What are the conventions (aka cliches) of the film genre:
Psychological Thriller ? Please list as many as possible.

Dear johnam:

Here's my list! =)

-In any movie where "something" has happened and villagers come to
look at it, they always decide to "go for help".
-The most expendable member of the group is left to "keep an eye on
it", and supplied with a weapon or signaling device "in case something
happens".
-Said member ALWAYS responds: "What could happen?" This is a certain
signal that he will die, gruesomely, within 2 minutes.
Source: http://www.moviecliches.com/cliche3.html#suspense

-Distorted Mirrors
-Creaking Doors
-Voyeurism
Source: http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cache:yC2qeCzfYCYC:www.eguidemag.com/whatliesbeneath.html+movie+cliches&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

-sudden appearances by ghost/person/pet giving our victim and the
audience the requisite heart-thumping jolt
-red herrings designed to leave us guessing
-characters who may not be what they seem
-lots and lots of shots of [character] wandering through an ominously
empty house
Source: http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cache:AYaREEUR_bkC:www.visible-ink.rmit.edu.au/nfwhatlies.html+movie+cliches&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

-assassins pitted against one another
-a brilliant car chase 
-black helicopters
Source: http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cache:GBPF91gWJdkC:www.cozzifantutti.com/movies/2002/bourneidentity/bourneidentity.html+%22thriller+movie+cliches%22+OR+%22thriller+cliches%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

- Cracking the Stonewalling Witness 
- Meat Grinder
- Gorgeous Courtroom
- Inxa on the Plea Argainbay.
- Overzealous Barristers

Source (with detailed examples):
http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cache:zauuuLmTitAC:www.jillsmovieorama.com/cliche0.html+%22thriller+movie+cliches%22+OR+%22thriller+cliches%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

-the sudden appearance of a family pet
-the best friend with coincidental occult inclinations
-the killer who just won't die. 
-having a character suddenly appear in the frame.
Source: http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cache:PPb7hgS5JI4C:www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies/WhatLiesBeneath.html+%22thriller+movie+cliches%22+OR+%22thriller+cliches%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Google Search Strategy:

    "thriller movie cliches" OR "thriller cliches"
    ://www.google.com/search?q=%22thriller+movie+cliches%22+OR+%22thriller+cliches%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&start=0&sa=N


I hope this helps!

Best Regards,
blader-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by johnam-ga on 11 Aug 2002 04:17 PDT

thanks for this answer:  

Do you have any thoughts on the general conventions of Psychological
thrillers with a bit more stress on the "Psychological"..?

eg: the person (persons)in authority that you think you can trust -
you cannot trust.

:he person closest to you, if you do trust them then you probably
can't
and if you don't trust them you probably can and it's someone else.

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Clarification of Answer by blader-ga on 11 Aug 2002 13:36 PDT

Dear johnam:

Here's a few I can think of off hand as a movie watcher:

-If character works for big government agency, the agency will be
engaged in a conpsiracy character wants to stop.
-The bad guy is NEVER the obvious bad guy. It's also never the second
and third obvious bad guys.
-The bad guy is usually a relative or friend who has a hidden vendetta
against the main character.
-The obvious bad guy always comes in at the end and saves the main
character from death by the real bad guy, thus redeeming himself.
-Persons in authority are always apathetic and disbelieving about your
plight.
-The safest place to hide is usually the most dangerous, and the
hardest to escape from.
-Characters can not be written off as dead until the very end of the
movie. You never know when dead characters suddenly pop back.

That's all I can think of for now. The two you already mentioned were
the most important ones for the genre.

Hope this helps!

Best Regards,
blader-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by johnam-ga on 12 Aug 2002 00:45 PDT

Thanks for all this help... the only other convention/cliche that has
occurred to me is the overflowing bath tub !

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Clarification of Answer by blader-ga on 12 Aug 2002 02:10 PDT

Glad to be of service, johnam!