The Proppian character types commonly found in the thriller openings are; the villain, the donor, the helper, the princess, the false hero, the dispatcher and the hero.
The Villain and The Hero – The villain is usually of much likeness to the hero, they are both usually around the same age and status just the opposite in the way that one is good and one is bad. For example in face off the hero John Travolta is a chief of a secret anti-terrorist covert which is a job with a high status, whereas the Villain Nick Cage is a high class criminal who hasn’t been caught for killing a child 6 years ago. This shows that he is a skilled criminal, even more skilled than the hero. They are both around the same age, which makes them similar excluding this one massive difference that one’s good and one’s bad. The plot of this film is that the characters swap a identities which again reinforces the idea that the villain and hero are similar characters working against each other.
The false Hero – This character is a deceiving one and plays an important role that keeps mystery within the film. They are the bridge to the other side linking bad and good; they act as though they are good to get information, and to cover their tracks as they are really bad. This character is usually a member of the police or someone of high status who the viewers wouldn’t initially think it is. The false hero could also have a motive of marrying the princess, and that is why he’s pretending to be the hero.
The Princess/ damsel in distress – This character is usually a woman as the role of this character is to be vulnerable and in need of rescue and help. The hero often has a close or personal relationship with the princess. In Ile, the princess is the teacher. Her weakness and vulnerability is shown many times; the fact that she isn’t from this country and can’t speak the language, she’s a woman, and she’s a school teacher which shows kindness and a soft
maternal nature.
The Helper – The helper is usually someone with a different motive to the Hero but the same goal. Or the helper can just be someone who helps the hero. For example the hero could be a person with a personal vendetta/ motive and the hero could be the police and could disclose information and help the hero. In seven Brad Pitt plays the role of the helper as he helps Morgan Freeman solve the case. Also, the helper could be someone who discloses key information which is essential for the hero to do his job. Or the helper could be someone who supplies weapons and gadgets to the hero.
Claude Levi Strauss’s idea about structure in terms of binary oppositions is demonstrated in thrillers through the main theme of good and bad. When the titles come on the screen they are usually white on a black background, this again shows binary oppositions with connotations of; good and bad, known and unknown, criminal and innocent, pure and evil, the psychopaths and the normal people. These binary oppositions are important in thrillers as they emphasize the themes and contrast of the hero and the villain. In face-off John Travolta’s characters and Nick Cage’s character are an example of binary oppositions. They are presented as two sides of the same coin, good and evil. This is demonstrated through the titles as they were a light color on a light background which suggests they’re both the same and it’s hard to differentiate between them (which we know is true as they swap identities). In addition to this the titles break away from each other and split in half emphasizing the binary oppositions. Also, in seven, binary oppositions are shown as both Morgan Freeman’s character and the killer’s characters are obsessive and very precise and particular about what they do, but one of them is moral and the other is psychotic.
The openings of thrillers conform to Todorov’s theory of narrative structure of there being an initial equilibrium, then a disruption, then a solution, and finally a new equilibrium. In the opening of thrillers we usually just see the initial equilibrium and the disruption. The equilibrium is shown in the opening of the thriller so that the viewer has an idea of the background of the characters before the disruption happens. The disruption happens in the opening of a thriller in order to make the viewer interested, and eager to find out what happens in terms of justice, and finding a new equilibrium. For example, in Face off the initial equilibrium is John Travolta and his son on a carrousel laughing and looking loving, then the disruption is Nick Cage shooting them both and killing the little boy. This immediately tells the viewer that the film is going to revolve around John Travolta getting revenge and justice for his son, and catches their attention quickly making them interested enough to watch the rest of the film.
In Sixth Sense, the opening credits are played all together, and central on the screen, so that the whole time they are played the focus is on them, and they are the main thing on the screen. This allows the viewer’s attention to be solely on the title, and also gives them time to get focused and settle down before the film begins. The titles are white, on a black background; this follows Claude Levi Strauss's theory of binary oppositions, in this case being known and unknown, white and black. The opening credits could have overlapped the opening and been played at the same time, however they weren't, this suggests that the viewer’s full attention must be fully on the opening, or else they may miss something important. This suggests also that the movie is for more intelligent and grown up people, as it requires focus. The titles appear as though they are blowing in the wind, and floating off the screen. Along with this, the use of shadow effects and music creates connotations of mystery, hidden enigmas and even the supernatural.
In Face Off, the opening credits are played alongside the opening of the movie. Because the credits are played at the same time, they are positioned in less obvious places with the intention being that they don't fully distract the viewer from what is happening in the opening. This suggests that the movie requires less focus and is aimed at less intelligent people. Also, it suggests that it’s easy to watch. The titles split in half and are quite dynamic, which fits the film in terms of distinguishing between swapped identities of the villain and the hero, where the only difference between them is that one is good and one is bad.
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