2000 released, 'American Psycho' is a thriller set in New York city 1987, of a handsome, young urban professional, Patrick Bateman played by Christian Bale whom lives a second life as a serial killer by night. Most thrillers conform to Todorov's theory of equilibrium and disequilibrium stages within the narrative. However it is vital that the producers use a restricted narrative, as it is a convention of the thriller genre, especially in the opening scene. For example, in American Psycho, only the equilibrium is represented however weariness is connoted from the soundtrack and voice overs used in an ironic method.
A soundtrack is present however isn't continuous throughout the production, this creates weariness on the audience as it sets the mood for the rest of the film connoting the unpredictable events or characters to come. In the very beginning the non-diegetic and voice over soundtrack is parallel and synchronous to the images, however the harsh low sound of the voice-over creates the scene to become weary and a sense of irony from the juxtaposition of what he is saying and what he sounds or what the demographic expects him to be like. The harsh almost demonic voice-over connotes his created a persona to hide his truth self or form, signifying a inner demon attempting to escape.
The soundtrack becomes contrapuntal from the image in the very end shot, this signifies an uneasiness weary feeling on the target audience causing the creation of enigma; which is set in the beginning as a main theme or emotion for the rest of the film. However the voice-over is remains parallel as he pulls of the facial mask he explains how, 'he is not all there' this connotes a subliminal message that all of what he has previous told the demographic about his morning facial and body routine is a up-keeping of a mask with he tricks people with daily where the real him is in the shadows at night when all the morning routine fades away or wears off.
The narrative is restricted yet broad in different terms. For example the in terms of equilibriums, disruption, resolution and new equilibrium stages the information is very restricted, to create enigma on the target audience, connoting a sense of a deeper narrative in which the brief narrative represented acts as a cover-up to hide the truth, this then leads to signifying the protagonist Patrick Bateman mental state of mind and his impact on the narrative as it progresses. However the narrative is broad in terms of information about the character's morning routine.
The opening sequence subverts the ideology of low key lighting and de-saturated lighting being conventions of the thriller genre. everything is the scenes are bright neutral colours filmed in high key lighting where everything is set out perfectly and neat, connoting the mental state of the character, which then leads to the narrative. This signifies later reasoning and explanations of the disequilibrium and connotes ideology that the character himself drives the narrative, and is dependent on him. The ideology of the character, 'Patrick' driving the narrative is conformed in the shots. Every shot the same male character is seen and heard in a voice-over connoting his importance and impact he creates on the narrative, this leaves enigma on the demographic to if the character takes the role of a hero or villain.
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