Uses and Gratifications of Thrillers

Uses and gratifications of Thrillers

People want to watch films or use media for different reasons and these are described by Uses and Gratifications developed by Bulmer and Katz, which include Entertainment, Integration and social interaction, personal identity and information. The ones that apply to Thrillers are:

Personal Identity - People often watch films in order to identify with characters, specifically in terms of dramas, if the person is going through a difficult time.  Often at the end of soaps, when a sensitive issue has been portrayed, there is a number for a helpline shown at the end for individuals suffering in the same situation. This encapsulates 'personal identity'.  Also, by watching a thriller one might want to find similarities in their identity with the hero for self fulfillment.  One may gain personal identity in that they discover what they believe be it religiously, morally or politically,  about the situation being portrayed  

Integration and social interaction –  People enjoy discussing films and complex storylines with groups of people, so by watching films recently released you immediately have a chance to socialise and also gaining self belief if you were the one who knew the story from the beginning. Opposing this is the idea that thrillers are in fact a substitute of socialising, in that it fills one's time, and provides emotional stimulation. 

Entertainment – Watching a film does not require a lot of brain power therefore by choosing to watch a film you can relax and escape into someone else's life for two hours.  Thrillers are a great way to forget about one's normal lifestyle as usually the plot is not easily relatable, however people enjoy putting themselves in the characters position and deciding what they would do if the situation presented itself.  The protagonist of many thrillers is typically strong, independent and attractive, which the viewer may idolise.  Thrillers specifically provide thrills which induces adrenaline rush and enjoyment. This is the main reason people watch thrillers.

Information - Especially in terms of political thrillers, films are sometimes watched to inform the viewer about specific issues.  An accurate example of an informative thriller would be The Davinci Code and Angels and Demons, which provides both a bias view of religious isseues, and historical facts. Political thrillers such as The Constant Gardener, exposes the living standards of people in thrid world countries and political corruption of more developed countries. Blood Diamond is similar in this way.  Some watch biopic thrillers to gain information about history, for example JFK.    
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