American psycho, bret easton ellis american psycho is a novel, by bret easton ellis, published in 1991. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of american psycho by bret easton ellis. Bret easton ellis on patrick batemans legacy author reflects on controversial book s surprising afterlife, from a cult movie to a new musical. Meanwhile, the eventual film version was immediately under protest. How does the movie american psycho differ from the book. While initially appearing straightforward, the film. T hree years after the bret easton ellis novel american psycho finally got made into a movie, after a production odyssey nearly as tortured and calamitous as its publication as a book, a.
These are the sources and citations used to research american psycho. 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. Be sure to leave a like a subscribe, and follow us on twitter. With chiseled good looks that belie his insanity, a businessman takes pathological pride in yuppie pursuits and indulges in sudden homicidal urges. Ive read the book, ive listened to the audio version, and ive seen the movie about three. A novel and a movie always differ, theyre very different media. Bret easton ellis is a very, very good writer and american psycho is a beautifully controlled, careful, important novel. A directtovideo sequel, american psycho 2, directed by morgan j. American psycho ist ein roman des usamerikanischen autors bret easton ellis.
This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on sunday, may 17, 2015 dvd, video, or film. The reader is introduced to the novels narrator, patrick bateman, a 27yearold wall street investment banker. The book was banned in multiple countries upon its release and decried almost universally by feminist groups of the early 90s. American psycho film essays are academic essays for citation. The film currently holds a 67% fresh rating on rotten tomatoes. American psycho is not only a great critique of the 80s yuppie culture, but it is a scathing criticism of a nations moral decay. American psycho 2000 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. American psycho summary from litcharts the creators of. The book and the film versions of american psycho have one thing in common, and thats the controversy that surrounds them.
The movie, american psycho, is taken from the book of the same name that is written by bret easton ellis. American psycho, based on the novel of the same name by bret easton ellis, is a psychological horror film mixed with black comedy that is even better in 2020 than it was in 2000 the film, which was directed by mary harron and written by guinevere turner, explores many themes such as toxic masculinity, the wealth divide, white privilege, and sexism. In american psycho a film that deserves much more attention than its got he is absolutely terrific. American psycho, a more ambitious, far more confident film, salvages a novel widely loathed for its putative misogyny and gruesome torture scenes by removing its excess fat in a kind of. Theres debate among fans whether any of patrick batemans murders really happened, but forgotten sequel american psycho 2 actually settles it. Like american psycho, many of these books had to fight their way into print. Greed greed is another evident theme in the novel american psycho, in which all the characters in the story demonstrate it at one point. American psycho is a novel, by bret easton ellis, published in 1991. Book depository books with free delivery worldwide.
A neoliberal nightmare in american psycho and trainspotting. The story is told in the first person by patrick bateman, a serial killer and manhattan businessman. Money, sex, social stature, there is always someone else who has more and everyone else expect from you to try harder for even more. It is a depiction, a fantasy if you will, of the life of modern man and his place in society. An analysis american psycho is a novel about a serial killer. Now regarded by many as a modern horror classic, american psycho hit theaters in 2000, and was not without controversy for its level of blood and violence, especially in the unrated cut later released to home video. Bret easton ellis incredibly graphic novel and mary harrons just as bonkers adaptation of american psycho are just as relevant now as when they were.
Be sure to leave a like a subscribe, and follow us. 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. Christian bale in the 2000 film version of novel american psycho. See actions taken by the people who manage and post content. Its also a story about a callous murderer, with several gruesome killings shown, and lots of blood, as well as shots of severed heads and body parts. American psycho the bret easton ellis novel american psycho, a dark, violent satire of the me culture of ronald reagans 1980s, is certainly one of the most controversial books of the 90s, and that notoriety fueled its bestseller status. Set in manhattan during the wall street boom of the late 1980s, american psycho follows the life of. American psycho other bibliographies cite this for me. American psycho, vintage books, new york 1991, isbn. The sequels only connection with the original is the death of patrick bateman played by michael kremko wearing a face mask, briefly shown in a flashback. Abandon all hope ye who enter here is graffitied across the side of a bank in bloodred paint. 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.
