Forms and Conventions of Thriller Films - The Talented Mr Ripley

The Talented Mr Ripley (2000) - Directed by Anthony Minghella

'Starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow'

This film shows a young man who is falsely thought to be a graduate of Princeton University and a friend of Herbert Greenleaf’s son. Herbert Greenleaf is a wealthy business man who wants his own son to return to the states to take over and run the family business. He enrols the help of Tom Ripley who he asks to travel to Italy and persuade Dickie, the son, to return. Tom Ripley agrees even though he knows nothing of this Dickie Greenleaf and never was a student of Princeton University.

Minghella cleverly establishes the mood and atmosphere throughout the film. He use the mise en scene to create drama. Directors always film a scene where it is for a reason. Its the same fact with mise en scene. What ever is on the scene has a motive with the film. Ripley's flat in the film is situated right next to the back of a butchers. So the audience view gore and threatening scenes with that as its back ground. This suggests there is even more threatening scene to see later on in the film.

I love the way Mingella uses music in his shots. Within the first sections of the film, based at the airport, Ripley imitates the boy he is trying to find. At the point of using a new identity, the music begins. This highlights the change in the scene and the unusual happening.

Like most thrillers Minghella, in the first two opening minutes, delays the showing of the face. This adds more focus on to the action being carried out but also encourages the audience to ask questions. I love the mystery in this film. At some points, no one has no idea what is going on. The main character, Tom Ripley, begins to steer away from his orders and seems to be taking part in a cunning plan of his own. This films is full of unexpected turns and twists. It keeps the audience thinking and makes them begin to relate different parts. This is definitely a convention i would like to include in my thriller opening. I would like to create a sense of confusion and mystery, and convey the feeling of the unexpected to the audience.