It is an extremely controversial novel, given its depiction of increasingly brutal violence against women. All i wanted was to be ambiguous in the way that the book was. One interpretation of this is that bateman has conveyed the entire story of the novel through the act of brutally murdering the reader. While initially appearing straightforward, the film. American psycho bret easton ellis is a misogynist book writer. This has been by far the most important issue with the book upon its release. In many ways the text of american psycho is one mans ultimate series of selfies. Didnt really double check the source for this but that is what is stated for the book.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of american psycho by bret easton ellis. While mary harrons christian balestarring adaptation of american psycho has become a cult favorite, author bret easton ellis has never been a fan of her movie. While the novel american psycho is set in 1989, the film adaptation is set in 1987. American psycho is a dark and biting satire on 80s excess and toxic masculinity. Like other works which critique and lampoon 1980s yuppie culture, such as tom wolfes the bonfire of the vanities 1984 and oliver stones wall street 1987, american psycho. Ellis was first regarded as one of the socalled literary brat pack, which also included tama janowitz and jay mcinerney. It was really about what is going on with men now, in terms of surface narcissism. Sign up to our email newsletter for updates on new videos, fun film trivia, news on. The film is a pitchblack comedy of manners about male narcissism official site archived here david ansen critic. During a scene in which patrick grinds up a womans corpse. Toward the end of the movie bateman comes back to the apartment and the bodies are gone. Though the tale was intended as a snapshot of the conformist, consumerist, superficial late1980s cultural landscape, american psycho s vision of modern urbane life has. American psycho explained there are obviously potential spoilers as it is an attempt to decipher and explain the ending of american psycho. Many contain scenes of sexual violence which, in the uk, might be illegal on film.
Mar 01, 2020 the words this is not an exit are on a sign which bateman reads while sitting in a club with his friends. He represents an almost total lack of ego, a superego based on a deviant. As his novel american psycho arrives in stores and death threats are delivered suggesting he should be dismembered like the victims of the book. So, this may have been discussed at some point, though i was curious, in the book, american psycho, was the movie adaptation similar in the general explanation of patrick batman. American psycho study guide from litcharts the creators. Dangerously skirting an nc17 rating throughout its production, it is a. Jan 10, 2015 irvine welsh american psycho is a modern classic when published in 1991, bret easton elliss american psycho caused outrage for its depictions of violence, especially towards women. In adapting bret easton elliss turgid, gory 1991 novel to the screen, the director mary harron has boiled a bloated stew of brand names and butchery into a lean and mean horror comedy classic. Patrick batemans personality traits can be explained as below. Bret easton ellis answers critics of american psycho. The reader is introduced to the novels narrator, patrick bateman, a 27yearold wall street investment banker. Its the only time i ever finished a movie and immediately restarted it. The story is told in the first person by patrick bateman, a serial killer and manhattan businessman. In his 2005 mockmemoir lunar park, ellis is interrogated by detective donald kimball about a number of grisly murders suspected to have been committed by bateman.
He works on wall street, has a pretty girlfriend, and spends most of his life in trendy restaurants and clubs. Bret easton ellis born march 7, 1964 is an american author, screenwriter, shortstory writer, and director. See actions taken by the people who manage and post content. Bret easton ellis answers critics of american psycho the. And, surprisingly, its a pretty faithful interpretation of the source material. Obviously books will always disclose more detail, and are able to paint a picture that the reader connects to, however i wanted to know that in the book s. The meaning of a book is to awaken you, to make you feel alive. But even after admitting this and i have, countless times, in just about every act ive committed. Thus there can be no objective analysis of the novel.
