The document discusses various elements of the title sequence and opening scenes of the film American Psycho. It analyzes the use of visual and audio techniques to establish genre conventions and provide insight into the main character Patrick Bateman. Specifically, it notes how the use of red in the titles and a knife-cutting sound foreshadow violence and murder. Patrick Bateman's morning routine shown in the opening scene reveals his obsession with appearance, order, and perfection through meticulous grooming and exercise. The cinematography and mise-en-scene depict his high-class lifestyle and the social materialism of 1980s American businessmen. These scenes set up Bateman's psychopathic tendencies through subtle clues in his speech

2. Genre Signifiers/Sound
Titles -The visual signs of the genre in the opening of American Psycho would be the constant use of red, in the consisting
of close ups of food like raspberries or some kind of red liquid on a clean white background, due to the fact that red has
the conversation of blood and murder, which are key conventions of the genre and are effectively shown constantly to
stand out and reinforce this idea to the viewer mind plus The title sequence is quite low key, with almost everything being
quite calm and steady, aside from the little connotations of violence and murder such as the knife and the drips of red
liquid.
Sound- within the the opening scene of American Psycho the audience can hear slow pass, melodic no diegetic classical
sound with a voice over of Batman which is used to represent the mental capability of Patrick Bateman, explaining himself
as a professional, intellectual man however by the end of the description, the audience learn Patrick to be anything but
normal and thus creates tension as to what will next be unveiled about Patrick. He seems emotionless and clinical; this is
paired with the way Patrick lives and therefore results in showing the clean and artificial life that Patrick seems to be
leading.
The sound at this point begins very quietly and softly and as the blood drops appear on the screen instant sounds are
played adding a mysterious and suspicious approach to the credits. As the drops come onto the screen gradually quicker
the sound becomes more intense. The drops then stop and orchestration/instrumental music is played. This sound is very
fast-paced and high-pitched creating a sense of unease and build dramatic tension.
Sound – Within the opening of American psycho the audience acknowledge the film is within psychological genre as the
pace of the music starts of slow and extremely jerky, emotionless and lacks any kind of order thus making the audience
feel apprehensive which you could associate with the title of American ‘Psycho’, its sinister, cold and not enjoyable to listen
to with sharp and shrill notes due to the conventional string music which is usually associated with thrillers, however as it
progresses the audience can hear the non-diegetic sophisticated music thus gives a feeling of high class societies with
classical music associated with fancy restaurants and the ballet almost as if it were done in an operatic style, showing the
film will be about the social elite.
Sound – During the title sequence the audience can hear the sound of a knife quickly cutting into a piece of meat, the cut
is heavy and quick into the soft piece of meat, signifying both visually and sounding to the audience of murder or someone
getting stabbed hence being a clear genre signifier of psychological thriller plus suggesting that murder and stabbing will
be a key element within this film

3. Use of Titles
• During the title sequence of American Psycho the background is an off white, almost gray giving the
impression to the audience that the connotation of white which are purity and the innocence has been tainted.
• Within the title sequence of the opening of American Psycho the transition of the opening credits shows the
text smoothly fading into the background – The visual text appears to be still but shaking, as if the text’s about
to fall apart although is seemed well constructed which is connotative of Patrick Bateman personality which
implies to the audience perhaps Batman seems as if he’s together and organized, but indeed may be falling
apart such as loosing his grip of reality.
• As the titles appear on screen There is a hint of themes which is murder and death within the title sequence
with drops of 'blood' dripping down from the screen as the text appears. The film’s titles of American Psycho is
surrounded by sudden splatters of blood being quite messy whereas previously it had been in neat little drops
and surrounded the title entirely therefore suggesting to the audience that Bateman has control over is urge to
kill the slowly over the course of the film as happened during the duration of the titles, ends up losing control
and get’s messy, not cleaning up after his murder victims.
• The credits being very simply, by the plain white background and the ordinary sans serif font style, this gives
the impression of simplicity and smartness to the audience as everything looks very sleek and organised. The
font style is bold and all the letters are capitalised giving a vivid sense of dominance to the movie and indicating
to the audience that the characters and storyline are very masculine.
• During the title sequence of American Psycho when the main character's name appears in the credits, the
importance of his name is signified by the slight change in the sound and the image of a knife on the screen
suggesting to the audience that the character is dangerous. This alerts the audience because of the props
used, making the audience acknowledge this part more. This part also confuses the audience as a knife
usually connotes the idea of death/danger, whereas in this circumstance the knife is being used in cooking,
which misleads the audience. As the knife aggressively cuts the meat on the screen the diegetic sound
highlights it signifiance by making the sound exaggerated.

