Shot by Shot Scene Analysis (American Psycho)

       One of my favorite intros in a movie is the beginning of American Psycho. The Cinematographer, Andrzej Sekula, managed to create a collection of cohesive scenes that beautifully convey the emotion of the movie. This scene sets the tone of the entire move incredibly.

In this first shot a camera tracks down perfectly organized and clean apartment which will late push the separation between the main character and his environment.

The scene then moves to a disheveled bed again with lighting that is very bright and revealing showing an almost spotless quality to the apartment.

In this shot the camera pulls in to an ECU through the reflection of the picture behind the toilet. It emphasizes the characters obsession with himself. Always looking at himself.

I also like the lighting in this scene. They use a really strong key to show what I would assume to be the "two faced" quality of his character. There is the side that he shows to everyone and then there is the dark side.

The next couple of shots show the main character in high key lighting shots. They montage his morning as he prepares the image of himself that he shows everyone.

This one of the first masks we see in the film showing his hidden "true" self.

Low key lighting on this shot. Presumably to define the body that he has created for the world.

Once again this scene shows the double sides of him through a double reflection in the mirror. It's a really well angled shot that once again has a strong key.

An insert of his hand grabbing a face mask. I also like the back lighting on this through the clear plastic behind the colognes.

This is another great shot with a strong key on his right side but also another fill that reflects off of the mask that he has on his face. The mask obviously showing the the side that he shows to the world that isn't really him.