The Three Films as Psychological Thrillers - Article Example

There is a controversy, among authors, on the way films should be analyzed. According to Amount and Marie (1988), film analysis is anchored on three facts. First, it is difficult to arrive at a universal way of analyzing a film; two film analysis is an open-ended scheme that allows Infinitum exploration; and last, a film analysis requires a person who is conversant with film history and film analytical tools.

Moreover, Amount and Marie (1988) identify five approaches (methodologies) to film analysis, namely, structural analysis (text-based), iconic analysis (picture and Sound based), narrative analysis (topic-based), psychoanalytical approach, and historical analysis. Moreover, Sobchak and Sobchak (1997) go further to add to the iconic analysis approach and argue that a film critic can pick out film space, film time, and film sound for the critical undertaking. They also proposed that additional elements such as movement, tone, image, and composition should be included in the film analysis process.

The other recommendations by Sobchak and Sobchak are inevitably significant for comprehensive film analysis. If the experiences discussed above are something to go by, it is clear that film analysis is a dynamic undertaking, and there is always something new to explore in this rich genre. In this paper, three films are to be analyzed, namely, Clockwork Orange (1971), Blue Velvet (1986), and Mulholland Drive (2001). These movies are psychological thrillers. The films' dimensions of the psychotic mind and perverse sexuality will be analyzed using the approaches proposed by Amount and Marie (1988) and some additional elements proposed by Sobchak and Sobchak (1997).

The first part of the paper will deal with the psychological thriller element in the three films and aim to show how these films should be viewed as psychological thrillers. This will be followed by the analysis, such as Shots, Narration, and Sequence that have been used in the movie to examine the dimensions of a psychotic mind and perverse sexuality. The second part will be the discussion discuss and themes in the Three Films followed by theories applicable to analyzing the films. The third analyzing aril is the social and cultural impacts of the movie, followed by a conclusion.

THE THREE FILMS AS PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS Before the three selected films were considered psychological thrillers, a critical derating was done and the leading significance, significant leading what psychological thrillers entail. A psychological thriller is a film subgenre of the broad class of thriller films. The sub-genre focuses on the film characters and their unstable emotional states, combined with thrilling and mysterious experiences (Aumont & Marie, 1988). Psychological thrillers engage elements from the drama genre, mystery, and traits from the thriller genre.

However, nowadays, it is possible to find psychological thrillers, which incorporate horror and psychological horror into drama and mystery.