4. Patrick Bateman:
• Bateman has very clear skin, slicked back neat hair and is in very good shape, toned and defined and quite muscly. This
implies to the audience that he is self-obsessed, and also a perfectionist. It also shows how much he cares about his
appearance, and most importantly, himself suggesting that he is self absorbed.
• The only clothes he wears in the one of the opening scenes are a pair of white boxers, as it is showing his morning routine.
This connotes a few things. For example, it backs up his simplicity and drive for cleanliness and perfection. It also connotes
the simplicity of his mind, in relation to the fact that he is a killer. Furthermore, it displays the plainness and boring
personalities of the materialistic 80s Wall Street businessmen that this film documents.
• The voice over of Patrick is used to represent the mental capability of Patrick, explaining himself as a professional,
intellectual man however by the end of the description, the audience learn Patrick to be anything but normal and thus creates
tension as to what will next be unveiled about Patrick. He seems emotionless and clinical; this is paired with the where
Patrick lives and therefore results in showing the clean and artificial life that Patrick seems to be leading.
• Masks are often used to hide the identities of killers, and the use of this mask within American Psycho foreshadows that
Bateman is a killer, and also foreshadows Batemans split personalities. It also simply further emphasizes the care that
Bateman takes over himself.
• As he peels it off, he has a very serious face. This also connotes peeling someone’s face off, and his almost non-existent
reaction shows how comfortable he is with it, connoting how sadistic he is.
• After peeling the mask off, he looks exactly the same. This connotes that, although he has separate personalities, both sides
of him look, aesthetically, the same, making it difficult to distinguish the difference between his two personalities.
• When he performs his ‘stomach crunches 'and ‘Beauty treatment’ , he appears to know what he’s doing showing it’s a
regular thing. This shows how seriously he takes his appearance, which further backs up his self-importance.
• Again, during his ‘stomach crunches’, his narrative voice boasts: ‘I can do a thousand now.’ The way in which he says it
makes him seem very proud and again shows how self-obsessed he is.
• Almost everything Bale does is very calm and collected. He always seems in control, not in a hurry to be getting up. He
knows his extensive routine off by heart, connoting that it’s a daily thing, which, once again, backs up his self-importance.
• He has a serious looking face throughout the whole OTS, which connotes how seriously he takes his routine, and also
makes the viewer question whether he has anything to smile about.
• He speaks with a well-spoken American accent with correct pronunciations. He doesn’t use slang or anything, making him
seem of a higher class.
• We're then first alerted to the main character Patrick's psychopathic tendencies. As he pays for his drink in a nightclub, he
waits until the bar tender is out of ear shot and states "You're a f***ing ugly bitch. I want to stab you to death, then play
around with your blood." He then carries on as if nothing's happened suggesting to the audience that Patrick is anything but
normal and thus creates tension as to what will next be unveiled about Patrick
REPRSENTATION

5. CINEMATOGRAPHY/MISE EN SCENE
After the title sequence, the camera focuses on the food which
viewed from an aerial angle and not much focus on the actual
people, as the camera is mainly panning over the food as if to
highlight the extravagance of all the extremely small priced
gourmet dishes therefore suggesting the the audience that
social class and status will play a vital role within the narrative
Here there is a mid-shot of the waiter tracking him as he
passes by fellow customers. Following there is a close up
the waiters hand serving food but not his face therefore
implying to the audience that the waiter is of no significant to
the spectator plus presenting the level of his status which
connotes that he is below the customers of the high end
restaurant.
This following close-up presented from an high angle is of a hand
slowly cutting a gourmet desert in black glove which are associated
and have the connotation of elegance and death in which are lined
with the Sophisticated restaurant but also that American psycho is
very social class orientated.
The gloves also exaggerate Patrick’s self-obsessed, calm and put
together lifestyle suggesting to the audience that hygiene is extremely
important to him in which juxtapose with the white plate with the
connotation of innocents and purity with messy splattered red liquid which
has a connotation of blood and death which therefore implying to the
audience that Patrick has control over is urge to kill the slowly over

6. • The first shot is a tracking shot which slowly moves into Patrick
Bateman’s apartment’s living room. This is a sort of establishing
shot of his home. Also, the slowness and smoothness reflects the
impression that the viewer gets of Patrick being a calm and
orderly individual.
• Another tracking shot, but this time it slowly moves into Patrick’s bedroom. In a
way, it’s still a part of the first shot, as it is still establishes the setting. The
bleakness of the apartment is an clear representation to Patrick’s calm, plane and
put together life style. One element of this shot in which juxtaposes against
Bateman’s calm and put together lifestyle would be the unmade bed thus suggest to
the audience that Bateman is out of source ,distorted and not within his normal
state of mind thus foreshadowing the later revelation of Batemans split
personality.
• This is done simply manner to show that it is the morning, and that Patrick has just
woken up plus for the audience to get a insatiate into Batemans norms.
• We're then first alerted to the main character Patrick's
psychopathic tendencies. As he pays for his drink in a
nightclub, he waits until the bar tender is out of ear shot and
states "You're a f***ing ugly bitch. I want to stab you to
death, then play around with your blood." He then carries on
as if nothing's happened suggesting to the audience that
Patrick is anything but normal and thus creates tension as to
what will next be unveiled about Patrick

7. • This static long shot shows Patrick for the
first time, from behind in his boxers,
walking into his bathroom. Art is hung on
the wall to suggest to the audience that he
is cultured and intelligent.
• This shot is also static, and shows, from
another angle (adding to realism and
reducing boredom) Patrick approaching the
toilet. We see another framed photo, and
also see his shadow approaching the toilet
to join him; connoting the split
personalities early on.
• This shot is an associated point of view
medium close up. We see Patrick’s looks at
his reflection in this framed poster, the
illustration of a girl appears to be looking
at him. This foreshadows his paranoia,
which develops in the film; he slowly starts
to think he is being noticed and watched,
and that he won’t get away with the killings.