However i feel that in the last few years, via youtube clips and gifs, the internet has propagated this idea that patrick bateman is some sort of hilarious, anticonformity, antihero. American psycho presents a unique challenge for personality theories. In elliss 1998 novel glamorama, both patrick bateman and christian bale the actor who played bateman in the american psycho film adaptation make appearances. But you can chalk those feelings up to ellis own insecurities about making a movie of his most famous book a visual medium like a movie requires answers to questions that a book simply doesnt require. American psycho by bret easton ellis books the guardian. However, any film version of the story would by nature lack that ability to mean multiple things at once. As the narration progresses, events in the film get more. Examined is how psychoanalytic theory applies to this character. Ive been known to be both a picky reader and a finicky film critic, and even i think the movie version of bret easton ellis novel, published in 1991, is faithful to the text its based on. This study guide consists of approximately 41 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of american psycho. Violence in american psycho college university of stuttgart grade 2,0 author florian burkhardt author year 2005 pages 12 catalog number v46344 isbn ebook 9783638435499 file size 374 kb language english notes this is an interpretation of bret easton ellis american psycho. American psycho is a novel by bret easton ellis first published in 1991. In american psycho, bret easton ellis explores the incomprehensible depths of madness and captures the insanity of violence in our time or another. Dec, 20 youd hardly expect the words american psycho and musical theater to be used in the same sentence, but a stage adaptation of bret easton elliss controversial novel has opened at londons almeida theater.
The movie dissects the 80s culture of materialism, narcissism and greed quoted here. If you are aware of it, the book leaves much to be desired, nightmares or not. American psycho is a movie adaptation directed by marry harron released in the year 2000 that was based off of the 1991 novel of the same name authored by bret easton ellis. Set in manhattan during the wall street boom of the late 1980s, american psycho follows the life of wealthy young investment banker patrick. Wikipedia states that the author deliberately left the reality of the murders open to interpretation. As film adaptations of books go, the movie american psycho released in 2000 is fairly spoton. Even after 15 years of its release, the much ambiguous ending of american psycho calls for debate amongst fans. Another example is that a novel describes and a film shows things. One of the conceits of the film is that yuppies really are scum. Meanwhile, the eventual film version was immediately under protest. It is the story about the archetypal 80s businessman. Abandon all hope ye who enter here is graffitied across the side of a bank in bloodred paint. A film adaptation starring christian bale as bateman was released in 2000 to generally favorable revie. The main character, patrick bateman, is a wealthy and successful lawyer.
American psycho, a novel by bret easton ellis, satirizes the apathy, narcissism. Adapting american psycho to the big screen was a perilous task, almost impossible, as bret easton elliss novel is harsh in its detailed, even surgical representation of violence and sex. The novel tells the story of norman bates, caretaker at an isolated motel who struggles under his domineering mother and becomes embroiled in a series of murders. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. American psycho begins with a quote from dantes inferno. As described by the critic jennifer krause in her intertextual analysis of the novel, which relies on the work of. Examining the personality of patrick bateman of american psycho. Both book and movie versions of american psycho are extremely controversial for their brutality and elements of dark humor, but the various. Sign up to our email newsletter for updates on new videos, fun film. It stars christian bale, willem dafoe, jared leto, josh lucas, chloe sevigny, samantha mathis, cara seymour, justin theroux, guinevere turner and reese witherspoon. A novel and a movie always differ, theyre very different media. May 25, 2016 again, if youve seen the film and ill warn you of spoilers here, even though i may not have to, though i also get to say, shame on you for having not seen psycho yet you know that marion played by janet leigh is the star up until about the halfway mark, at which point she is murdered by norman bates, disguised as his longdead mother. American psycho, a novel by bret easton ellis, satirizes the apathy, narcissism, and emotional void of modern consumerist culture, through the metaphor of the psychopathic killer, patrick bateman, whom no one will believe is a killer, despite his repeated confessions.
Alison kelly of the observer notes that while some countries so potentially disturbing that it can only be sold shrinkwrapped, critics rave about it and academics revel in its transgressive and postmodern qualities. Differences between american psycho book vs movie page 1. The question is how to make a film that resembles american psycho but not too closely. The top 10 scenes in literature to bring you terrorsleep. Far too often i had to look up a word in the dictionary just to realize that the author chose to use an obscure synonym of a simple word. Irvine welsh american psycho is a modern classic books. But american psycho director mary harron said audiences werent supposed to think bateman is innocent.
