Opening sequence analysis - American Psycho

Opening sequence analysis - American Psycho

Opening sequence analysis on American Psycho

Camera - shots and angles: 

in the opening sequence of American psycho there are various camera shots and angles.

• Over the shoulder shot - outside the club, a man handing money over to get into the club, this gives the audience a secret insight into what dodgy stuff might be going on.

• Close ups - close up on the money to connote the value of getting into the club, when Patrick is speaking to the bar lady there is a close up of his face to connote to the audience his anger. And lastly a close up of Patrick peeling a mask off his face signifying that hes not what he says he is.

• Low angle - A slow rise of the camera tricks the audience and connotes that the door women is tall. However, this does connote how much power the door woman may hold as she decides who she lets in.

• Wide shot - There is a wide shot on the women pole dancing/stripping as the audience can see their full body. This is so that the audience can understand what "type of bar" it might be.

• High angle - shows a range of different people dancing in the club which connotes that everyone is having fun. This can be used again, so that the audience knows what type of bar it is e.g cross between a strip club and/or just a night club.

• Long shot/eye angle - The audience can really understand and feel what is being said when patrick is rude to the bar lady (cleverly done, Patrick is saying it in his head but is made to look like he did say it). Another long shot is into Patrick's bathroom. This is so that the audience can see how he easily gets up in the morning.

      




Editing - 

• The scenes cut straight into each other, this fast pace goes with the pace of the club making the audience feel like they are actually there as well and that they can in some ways feel the vibe of the bar.

• The scene in the shower has focus on the bathroom items such as shampoo, and other items, this is done so that the audience can understand how finicky Patrick is, may be as he shows great attention to certain things that he will use such as the showering items.

• Basic editing of scenes cutting into each other creates flowing clips so that the audience don't get bored. This is so that something different and interesting is always happening in the scene.

Sound - 

• There is 80's disco music playing in the background of the nightclub, the audience is then able to understand the time in which the movie is set.

• When Patrick is at the bar he threatens the bar lady saying "I'm gonna stab you to death and play around with your blood, this sick use of language use connotes that Patrick is a very unusual and abusive person and so possibly is a psychopath, however the bar lady is not able to hear this as Patrick is not actually saying it out loud, he is saying it in his head but is metaphorically speaking out loud. 

• Scenes at home shows non - diegetic music of a piano. This connotes a calm and sophisticated atmosphere in which Patrick lives in. This is to show the audience the binary opposites between sophisticate and calm when at home and informal, loud and crazy when outside in bars or nightclubs, intending the two different sides of Patrick. 

• The audience can hear a voice over of the character talking about his health, daily routine and what products he uses. This is again to explain patricks detailed and finicky nature towards the audience.

• The voice over describes his character, "No real me", "disguised in a cold glaze" suggests that he hides behind his facial products and only the audience is able to understand his alternative side.

Mise en scene - 

• Wads of cash is being held by the man at the door and the door women is wearing a lot jewellery, this may connote quite a wealthy theme within the movie. This may also make clear to the audience that the scene is for adults.

• Men in suits and slick backed hair, this connotes the sophistication in the 80's. This is so the audience can get a sense of what their style was like back then. Also, in those days men with slicked back hair were usually associated with mafia type people and so they could be seen as dangerous people.

• The bar lady is wearing quite a revealing top, the audience can then see that its not a very appropriate bar and may start to understand why "men" were bringing in so much "money". And again highlights the adult maturity of the scene and movie as a whole.

• People are dancing on the dance floor, there are flashing lights and it is very crowded which connotes to the audience that this place is specifically meant for adults and possibly most of the audience can relate to this if they are middle aged as they may of experienced these places themselves.

• There is a dark green light shining on Patrick connoting that he may be quite mysterious. The audience can understand this as the colour green is associated with a mysterious feel which immediately tells the audience that patrick is a mysterious character.

• Patrick's house is quite open, white walls and a telescope in corner of the room connotes how much space is left, all of this shows that he is simple, possibly too simple?. The audience can then understand that patrick has quite an enigmatic but simple life style at home.

• His bathroom is very big and everything inside is either black or white - binary opposites are used as they connote his two sides? The audience is then able to see this and so is able to understand that patrick has a split personality.

• Lots of healthy food in his fridge and has a pre set workout in the morning and depending on if his eyes are puffy or not he will wear a cool pack over his eyes while doing stomach crunches. This again connotes to the audience how detailed and planned patrick's daily routine is.

• He has a large collection of facial products connotes he is face conscious and to hide his dark passenger he uses these facial products, this connotes his secrets towards the audience and hints towards his split personality.

Ideologies - 

In the opening sequence, the representation of Patrick Bateman's ideologies are that he values the importance of staying healthy and having a daily routine as it is what keeps him intact, his attitudes towards society are very crude and ruthless as he seems to be annoyed with anyone who make his look stupid and or rude towards him so possibly feels the need to murder, and lastly he believes that by taking care of himself it may take his mind of his murderous side but knows he will always be two opposites as the audience sees when he takes off his facial product mask.

Genre - 

There are many elements in the opening sequence which signify the thriller genre. Elements such as objects; Patrick's facial and washing products connote that he is trying to wash away his bad side. Colour; a dark black is used in the club along with a dark green shining on his face at the bar, showing that he is quite ruthless and mysterious. lastly the locations are quite odd but signify much more powerful meanings behind them e.g when he is in the shower, the audience doesn't expect much but soon enough starts to explain itself about who he actually is.

Audience Reception - 

The uses and gratification theory explains the ways in which the audience may take the opening sequence into consideration. This opening sequence could allow the audience to be entertained as the theme is quite different and is something that the audience would not expect to see adding many narrative enigma's to get the audience thinking resulting in the audience engaging with the film more. The audience could also be allowed to form a sense of their own identity as the movie discusses about what Patrick hides behind his normal personality.

Narrative - 

In the opening sequence of  'American Psycho', the audience is able to see that the company has signified the possible narrative structures such as todorov's narrative structure; the audience can see that the opening sequence starts with an equilibrium then goes to a disruption where Patrick gets annoyed by the bar lady and says horrible things to her, but then goes to a resolution and then a new equilibrium which connotes that todorov's theory works. The company also has also signified that due to his split personality, Patrick is a big protagonist but may also be a antagonist giving reference to propp's character type. Lastly, many narrative enigma's have been used including some mentioned above, such as who is this man?, Is he actually a bad person?, Why is he so rude?.

Here is the opening sequence for 'American Psycho' -

Part 1.

Part 2.