8. • This is another POV, in which Patrick
reaches into his fridge for his ice pack. We
see no junk food, giving us an image of his
healthy lifestyle and also obsession with
himself and his image
• This is a medium shot of Patrick placing
the mask on. The mask connotes the
hidden identity and also foreshadows
Patricks split personality .
• This is a wide shot of Patrick doing his
stomach crunches, while still wearing the
mask. This furthers the idea that the
audience is already given of his healthy
lifestyle, and unhealthy self-obsession.

9. • This is a medium shot of Patrick during
the same workout, still wearing the mask.
This has the same function as the last shot.
• This is a medium-long shot of Patrick in
the shower, from behind. We see more of
his physique here, backing up his health
obsession.
• This is a close up of Patrick grabbing one
of his many lotions and balms that he lists
in the narrative, again indicative of his self-
obsessed lifestyle.

10. • This is a close up of Patrick grabbing one
of his many lotions and balms that he lists
in the narrative, again indicative of his self-
obsessed lifestyle.
Although the scene is not a very typical one of the thriller genre, it is still very effective. It
shows a relatively normal looking man displaying an almost psychotic morning routine. The
music is also very soft and relaxing creating a strange contrast.

11. MISE-EN-SCENE
LOCATIONS: Patrick Bateman’s apartment
• Patrick Bateman’s apartment is mainly white, and quite clean yet empty looking. This
could be connoting a blank canvas, emphasizing the emptiness and blandness of the
social materialism of 80s American businessmen .
• There are many mirrors within Patrick Batemans apartment, connoting the fact that
Bateman (Christian Bale) has different personalities, although only one appearance.
• Patrick Bateman’s apartment has some pieces of art work which clearly connote to
the spectator that Bateman’s is an extremely intelligent man but also suggest that
Bateman’s is of a higher class as famous art is usually associated with rich and
cultured.
LIGHTING:
• All the lighting is natural sunlight, coming through open windows. This connotes
several things; one, Bateman’s cleanliness and artistic purity, and two, that a light is
being shone on him yet he is still roaming free and killing, backing up the element of
hiding in plain sight

12. Narrative
The equilibrium begins the audience are introduced initially to around 4-5 well dressed
men, who are obviously in a position of power. This is highlighted by the reaction of the
men when their bill arrives, Bryce (One of the supporting cast) is quoted saying
'Speaking of reasonable, only $570". The men are all in obvious positions of wealth, as
they all throw down their platinum cards in order to pay for the bill.
Todorov Narrative Theory /Equilibrium
Binary
Oppositions
There are also various binary oppositions in this opening (Levi-Strauss) some
include
Rich Vs.
Poor
Normal Vs. Insanity
Upper class Vs. Working class

13. Titles Sequence
• 00.03/00.14-Institutional Logo (Lion Gates Productions)
• 00.21/00.23-Instsitional company (Lion Gates Film Presents)
• 00.25/00.29- Producer
• 00.32/00.37-Associate Producers
• 00.38/00.44-Director (Mark Harron)
• 00.47/00.52- Title of the film (American Psycho)
• 1.00/1.05- Highest Grossing Actor –Lead Role(Christian Bale)
• 1.05/2.07- co Starring Actors such as (Jared Leto and Josh Lucas)
• 2.19/2.23- Casting by (Billy Hopkins, Suzanne Smith and Kerry Barden
• 2.33/2.37- Costume Designer by (Isis Mussenden)
• 2.44/2.48- Production Designer (Gideon Ponte)
• 2.59/3.03- Music Supervisors (Barry Cole & Christopher Covert)
• 3.07/3.11- Music By (John Cale)
• 3.15/3.19- Editor (Andrew Marcus)
• 3.23/3.27- Director of Photography (Andrzej Sekula)

14. Relevance To My Opening
After analyzing American Psycho directed by Mark Harron, I began extracting inspiration
from the opening and how codes and conventions of a psychological thriller have been
followed during the title sequence and opening scene. Firstly one element which I found to
be fascinating and would like to emulate within my own film opening would be the way
music has been used to suggest an element of mystery, suspense but also imply significant
and importance of a character to the audience during the title sequence . Another factor
from the opening scene of American Psycho in which I found extremely interesting and
would like to embed something somewhat similar to my own film opening would be the use
of cinematography and how it clearly portrayed class, wealth and status. lastly one more
element from American Psycho which I consider to embed within my own film would be the
use of a voice over to represent the mental capability of my character.