AMERICAN PHSYCO OPENING SEQUENCE

ANALYSIS

Camera movement/shots/angles

The camera movement :is fast and unsteady at times(especially in the club scene) this helps to give a
more realistic impression of being in a club to the audience. People are dancing/moving about feeling
energetic etc. this could have been done by using various hand held shots.
The use of low/ high angled shots also adds to the continuity of the club scene and the intensity of
the night.

Tracking shot at beginning-revealing a person at the

door of this club. You see money being handed to her,
camera then gradually moves up from her hand to her
face (this shows classic actions/activities that are
involved with clubs.

The use of a variety of close-up, medium

and wide shots (again) help the audience to
distinguish the intense club atmosphere.
(especially the establishing shot of the
outside of the club-near beginning).This
then cuts to an over the shoulder shot of the
man talking to the woman at the bar, sharing
an eye line match to one another.

This eye line match then intensifies in a medium shot of the mans face revealing a
strong malicious intent, as he stares at the woman-which could be looked upon as
an insight into this characters personality (by the audience). As soon as this
scene cuts to this character the camera movement is very still and steady- the shots
of him are also mostly within a looser frame compared with the shots of the club
atmosphere, however this juxtaposes with what he then supposedly says to
the woman about wanting to stab her -then play around with her blood.
It is unclear whether this is being said in his thoughts however.

Then the camera movement changes: to a more steady pace which is more graceful because it glides along the loose
frames of his surroundings when the club scene cuts to the mans home. This could signify that this man has quite a feminine
side to his personality/this juxtaposes with the intense energetic club atmosphere.
There are multiple long-medium long shots which the camera gently glides into to create. These shots have quite a soft
focus which makes the surroundings in the shots look very dream like (again) graceful.

Then as the man begins to talk about himself, we get a series of close-ups to medium close-ups. Which could suggest that the
audience are beginning to delve deeply into what makes up this character. Through these close-ups it is evident this man values
his health and appearance.

this is also an over

the shoulder shotaudience feels even
more so involved
with the character
who is sharing his
life

Editing
The club scene- is low key lighting and there is obvious colourisation during this scene as the
surroundings are very dark but lit with an electric blue lighting, you can also notice separate white
flashing lights-relevant for a club scene (its realistic).

There is some shot/reverse shot editing when the man has a brief talk with the bar
woman

The editing in the next scene is very simple and mostly consists of long takes-this connotes the
man is most peaceful and serene being in his sanctuary (that is his home) whereas in the club
scene the man seems at ease however gets quite agitated whilst hes threatening to stab the
woman at the bar (hence use of shorter takes).

Mise en scene
In the club scene most background people are wearing relevant costumes for a club, especially the
person at the door who is very extravagantly dressed (drawing attention to the club)

There are also people who are

quite formally dressed (in suits)this suggests to the audience this is
the type of high end club where
successful business people can
afford to go/ people with power and
authority-such as the main
character
In the next scene he's
shown wearing only
underwear-this is
showing the audience
that this character is
being revealed in his
way of living
completely, suggesting
he is the main focus in
this film.
The mans home is filled
with the colour white
(walls, furniture and soft
furnishings etc). This is
very high key lighting and
this colour signifies
purity/heaven and

Has many
different beauty
products-likes
to take care of
himself and
look well
groomed

His facial expressions

can seem very sweet
and innocent however
his words say
otherwise

sound
the first scene of this opening sequence (in the club) has diegetic sound and/or ambient sound. It is very
normal and expected to hear loud music and people socialising in a club location and this is what
the main character of this film is hearing.
The mans tone of voice when he Is speaking to the woman at the bar sounds aggressive and hateful and
his actual dialogue matches his tone; he says: you ugly bitch I want to stab you to death -this
instantly suggests this character has possible anger issues. Meanwhile the woman is speaking with
her voice raised which is realistic due to her location; this also suggests she did not hear the man
speaking to her.
The next scene then has non diegetic sound which is demonstrated through the use of peaceful piano
playing. Then you hear the mans voiceover; his tone of voice is at this point very calming (as he
opens up about himself). This suggests he may have many different layers to his personality.