GENRE:
I've thought a lot about what genre I wanted to, a lot of my favorite movies are Action movies and Comedy movies, however as of this last year I've began to dibble and dabble in Mystery movies. Mystery movies can create that suspenseful and not-knowing vibe that keeps you enticed to keep watching. It can also make you want to solve the problem while you watch it. Mystery movies in my opinion are very versatile — meaning there are so many different ways you can go about it, whether you want a Noir type of film or even a Thriller.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
Mystery movies' target audience is usually a more mature audience; often ages 15-50 and I say 50 because older audiences tend to not be as active and engaged in attempting to solve a mystery themselves. Many sources also state that problem-solvers and people with logical thinking skills tend to like mystery movies because it challenges their intellectual limits.
CONVENTIONS WITH CONTENT:
Mystery movies can obviously have many different plots, however they can often be centralized as crime/whodunit films they can also be suspense films that don't necessarily have a crime its more about uncovering the truth of something. Just because these are the main types of mystery conventions doesn't mean that there aren't other types of mystery movies like locked-room mysteries or even historical mysteries. Heretic a movie that came out in late 2024 is an example of a locked-room mystery that uses psychological approaches to leave the audience reflecting.
A24. (2024, September 19). Heretic | Official Trailer HD | A24 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9i2vmFhSSY
CONVENTIONS WITH TECHNIQUES:
Different genres of movies use different thematic elements. For example, a Romantic Comedy film is going to include a failed relationship, or in a Superhero film an event occurs that alters the superhero's life, like a family member dying or something along those lines. Mystery movies like to include shocking turning points, viewers like these films because they like to be surprised. One method that is used in many movies is a time limit, because it's known to keep viewers scared and on their toes. Another tactic, that is used is the fear of not knowing. When you watch a slasher film you know when the killer is behind the character but you're in a first or third-person view of the character, suspense builds because you don't know what's going to happen next.
INSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS:
The narrative image and marketing of mystery films is just how you would probably imagine. Mystery films love to market low-key lighting because it builds off the "Mystery" theme. Another technique you see a lot when mystery films are marketed is throughout trailers or posters, they like to use minimal words because they want to keep the viewer curious and unsettled.
A movie that I'd recommend is Knives Out (2019). It is almost like a remake of the movie Clue from (1985).
IMDb. (n.d.). Title: tt8946378. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8946378/?ref_=fn_t_1
Citations:
A24. (2024, September 19). Heretic | Official Trailer HD | A24 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9i2vmFhSSY
George Davison Studios. (n.d.). The keys to a mystery-thriller film. https://georgedavisonstudios.com/blog/the-keys-to-a-mystery-thriller-film/
Haros, D. (2023, October 14). Creating the right techniques for a good mystery. Medium. https://medium.com/@desireeharos/creating-the-right-techniques-for-a-good-mystery-87f776791d8c
Inkitt. (n.d.). What is the mystery-suspense genre? https://inkitt.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/28175118060946--What-Is-the-Mystery-Suspense-Genre
Robinson, J. (2025, September 23). Demystifying the mystery genre in film and TV. Mandy Magazine. https://www.mandy.com/magazine/article/mystery-genre-in-film-and-tv-79307/
Webnovel. (n.d.). Question about mystery genre. https://www.webnovel.com/ask/q334012597335069
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