces of yesterday. MAKE ME SOMETHING NEW.

(Rare exceptions exist like super heroes etc)

Answer 6

It all depends on what kind of thriller it is. I would really like to see one based on mobile phones. If they can affect hospital equipment or anything else electronically based that would really be interesting.

Answer 7

Empathy with the baddie, Scarface,the three kings,Brother Orchard,Find me Guilty, Meet Joe Black, all terrific films you can watch again and again
Sound effects as in Psycho.
The atmosphere of the situations Casablanca,The Maltese Falcon.
You couldn't tell Speilberg i've got a terrific Idea for a film the next time you speak to him could you? thanks

Answer 8

Personally i love different twists in a movie! Take the bone collector for an example,but also stuff that COULD happen in real life .Hope this helps,oh and by the way i have heaps of great movie ideas if you want to give me a job???????????email me

Answer 9

Something unexpected. You need to make the bad guy the last person anyone would suspect. Music also plays a dramatic role in the nail biting suspense.

Answer 10

love movies where the ending turns everything around
Then you have to watch it again to see if you would have spotted all the clues if you had known~"Sixth sense"
Particularly love big aircraft carriers and helecopters-Keep it up Jerry.

Answer 11

Good actors, (lesser known actors can be just as good if not better than some of the big names) and no I am not an actress or an aspiring one. A well written story and a great setting/atmosphere.
That sets the tone, then other things include: music and or sound effects (think of the sound that the tornado made in twister) or in Jurassic park when the kids were in the car and the vibration from the T-Rex was making the glass of water ripple, just before it roars! Or even that sound from the girl ghost thing in the Grudge. It makes your skin crawl!
An example of a movie that had potential to be a hit was the DaVinci Code. I like Ron Howard and Tom Hanks so I do not like to sound too harsh! But, Tom was not the right character for it. I think that role called for a much lesser known actor one with no pre-consieved notions. Although personnaly if I had to pick I would have chosen Bill Pullman!?
Anyway that plot had all the fixin's for a great one but fell flat. The dialogue reminded me of a dull lecture. Too bad it had so much potential, I hope if someone does Angels and Demons they use a completely different formula and cast.

A plot that :
-keeps you guessing or that has many twists and turns
-is intelligent and believable
-combines a bit of myth whether ancient or urban
-does not drag on and on and on
-does make you feel as if you know the main characters
-leaves you guessing a bit

Here are a list of thriller/suspense movies that I watch more than once ( there are not too many).
The Ninth Gate
The Ring
Twister
Jurassic Park
Armagedon
Silence of the Lambs
The Fugitive
The Shining
The Mummy
Speed
One Hour Photo
Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Answer 12

I love the bait-and-switch, where you're made to think that the 'bad guy' is one person, but it's really someone else, and it's cleverly done, like an Agatha Christie novel. If it's smart and funny at times, like having a witty/sassy character, and not too much gore I will a) go to see it in the first place and b) probably see it again, buy it, or rent it.

It needs to be smart and have meaning, basically, but not the kind of obvious meaning that hits you over the head, but something that makes me think.

Answer 13

A constant twist of events that are unexpected... nothing seems as it is and just when you think you have it figured out.... you don't.

Best Wishes,

Sue

Answer 14

Sparing use of effects like annoying screams, shed loads of blood and guts.
Give the audience little clues that get them thinking they may know who the culprit is and exactly what will happen, but with bits thrown in here and there to make them doubt their convictions.
A good thriller makes you use your brain the whole time, and the killer is never who everyone thinks it might be.

Answer 15

the one thing that creep's me out about a good thriller is when you don't really know who is the bad guy!???? your friend? wife? boss?son?
and you dont show that many clue's till the very end!!

Answer 16

a great script with an original idea. Seeing the same old stuff over and over again (namely the remakes) is just boring no matter who the actors are - The movie companies wonder why revenue is dropping from theatre tickets - it's becasue we've all seen the movies they are repackaging, recasting, and refilming and why would I pay $10 to see something I've already seen.
I really think great writing is the key. Too many movies rely on mediocre acting by "big name" recognizable actors. Some of the best movies I've seen are casted with unknowns.
A movie that is not predictable but still believable - definately not a textbook movie - you know what I mean - the rebel cop with a bad attitude, a controlling boss that just doesn't understand him, all that garbage. Give me something original and DO NOT film it in front of a green screen - real sets or actual locations can make even a "b" movie better than 90% of the crap in theatres today.

What makes me go back and watch it again- to see what I missed the first time because the ending came out of nowhere.