Mar 04, 2014 analysing american psycho book vs film bret easton ellis controversial postmodern gothic novel and director mary harrons film adaptation, the story of american psycho is set in the wall street boom of the reagan 80s, describing modern consumerism and human aimlessness through the narration of psychopath patrick bateman. The ending of american psycho finally explained youtube. The film version of american psycho 2000, starring christian bale. It is an unreliable first person narrative, in the present tense, given by the main character, patrick bateman, who is a yuppie living in 1980s new york city.
The generic american psycho david eldridge following elizabeth youngs 1991 analysis of the controversy surrounding the publication of bret easton elliss american psycho, this article discusses the efforts of the makers of the 2000 film adaptation to rehabilitate the novel. American psycho is a novel that makes a statement about modern society. Mar 06, 1991 as his novel american psycho arrives in stores and death threats are delivered suggesting he should be dismembered like the victims of the book s fictional killer, bret easton ellis seems. American psycho, bret easton ellis american psycho is a novel, by bret easton ellis, published in 1991. I still think american psycho should be in my top ten books of all time. This is evidenced by the scene where patrick is briefly reading zagats survey. The film adaptation of the bret easton ellis novel american psycho was released in 2000, and has been confusing viewers ever since. We take a look at american psycho, both the novel and film, and see which one slays better. The book points out that most of american psycho is mere list making and a lesson in bad writing. Shes transformed a novel about blood lust into a movie about mens vanity. A new american psycho movie is now in the early stages of development over at lionsgate.
Much like the book its based on, american psycho isnt really about patrick bateman. The book and the film versions of american psycho have one thing in common, and thats the controversy that surrounds them. Regarding american psycho, the scene described is copied from a much more frightening book, from the master. When bateman reads this and includes it in his mental dialogue with the reading audience it is the last sentence in the book. Now especially led boycotts and organized protest against the book s glorification of misogyny. They are worthless and interchangeable, so people cant tell one from the other, and nobody cares or even realizes when one is murdered. Is patrick bateman in american psycho actually a serial. American psycho author should stick to fiction the american. She told charlie rose, one thing i think is a failure on my part is people keep coming out of the film thinking that its all a dream, and i never intended that. Sep 02, 2017 the film adaptation of the bret easton ellis novel american psycho was released in 2000, and has been confusing viewers ever since. American psycho begins with the words at the entrance to dantes hell, scrawled in blood red lettering on the side of the chemical bank near the corner of eleventh and first. American psycho is a satirical novel written by bret easton ellis and published in 1991.
Jun 14, 2011 bret easton elliss controversial novel american psycho turns 20 this year. Irvine welsh american psycho is a modern classic books the. Irvine welsh american psycho is a modern classic when published in 1991, bret easton elliss american psycho caused outrage for its depictions of violence, especially towards women. May 15, 2019 it also reflects the fragmentary commentary found in the book about actors, elliss experience writing american psycho, the sexual revolution, millennials, social media, more social media. Patrick bateman is handsome, well educated and intelligent. Christian bale in the 2000 film version of novel american psycho. In the movie donald kimball is a young detective, almost at the same age as patrick 26 donald kimball is portrait by willem dafoe, turning him into an older character.
A book usually doesnt fit into a movie, for example. Patrick bateman, everyman american psycho 2000 bwdr. His description of himself near the end of the book and which also concluded the movie in a somewhat condensed fashion. What bret easton elliss novel teaches us about capitalism. American psycho 2000 frequently asked questions imdb. American psycho is a novel by bret easton ellis, published in 1991. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Bateman, who relays the action of the novel, as well as his innermost thoughts. The american psycho film community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. I was disappointed with imperial bedrooms and bought the first edition not waiting for the paperback. He is a selfproclaimed satirist whose trademark technique, as a writer, is the expression of extreme acts and opinions in an affectless style. Like american psycho, many of these books had to fight their way into print. The novel is considered as being blochs most enduring work and one of the most influential horror books of the 20th century.