Dangerously skirting an nc17 rating throughout its production, it is a. Set in manhattan during the wall street boom of the late 1980s, american psycho follows the life of wealthy young investment banker patrick. American psycho 2 proves patrick batemans murders really. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. A big difference in my opinion is that a book lends itself for describing the thoughts of characters and the novel american psycho is almost one big stream of consioussness of one character, patrick bateman.
Another example is that a novel describes and a film shows things. Bret easton ellis american psycho even people who have never read bret easton ellis american psycho likely do not expect to hear the phrase comedy of manners in reference to it. Though the tale was intended as a snapshot of the conformist, consumerist, superficial late1980s cultural landscape, american psychos vision of modern urbane life has proven scarily prescient. American psycho begins with a quote from dantes inferno. It is the story about the archetypal 80s businessman. A book usually doesnt fit into a movie, for example. 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.
Both book and movie versions of american psycho are extremely controversial for their brutality and elements of dark humor, but the various. It was written in the first person perspective by bret easton ellis in 1991 in the personality of patrick bateman. Eric eisenberg like the bret easton ellis book that its based on, the ending of mary harrons american psycho is rather ambiguous, and has been a. Patrick reunites with his exgirlfriend bethany for lunch, back at his place patrick kills her with mace, stabs and bites her fingers off. American psycho by bret easton ellis, paperback barnes. Mile high media american psycho movie poster 24x36 inch wall art portrait print. I dont think thats the general consensus of the story, though. The content of the movie created a good deal of controversy because of the explicit sex and violence scenes. Author bret easton ellis said, american psycho was a book i didnt think needed to be turned into a movie, as the medium of film demands answers, which would make the book infinitely less interesting.
To have the american psycho explained, one must know the plot first. Differences between american psycho book vs movie page 1. The story is set in new york amongst the 1980s wall street boom. Comedy of menace maybe, but definitely not comedy of manners. The book creates a dissonance from real life and the actual plot that leaves the reader questioning if our.
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. And there are always going to be people getting the wrong message from a movie book see also. This movie is about eliminating competition the easy way. American psycho movie book project tyler rohde the book at its core i believe that american psycho is, unlike the movie, not a psychological thriller or horror book, but rather a critisicm a satire on the 1980s new york yuppie culture. Bret easton elliss american psycho is easily one of the most brutal and graphic novels ever written.
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. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of american psycho film by mary harron. Just finished reading american psycho then watched the film. The film was denounced by american psycho author bret easton ellis. Shes transformed a novel about blood lust into a movie about mens vanity.
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. Patrick batemans constant desires for money and power are shown through his power dominance of women during sexual intercourse. American psycho is a novel by bret easton ellis first published in 1991. If it falls short of the deadly satire of bret easton elliss novel, american psycho still finds its own blend of horror and humor, thanks in part to a fittingly. He works on wall street, has a pretty girlfriend, and spends most of. A big difference in my opinion is that a book lends itself. We take a look at american psycho, both the novel and film, and see which one slays better. As film adaptations of books go, the movie american psycho released in 2000 is fairly spoton. Movies based on books, crime movies, crime dramas, dramas, thriller movies, crime thrillers. Parents need to know that american psycho is based on bret easton elliss controversial 1991 novel, which is set in the 1980s and deals with materialism, narcissism, and the amassing of great wealth to be spent on personal pleasure. Freeman and starring mila kunis, was released in 2002. American psycho is better in 2020 than 2000 screen rant. The film adaptation of the bret easton ellis novel american psycho was released in 2000, and has been confusing viewers ever since.
Predator and prey themes in american psycho and the strange case of dr. He works on wall street, has a pretty girlfriend, and spends most of his life in trendy restaurants and clubs. American psycho essays are academic essays for citation. There is a lot of black comedy in american psycho, though. A book and movie and soontobe broadway musical, american psycho by bret easton ellis is the story of a true 80s businessman. Posters usa american psycho movie poster glossy finish mov257 24 x 36 61cm x 91. When comparing author bret easton elliss controversial novel, american psycho to the film of the. Capitalism, violence, and sexuality american psycho by bret easton ellis and dracula by bram. Shocking the reader in american psycho and a clockwork orange. If you doubt this, just look at newspaper coverage, war movies. The novelists function is to keep a running tag on the progress of culture.