{"id":302,"date":"2025-11-03T01:53:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T01:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/?p=302"},"modified":"2025-11-03T01:54:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T01:54:11","slug":"a-scene-from-american-psycho-as-a-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/?p=302","title":{"rendered":"A Scene from American Psycho as a Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"GREAT SCENE - American Psycho\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qwicLgOGJOI?list=PLAE4410DF71EC2BC2\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@cinefilikos\">cinefilikos<\/a> on YouTube.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For my close reading of this scene from <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_Psycho_(film)\">American Psycho<\/a><\/em>, I watched the scene three separate time, each time focusing on a different aspect of the scene. The first time, I focused on the visual aspects. The second time, I focused on the audio aspects. Finally, I looked at the scene as a whole using both audio and video. I had never watched anything from the movie before this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visual Aspects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>During this watch, I turned off the audio and only watched the video. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The gestures in the scene are very exaggerated to try to tell the story. As well, each time an important object is shown, such as the medication and the axe, the film zooms in on the objects to show their importance.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Form cuts are used to follow the subject of the scene, the killer, and his actions rather than the man who stays still on the couch. However, there are no cuts at the moment of the murder, and part of the horror is showing the killer only instead of the full body of the victim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Audio Aspects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>During this watch, I turned off the video and only listened to the audio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I noticed that the killer has an older, almost <a href=\"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/?p=254\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"254\">radio-like way of talking<\/a>, and the dialogue is very fast-paced. The other guy, however, sounds down, almost like he is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/stoned\">stoned<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The music that is played in the scene is very overwhelming. It is used to take up space and cover up the act of this murder which is why it continues when the murder occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">As a Video<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>During this watch, I simply watched the scene as it is with both visuals and audio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having both the audio and the visuals add tension to the piece. It gets your heart racing to hear the ramblings of the killer as you watch him prepare to murder the man. Having both aspects of the video give hints about the murder that is about to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As well, the combination of both aspects of video add emphasis to the piece. We see the man taking a pill and hear a glass clink. The addition of both makes the action seem more real. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, in the end of the scene, the addition of the music with the lack of action from the killer contrast each other. The music is upbeat, while the killer is lower-energy. The juxtaposition creates horror in the end of the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My Analysis of this Clip as a Video Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I think this is a fantastic video story that uses the techniques that Roger Ebert discusses as well as contrast well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The killer is positioned to the left of the screen when committing the murder, similar to how Ebert says that the left side of the screen is associated with negative feelings and actions. However, since I do not think Ebert&#8217;s point is necessarily true in this day and age, as I mention in <a href=\"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/?p=300\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"300\">this post<\/a>, I think that it is instead of note of how the two characters are on different levels. Throughout the scene, the man who is murdered is sitting on a couch while the murderer stands, looming above him. That difference in level can convey to the audience that the killer has power over the man, specifically the power over his death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-photo is-provider-flickr wp-block-embed-flickr\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/30316922@N07\/2865683059\/in\/photolist-5nenJB-xDZYcj-aAo6hL-4CseJk-4rWXEJ-yyGJSb-yjvkbx-yjhXS-yjvvTz-yB2nkH-yB2iF8-yB2zQ2-yA4rUb-xAJXEW-MDzAo4-ygaMXW-ygfGiv-4w5WHS-JavmJH-ygfWzB-bpiWbW-yvsvsm-yxL3SP-xATAsr-7EhZDG-xASY7k-ygfzPZ-RR9Nf9-xAJHxC-7KYkuB-62nD6F-dME7cv-xATu4z-9ZkPdr-ygb8AJ-bVGYAz-9ZkNzF-bwASPz-5fTde4-yg9UYU-ygaW5Y-9VhN82-yvs5Ym-2jhabfZ-yg9gPy-xAKeXf-TrVsN3-yxLiE4-4GkbqP-2oPWguf\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/3129\/2865683059_56018957e5_n.jpg\" alt=\"reaper\" width=\"320\" height=\"320\" \/><\/a>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/30316922@N07\/\">soveriegnthereaper<\/a> on Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As well, the killer is often shown to be looking down at the camera which conveys that same power in the man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scene also uses form cuts that follow the killer around. This is a brilliant move because it allows for the tension to build in the scene using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/art\/dramatic-irony\">dramatic irony.<\/a> We know the killer is preparing his murder, but the man who is killed does not. That tension builds until the murder occurs, and that tension is why we as an audience are screaming for the guy to get out of the house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, the use of music in the scene is fantastic. The music is overwhelming, and the killer has to shout over the sound. That adds to the tension, but more than that, it has a plausible reason in the plot: it covers up the screaming from the murder. After the murder, having the music continue, however, serves a different purpose. It contrasts with the gruesome sight of the killer and part of the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-photo is-provider-flickr wp-block-embed-flickr\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/southernbellejen\/6880754308\/in\/photolist-e5ApuZ-2gNFe-2o4CaDp-2mmzPHh-WJjyRS-6GybNA-bu2EwY-SX5sM2-zEzPCa-2mDjo4W-2nXCWhh-5g9E66-W2AoqC-2596RuR-2qmSpn7-2nS9vFj-2htDtEs-k2o1q-2ow31rd-Nazrqx-6eEDFc-2gfCm9v-23YnnvG-6XvtXB-Ebz9Ko-7cVduW-eJAmxj-BaKeue-dFXTs3-axJUFz-6m8ZGQ-omCL2L-Rnpf64-6eJPps-bCXs8a-6m91qm-6m8ZW1-6m8ZkL-ChZF4S-4DEzJ6-2qqYNDx-2krb6u-2qdTRhU-6m92gY-2oBkZtf-MA1NCi-2nWmCvH-hcu5Bu\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/7073\/6880754308_3b3dca20b0.jpg\" alt=\"Horror Movie Cookies\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" \/><\/a>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/southernbellejen\/\">Jennifer<\/a> on Flickr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That contrast creates a sense of dread in the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, this scene does a great job of using techniques to create tension and horror. There is not a single thing that I would change, and this scene is shot well-enough that I am tempted to watch the full film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you seen <em>American Psycho<\/em>? Do you think that the whole film is framed as skillfully as this scene? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For my close reading of this scene from American Psycho, I watched the scene three separate time, each time focusing on a different aspect of the scene. The first time, I focused on the visual aspects. The second time, I focused on the audio aspects. Finally, I looked at the scene as a whole using [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[13,27],"class_list":["post-302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reflections-assignments","tag-ds106","tag-videoassignments"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=302"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":318,"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302\/revisions\/318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ds106.acemolloy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}