1. Audience Research

2. Film Distributors’ Association website:
As we can see here are the top 15 films being shown in the cinema fairly recently. It gives us an indication to
the success of contemporary “Thriller” films as “Man On A Ledge”, “Chronicle” and “The Woman In Black” are
of the thriller genre and are shown to be successful. Furthermore, “The Woman In Black” is the most successful
film at the moment, showing that it is successful as a thriller and that thrillers are a popular genre of films that
an audience will go to see at the cinema. Both thrillers shown here are rated a (12A) which also gives us an
indication as to what certificate our own production could possibly be.

3. IMDb, Top rated “Thriller” Titles:
Rank Rating Title Votes Rank Rating Title Votes
1. 8.9 Pulp Fiction (1994) 561,851 1. 1.2 Compelling 245
Evidence (1995)
2. 8.8 The Dark Knight (2008) 649,887
2. 1.3 The Sobbing 294
3. 8.8 Inception (2010) 502,186 Stone (2005)
4. 8.8 Goodfellas (1990) 317,204 3. 1.3 Rocket Attack 520
5. 8.7 Rear Window (1954) 154,876 U.S.A. (1961)
6. 8.7 The Silence of the 344,094
4. 1.4 Heaven Strewn (2011) 117
Lambs (1991)
7. 8.7 The Usual 347,883
5. 1.4 The Life Zone (2011) 138
Suspects (1995)
8. 8.7 Psycho (1960) 190,648 6. 1.5 Dead at the Box 591
9. 8.7 Se7en (1995) 406,461 Office (2005)
10. 8.6 Leon (1994) 294,051 7. 1.5 At Dawn They 347
11. 8.6 Memento (2000) 378,925 Sleep (2000)
12. 8.6 North by 117,165
Northwest (1959) 8. 1.5 BigBrother.com (2000) 430
13. 8.6 M (1931) 51,855 9. 1.5 Blood Deep (2005) 249
14. 8.5 Double Indemnity (1944) 49,027
15. 8.5 Terminator 2: Judgment 328,414 10. 1.5 Night Train to Mundo 3,68
Day (1991) Fine (1966)
The internet movie database has a list of the top 50 and bottom 10 rated films of the thriller genre. This
enables us to get a sense which thriller films have been successful in terms of the audience response to them
which could influence the decisions we make during the production of our opening. For example, from this list
we see that thrillers such as “The Dark Knight” and “Inception” which are relatively recent releases, are very
popular. However “North by Northwest” which is over 50 years old is still a well-known film that is a success
among contemporary audiences.

4. IGN Film Force website:
An unofficial site, stated that their top thriller film was an fact “North by Northwest”.
This film, released in 1959, is a slightly outdated thriller compared to those that are
produced today for an audience. However this shows that the plot or concept of a
thriller is just as important as its production as the website described “North by
Northwest” as “a masterpiece of intrigue, and features some of the most copied
sequences in film.” and also stated that it “provides a blueprint by which all thrillers
can be judged.”
On the site there is also a link to “Rotten Tomatoes” (see below) which gives more
detail concerning the ratings that the audience gave this thriller, determining its
success.