The construction of suspense in heist scenes
Construction of Suspense in Heist Scenes
A group of criminals, impressive riches to steal and a meticulously detailed plan with significant and major risks - The heist movie is a well-loved genre that doesn’t seem to go out of style; no wonder, given that the typical motives that drive the central characters forward are varied and easy to identify oneself with; some are driven by the desire for a better life, some just want to demonstrate power, some turn to crime out of greediness or poverty, while others simply seem to be up for the adventure. A form of escapism that showcases worlds with different rules, and therefore a fantasy a viewer likes to dive into (vgl. Thompson 2007)(1). Viewers seem to love to watch those often morally ambiguous and dissimilarly characterized protagonists achieve the unachievable together; to outsmart their respective opponents and leave with a mission accomplished.
This motif can be used in a wide variety of scenarios. Where classic heist movies such as Ocean’s Eleven (2001)and Logan Lucky (2017)are focussed solely on planning, preparing and enforcing a large scale crime, other movies also adapt the characteristics of a typical movie heist for a single, often important key scene. Examples are Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008) or even movies like Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite (2018) where a heist-style scene is used to show how the protagonists are getting rid of the housekeeper, where, while the goal is notmonetary, it is achieved through detailed planning and smooth execution, while also using the classic detail shots of important things for the viewer to notice, as well as several other later touched upon techniques used often in heist movies.
(1) Thompson, Kirsten Moana (2007) Crime Films: Investigating the Scene. London: Wallflower
Press. S.4
Vortrag auf Veranstaltung: Abschlusspräsentation eines Lernvideo
Veranstaltungsort: HdM
Weiterführende Links:
https://vimeo.com/733678136/2346a1edcb
Autoren
- Name:
- Yessica Grosskopf
- Name:
- Denise Schindler
- Name:
- David Sterk Sterk
- Name:
- Emely Weidemann
Eingetragen von
- Name:
-
Prof.
Katja Schmid
Mehr zu diesem Autor
