'Essex Boys' Thriller Research

'Essex Boys' Thriller Research

Institutional Information:

Director - Terry Winsor

Release Date - 14th July 2000

User Comments - 'Interesting', 'Brutal and disturbing'.

User Rating - Males - 5.9, Females - 5.9.

Essex Boys was directed by Terry Winsor, and was released on the 14th of July 2000 in the UK.

The opening credits of 'Essex Boys' sets the scene, and gives the audience a fair idea of what to expect of the film. The words 'Inspired by a true event' appear on the screen, this enhances the fear factor. Fingernails down a chalkboard appear, with white font, and white fingernail scratches, whilst the majority of the colour is black. This is binary opposition at it's best, the black suggests the dark soul of Jason.




The shot above is the establishing shot. The chiaroscuro lighting implies that the film is most likely going to be a thriller, and also suggests that there is something to hide. A typical thriller genre convention is a claustrophobic space, this is present in this shot with a cramped garage. This shot is creepy, this makes the audience sense danger.



The cobwebs add a Gothic feel to the shot, and also makes the audience feel that there is a distorted view; perhaps this is implying that Billy is naive and vulnerable. This long shot creates distance between the audience and the character, making the viewer feel uncomfortable with the situation of them not knowing who the mysterious shadowed character is. The claustrophobic space convention continues as the man is slightly bent over. The fact that the credits are still rolling suggests that there is something going on that we as the audience are not yet aware of.

As this shot appears, there is a voice-over; with a cultural Essex accent, which creates a friendly atmosphere which contradicts the usual thriller conventions, however it also connotes a nightmare experience. It also engages the audience as it is direct speech. This shot is denotes Billy cleaning his windscreen as it is thick with dust, grime, and dirt, rather like Jason's emotional wavelength is. Jason stands with his hands in his pockets, relaxed; this suggests that the job of murdering, or seriously injuring somebody, is an everyday routine for Jason. This point of view shot gives the audience an insight into how Billy may be feeling in this circumstance. Noir lighting is used which is a typical thriller convention, and creates a dark, chilling atmosphere.


The shot above is a very interesting shot as a lot can be read from it. One idea that could be read from it is that the beaming lights shining down denote jail bars, and this is predicting both Billy's and Jason's fate if they go through with the deed. Another thought that could be brought from this shot is that the lights that are going across the windscreen represent piano keys, suggesting that Billy is being played by Jason, and that he is naive. Also, the camera shot that is being used suggests that Jason is never going to be out of Billy's life, and that this isn't going to be him 'trying anything once', it is going to be glued to his lifestyle for a long time.


The shot above is called a vanishing shot, as the car in the distance is disapearing into the unknown, perhaps this is a metaphor for Jason's victim. The end of the tunnel is dark and black, this could be signifying a vortex into a lifestyle of crime. The tunnel is a long,thin, domed shape; this could be a metaphor for the barrel of a gun, enhancing the predicted concequinces of Billy and Jason. It could also be suggesting a life of crime, and living by the gun and everytime they face a problem a gun is the solution. The stereotypical thriller convention of a claustrophobic space is used as the tunnel connotes being uncomfortable which is probably how Billy is feeling. The roads are deserted, like a ghost town - this promotes the audience to think that Jason is actually a very lonely person, and has pushed away everybody close to him, also that he has murdered so many people that there physically isn't many people left, finally it could be suggesting that people are trying to avoid crossing paths with Jason.

This low angle shot makes the car seem higher up, this could be reflecting the status of the characters vs the status of the audience or victims. The setting of this shot is really industrial and urban, perhaps this is suggesting the robotic, lack of emotion of Jason and the crimes that he has committed. The tall cemented buildings connote being cold, desparation and being common, once again reflecting the thriller conventions. The floor is wet from the rain, which brings in use of pathetic fallacy; this brings an atmosphere of negativity and the audience are inclined to believe that the film is a thriller.

Just before the above shot, Billy and Jason were in a fish factory picking up the victim is a typical thriller convention 'white van'. In the fish factory there are no women, this backs up the usual type of thriller as men are usually the dominant characters, and alpha males. Jason slowly winds down his window of the van, this is intimidating and typical of a thriller film. Billy waits in the van whilst Billy seriously injures his victim and shoves him in the back of the van. In the shot above Jason Locke's victim jumps out the back of the van in anger and pure fear. He literally dives out the back of the van to try and escape.

In this shot the weather is dark and cloudy - this suggests corruption and a dark soul. This is shot in the Essex marshes therefore it is dirty and grimy, this reiterates Jason's background, and his mind. The long path of mud doesn't end, this could be mirroring Jason's future. There is water on both sides of the long, thin path, this could also be showing that Jason feels trapped and enclosed in his life, and that he can't be free. The shirt that Jason is wearing is very busy and bold which mirrors his personality and always that he is 'messed up'. The way that Jason and his victim are staged shows the social status between them.

As this shot is shown, the voice-over comes back into play and Billy says ' Jason needed a new shirt, the geezer needed a new face'. This again reiterates the social status between them both, as all Jason needed was a new piece of clothing. Jason Locke's victim is half lying in the water, and half lying on the mud, this suggests that he is confused, and helpless.

This is the last shot of the first five minutes. This shot suggests desparation, and lonliness and there is nowhere to go. This could be a point of view shot of Jason's victim looking at the white van in the distance; knowing that he is still there in more ways than one, still there physically, and still there in his mind. The small rocks that are in the cracked ground suggest a broken mind - i.e. Jason.

In conclusion, the first five minutes of 'Essex Boys' portray how the film fits into the thriller genre. The images that are in this essay show the corruption within the film, and also how the director has filmed, edited, and used the script to make the audience feel frightened, and acknowledge the genre, and perhaps even predict what is to come.