This is going to sound stupid but the movie "clue" (even though it is a comedy) is one of those movies - I have watched it dozens of times looking for the parts they explain at the end when they reveal the crime. Also, "Slevin," and "Six degrees of Separation" round out my top three.

Answer 17

If the characters are from the outset of the film ones that you find compelling and make you care what happens to them, this for me is what makes a suspense movie. You spend much of the film rooting for the hero/heroine, hoping they survive intact whatever is thrown at them. If you don't care that much what happens to them you might as well not bother watching to the end of the film.

Answer 18

Fear of the unknown - is always the best way to make people scared in my opinion.

Answer 19

The kind of movie that doesn't all connect at all til the very end...

Answer 20

Hi Jerry,

My opinion to what is the key to an of your seat suspense thriller is when you don’t know whodunit until the end of the show, especially if there’s a twist at the end which no one expected. Also the music, when there is a build up to when you think something jumpy is going to happen, and then it doesn’t. And what makes me go back and see it again and again? Well I would have to say a number of things for example the right casts is the main reason why I would go and see the movie again, and also if it was made believable with the possibility that it could happen in real life, also not overdoing the movie with special effects. Most movies these days have been ruined by to many unrealistic stunts and special effects. As long as you keep the film real and with the right casts then that would defiantly make me go back and see the movie again and again. I hope I have helped to answer your question.

Good luck and take care.

Answer 21

Every movie has become predictable.

I truly enjoy CSI but you know who the killer is seeing they are from a group of 2 to 3 involved in the plotline and you can see it coming down the pike way before the show ends.

Take Usual Suspects, Shawshank Redemption the story was magnificently crafted that when you hit that twist in the plot you didn't suspect it or it wasn't predictable.

Answer 22

Got to say that for me the key is something that ultimately you never see coming. The reveal of key individual. The best example of which I still have to say in The Usual Suspects. Can't beat the Kevin Spacey piece at the end of the film with the shot of his feet going from limp to fast paced walk. CLASSIC.

Answer 23

Not knowing who, or what, having a plot that YOU THINK you have the answer to but not quite sure. Silence of the Lambs, JUST CAUSE, Final Analysis.

Answer 24

I love it when the camera is the killer and you don't get to see them.

signs was kinda scary until you saw the stupid thing that was rustling in the crops !

Answer 25

Avoid the storyline being too predictable . Thats the best thing , scary music is always a winner.

Answer 26

I love the movies when they suck you in and you think you have the plot all figures out and then suddenly, BANG a twist in the tale that you did not see coming.

Answer 27

For me, the suspense thriller has to have believability to it. It has to have characters that you can relate to. It has to have shots that add to the suspense, naturally. What makes a great movie to me is when I go to the theatre, and for the length of the movie, I forget I am in a theatre watching it. If I find myself looking around the theatre, I know the movie isn't a good one for me, and odds are I won't be going to see it again for a second time.

Answer 28

My opinion is this. I was talking with a bunch of guys at work and the consensus was, that action movies, that "move along" with a half-decent story line, fit the bill. The acting was a plus too. People tend to like movies about end of the age type, Biblical prophetic movies ! The times we live in with all the talk about fished-out oceans, global warming, countries like Iran / North Korea getting nukes. Although these things may or may not come to light, people like to look into their futures. Try producing an action movie about Demon exorcism based on "candidates" who are first evaluated by a Psychiatrist, M.D. then a priest. If the "candidate" is deemed "possessed", he or she is pre-studied by a scientists then, an exorcism is performed with the family. Another suggestion, is E.T. experiences where, people are taken into the company of an alien, given a physical and specimens are taken. These same people are continually being monitored during their daily lives and are frequently being taken up and re-evaluated on each occurrence. The idea or plot is that these aliens "on good authority", are sent to collect semen and the seeds of plants and animals to be stored after the earth is destroyed. Hope you glean some ideas from all of this - cheers !!!

Answer 29

First, you need seats

Answer 30

Well Jerry, It's the unknown violence and terror that is in the air! A good director can create fear and tension for the audience carefully using ordinary props and selective music. You know it's coming, but you don't know when or how! But when it hits it's electric! A good fear factor. Have a good day!

Answer 31

Now Jerry, Music is the golden key. You theme your story around the music. A classic, Phantom of the Opera the music and movie is dark, mystical and magical, all three qualities that many want, but are afraid of. When you are afraid of something the theory goes is to confront your fears, so this will get them to watch the movie over and over again until they are not fearful but feel part of the movie

Source(s):

A Goth at heart