2015ASCiaran: Internet Audience Research

Modern thrillers usually contain adult themes like murder, drugs, gambling, etc. Thrillers now a days are aimed at 18-30 year olds, thrillers aim to entertain us but do it by creating an almighty suspense and leaving us on the edge of our seats throughout. The reason a lot of thrillers in the modern era are 18 rated is because audiences want to be disgusted and distressed as well as thrilled. Examples of 18 rated thrillers are:

The Usual Suspects
Pulp Fiction
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Se7en

There are exceptions for thrillers in the modern era for example the latest installment of the Bond series, Skyfall is a rated 12 film because of it's moderate violence and occasional foul language. Another example if a rated 12 thriller is the Bourne franchise because of it's violence. Looking at the evidence it becomes apparent that spy thrillers are rated 12 and everything else described as a thriller will be a 15 rating or higher.

Classic thrillers are a completely different story the era was much more mellow as the world 50 years ago was much more PG for example Rear Window an iconic thriller from the 1960's directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The reason for Rear Window being a PG film is because of the mild violence in the film through out. Other thrillers fit into the PG rating list another example is 39 steps another classic thriller. As above there are exceptions funnily enough the exception is directed by a man who made his name in thrillers and has already been mentioned, Alfred Hitchcock in 1960 directed a film which still today scares viewers and keeps them on the edge of there seats. The film I am referring to is of course Psycho rated 15 because of the violence shown.

Skyfall Rated 12 Example