Looking At Openings

American Psycho Opening Scene

Creation of Enigma

There is the use of very slow camera movements at first and we are shown some rooms in someone's apartment, it is like we are walking through it ourselves. We are wondering who's apartment it is. When we get introduced to the owner there is a voice over and he starts talking about himself and very intricate details about himself, also some very pointless information, we once again begin to question, why is he telling us all this information? There isn't much enigma created in this opening sequence apart from just leaving us with a bunch of questions and wanting to know what will happen next after he has taken his 'mask' off. 

Introduction to Characters

We learn a lot about the one character we get introduced to, a young male, whom seems to be the protagonist of the film. We are introduced to him by a voice over and him going to the toilet and seeing his reflection in a painting, by zooming in slowly. Even though we only learn small, minute details which seem pointless we get to know a lot about him and how he does seem quite unusual. We find out his name, age, where he lives and on what floor, and then what he does to look after himself and his routine. We see that he is a very clean person and is very tidy, for instance, when we have the over the shoulder shot and see into his cabinet, everything is in a tidy, arranged order also all his rooms are white and pristine, connoting that he does care about himself, his looks and how he lives etc.When he is putting and taking off his 'mask', this is the first time we get a proper close up on his face and see what he looks like, this connotes that he seems to be something that he isn't, everything is just a cherade. 

Pace and Rhythm

Everything is very slow paced and very calm, the non-diegetic classical music in the background is quite loud and overpowering, even till the end the camera shots and movements are are slow paced and the use of the straight cuts creates verisimilitude. The only thing that really changes is the non-diegetic soundtrack which changes from piano music to a slower and colder soundtrack connoting that not all is as it seems and builds up the tension and enigma and makes us want to know what is going to happen next. The pace is slow just like his routine, and the rhythm doesn't change either, everything is stable until the end, connoting that this man is not as he seems. The voice over speed and rhythm is the same throughout this opening also and is quite slow and can hear every word he is saying and take notice of what it is that he is saying, but as the music slows down his tone also changes and not the same as it was before connoting that he lives two lives symbolised by the removing of the mask.  

Setting up the Plot

There isn't really any setting up of the plot, there is mainly characterisation and the plot could go anywhere, for instance, it could go to him being crazy psycho murderer, or just living a normal life, not mentally stable.

Mood and Tone

There is a neutral mood throughout and no evidence that this is going to be a psychological thriller, there is maybe evidence for it being a psychological genre, but not thriller. There is quite a serious, sophisticated tone and a serious mood which connotes that everything has to be taken seriously and the male is a serious person who needs and wants everything to be perfect.