I was so disappointed in that book that i gave it to the library for their friends sale. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. Brett easton ellis established a reputation as the enfant terrible of american fiction in the 1980s with his controversial novel less than zero, but with the publication of american psycho he became established as one of the most notorious and reviled novelists currently writing. American psycho is a 2000 american neonoir satirical psychological horror film cowritten and directed by mary harron, based on bret easton ellis s 1991 novel of the same name. He is twentyseven and living his own american dream. I hadnt seen the movie before i picked american psycho up, but most people who know a bit about books know a bit about patrick bateman. A male director might have thought patrick bateman, the hero of american psycho, was a serial killer because of psychological twists, but mary harron sees him as a guy whos prey to the usual male drives and compulsions. What did patrick bateman mean when he says, this is not an. The firstperson narrator is a wall street investment banker named patrick bateman, who either is or imagines himself to be a prolific serial killer. Ellis explained that the book was really about the dandification of the american male. The book was banned in multiple countries upon its release and decried almost universally by feminist groups of the early 90s. Psycho is a 1959 horror novel by american writer robert bloch. American psycho is a 2000 satirical psychological horror film cowritten and directed by mary harron, based on bret easton elliss 1991 novel of the same name. The story is told in the first person by patrick bateman, a serial killer and manhattan investment banker.
Examining the personality of patrick bateman of american. American psycho reboot being developed screen rant. Alison kelly of the observer notes that while some countries deem it so potentially disturbing that it can only be sold shrinkwrapped, critics rave about it and academics revel in its transgressive and postmodern. American psycho is an allegoric movie that satirizes on the american society, in which material values are more important that moral ones. The readers guide is the same but on the opposite end of the spectrum. When you read american psycho, its clear well before the book ends that bateman is not actually a sadistic evil serial killer. Variety is reporting that the new, lowbudgeted american psycho project has not officially been greenlit by lionsgate just yet. Bret easton elliss controversial novel american psycho turns 20 this year. The film brilliantly distills the extremes of the novel and gets all the large concepts across successfully.
Patrick bateman admits at the outset of the film that there is no real him, that hes constructed an illusion of a person. I keep hoping for one of his books to grab ahold of me. American psycho is bret easton elliss third novel, released in 1991. Also, the televised speech by president ronald reagan, as shown the final scene of the film, also occurred in 1987 whereas reagan had already left the white house by the. In the decades since its release in theaters on april 14, 2000, american psycho has become a cult classic, both misinterpreted as a glorification of its deranged protagonist and better understood as a feminist critique of the interwoven nature of misogyny, entitlement, and violence.
Be sure to leave a like a subscribe, and follow us. The movie focuses on the main character patrick bateman who is an investment banker in new york in the era of the early 1980s. Is american psycho profound, artistic nihilism or stupid. I havent read the book yet not sure if i want to after reading excerpts but the ambiguity is a big reason why american psycho is my favorite film. It stars anthony perkins, janet leigh, john gavin, vera miles, and martin balsam, and was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by robert bloch.
Like the bret easton ellis book that its based on, the ending of mary harrons american psycho is rather ambiguous, and has been a source of debate amongst fans for a long time. Harron won control of the american psycho film project by heading off this interpretation. Psycho is a 1960 american psychological thriller film directed and produced by alfred hitchcock, and written by joseph stefano. American psycho study guide from litcharts the creators of. American psycho summary from litcharts the creators of. How does the movie american psycho differ from the book. Rather, the film aims to portray the selfindulgent and hedonistic wall street elite of 1980s new york in a. A wealthy new york city investment banking executive, patrick bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his coworkers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies. Then watched it several times that week as each time i did i noticed more details and clues. He is interested in luxurious clothes, expensive restaurants, fashion, and personal appearance harron, 2000. Director mary harron, however, i shot andy warhol carries it out with success, preserving the essence of story while visually toning it down.