Poster analysis: American Psycho

A2 media studies
horror

1. Poster Analysis: American Psycho Noshin Jahan

2. About American Psycho Release: 21 st April 2000 Age rating: 18+ Synopsis: American psycho is a psychological horror thriller about a handsome, successful businessman (Patrick Bateman) who lives in New York. He has a hidden personality as a gory serial killer who imagines killing people who threatens his reputation as a successful businessman and kills them in the most gruesome ways. His outward ‘businessman’ personality; is easily threatened; has no patience; likes to keep fit and handsome and might seem charming to most of the ladies he confronts. This film raises issues of how wanting to maintain a successful reputation can make a person a psycho monster.

3. Background: The background is predominantly red, with the colour black emerging.=This connotes some kind of hidden secret, there is clearly something that is supposed to be hidden. Background: It seems as if a part of his face and arm is fading into darkness= this shows that he is blending into the background, as if he’s hiding. Background: Certain parts of the poster is highlighted, for example: part of the suit is highlighted, perhaps this is done to link with the synopsis about being a successful businessman who turns into a monster in society.

4. Subject: Patrick Bateman is looking away at an awkward angle and we are only able to see shadows in his face, the shadows in his face almost make him look monstrous. His face seems deformed= this perhaps connotes that he is an inhumane character. In the movie Patrick Bateman is presented to be savage and bestial, this awkward angle perhaps highlights his animalistic personality. Subject: The subject is wearing a clean, professional suit, this juxtaposes with his animalistic personality. The tagline ‘killer looks’ has double meaning and refers to his gruesome, ruthless personality as well as young, charming and handsome looks. Every element in this poster has some sort of hidden meaning -the iconography. The way the title is presented (half bright, half dark) links to his hidden serial killer personality and his well presented business mogul personality.

5. Iconography/symbol: The use of the knife is important as the knife contains a deformed, inhuman, and awkward reflection of his face. The reflection seems almost alien-like. Also the knife is turned away from his face, this makes the audience baffled as to how there is a reflection of him on the knife when the knife isn’t directly faced towards him. This strange reflection perhaps is supposed to make the audience question and decode what is happening, this allows the audience to discuss and feel intrigued to watch the film The text in the photos does not interact with the audience, it simply displays ‘killer looks’ and the Title, this allows the audience to decode the poster. This poster is more visual than verbal, and allows the audience to figure out the plot of the film.

6. There is no influences, for example there is no quote from a critic prompting the public to watch it. The main USP is the strange use of reflection in the image and the deformed face that gives the audience and intriguing puzzle to solve the plot. The poster does not give away the plot, but it smartly hints at certain parts of the film where he is cunning and repulsive. Overall, the poster seems very attracting and intriguing. The simple yet informative tagline gives the audience a hint of what the plot is about. Many films use strange ways of getting the audience to engage with the poster. In this poster the awkward angle and the bizarre reflection screams HORROR.