2019 Review for Hallowed Ground on Imdb From Anthony Ross

2000 film directed by Mary Harron

American Psycho
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mary Harron
Screenplay by	Mary Harron Guinevere Turner
Based on	American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Produced by	Edward R. Pressman Chris Hanley Christian Halsey Solomon
Starring	Christian Bale Willem Dafoe Jared Leto Josh Lucas Samantha Mathis Matt Ross Bill Sage Chloë Sevigny Cara Seymour Justin Theroux Guinevere Turner Reese Witherspoon
Cinematography	Andrzej Sekuła
Edited by	Andrew Marcus
Music by	John Cale
Production companies	Edward R. Pressman Productions Muse Productions
Distributed by	Lions Gate Films (United States) Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (International)
Release dates	Jan 21, 2000 (2000-01-21) (Sundance) April 14, 2000 (2000-04-xiv) (United States)
Running time	102 minutes[1]
Countries	United States[two] Canada[iii]
Linguistic communication	English
Budget	$7 meg[4]
Box office	$34.3 million[4]

American Psycho is a 2000 independent horror film directed by Mary Harron, who wrote the script with Guinevere Turner. It stars Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas, Chloë Sevigny, Samantha Mathis, Cara Seymour, Justin Theroux, and Reese Witherspoon. Based on Bret Easton Ellis' 1991 novel American Psycho, the motion-picture show follows Patrick Bateman (Bale), a New York Urban center investment banker who leads a double life every bit a serial killer. The satirical picture blends horror and black comedy to mock 1980s yuppie culture and consumerism, exemplified past Bateman.

Ellis considered his controversial novel potentially unfilmable, but producer Edward R. Pressman was determined to arrange it and bought the motion-picture show rights in 1992. Stuart Gordon, David Cronenberg, and Rob Weiss considered directing the moving-picture show before Harron and Turner began writing the screenplay in 1996. They sought to make a 1980s period picture show that emphasized the novel'due south satire. The pre-production period was tumultuous; Harron chose Bale to play Bateman, only distributor Lions Gate Films was then adamant to bandage Leonardo DiCaprio—then considered the world's biggest actor—that it fired and replaced her with Oliver Stone. Subsequently Stone and DiCaprio left due to creative differences, Harron was rehired and Lions Gate begrudgingly let her cast Bale. Main photography began in February 1999 in Toronto and New York City with a $7 million budget.

American Psycho debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2000, and was released theatrically on Apr 14, 2000. The film was a fiscal success, grossing over $34 million against a $7 million budget, and received mostly positive reviews, with praise for Bale's performance and the screenplay. It has developed a cult following. A direct-to-video sequel, American Psycho 2, was released in 2002, although it has little relation to the original.

Plot [edit]

In 1987, Patrick Bateman, a wealthy New York City investment broker, spends nigh of his time dining at popular restaurants while keeping up appearances for his fiancée Evelyn Williams and his circumvolve of wealthy associates, most of whom he hates. At a concern meeting, Bateman and his associates flaunt their business organization cards. Enraged by the superiority of his colleague Paul Allen's carte du jour, Bateman kills a homeless man. Bateman and Allen, who mistakes Bateman for another coworker, make plans for dinner afterwards a Christmas political party. Bateman resents Allen for his affluent lifestyle and ability to obtain reservations at an exclusive eating house that Bateman is unable to go into. Bateman manipulates Allen into getting drunk, kills him, and leaves a bulletin on Allen's answering automobile claiming that Allen has gone on a business trip to London.

Later on private investigator Donald Kimball interviews Bateman regarding Allen's disappearance, Bateman takes two prostitutes, Christie and Sabrina, to his flat, where they have sex before he abuses them. Bateman's colleague Luis Carruthers reveals a new business organization carte du jour, and then Bateman tries to strangle him in the restroom of an expensive restaurant. Carruthers mistakes the try for a sexual advance and declares his love for Bateman, who panics and flees. After murdering a model, Bateman invites his secretary Jean to dinner, suggesting that she run across him at his flat for drinks. Bateman plans to kill her with a nail gun, but desists after he receives a bulletin from Williams on his answering machine.

Kimball meets Bateman for lunch and tells him he is non a doubtable in Allen'southward disappearance. He reveals that a colleague of Bateman's claims to accept spotted Allen in London, calling the investigation into question. Bateman is relieved, just becomes perturbed and begins to incertitude himself. Bateman brings Christie to Allen's flat where he drugs his acquaintance Elizabeth earlier having sex with her and Christie. Later Bateman kills Elizabeth, Christie runs, discovering multiple female corpses as she searches for an get out. Bateman chases her and drops a chainsaw on her every bit she flees down a staircase. Afterwards, Bateman breaks off his date with Williams.

Equally Bateman uses an ATM, he sees a cat. The ATM displays the text "feed me a stray cat", then he prepares to shoot the cat. When a adult female confronts him, he shoots her. A police chase ensues, but Bateman kills the officers and blows upward a police auto. Bateman kills two more than people before hiding in his office. He calls his lawyer Harold Carnes and frantically leaves a confession, claiming to have killed twenty–40 people. The following morning, Bateman visits Allen's apartment to make clean up Allen'southward remains, but finds it vacant and for auction. The realtor tells him that the apartment does not belong to Allen before ordering him to go out. Bateman over again meets Kimball, who assures him that several witnesses saw Allen in London.

While Bateman goes to meet with his colleagues for dejeuner, Jean finds detailed drawings of murder and mutilation in Bateman's office journal. Bateman sees Carnes and mentions the phone bulletin. Carnes mistakes Bateman for another colleague and laughs off the confession every bit a joke. Bateman clarifies who he is and again confesses the murders, but Carnes says his claims are impossible since he recently had dinner with Allen in London. A confused Bateman returns to his friends; they muse whether Ronald Reagan is a harmless old homo or subconscious psychopath before discussing their dinner reservations. Bateman, unsure if his crimes were imaginary, realizes he will never receive the punishment he desires.

Cast [edit]

• Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman: A New York investment banker who leads a double life as a series killer.
• Willem Dafoe equally Donald Kimball: A private investigator who investigates Bateman'southward murder of Paul Allen.
• Jared Leto as Paul Allen: A fellow investment broker who Bateman murders.
• Chloë Sevigny as Jean: Bateman's secretarial assistant.
• Reese Witherspoon as Evelyn Williams: Bateman'south fiancée who he despises.

Bateman'southward circle of colleagues includes Josh Lucas as Craig McDermott, Matt Ross as Luis Carruthers, Bill Sage equally David Van Patten, Justin Theroux as Timothy Bryce, and Anthony Lemke every bit Marcus Halberstram. Stephen Bogaert portrays Harold Carnes, Bateman'due south lawyer, while Samantha Mathis portrays Courtney Rawlinson, Carruthers' fiancée who is having an affair with Bateman.

Other cast members include: Krista Sutton and Cara Seymour as the prostitutes Sabrina and Christie; Guinevere Turner as Elizabeth, a woman who Bateman kills; Reg Eastward. Cathey as Al, a homeless man; Catherine Black as Vanden, Williams' cousin; and Patricia Cuff equally Mrs. Wolfe, a real estate amanuensis. Former The states president Ronald Reagan appears in annal footage of his 1987 address concerning the Iran–Contra affair.

Production [edit]

Early development [edit]

The film is an adaptation of the satirical novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, which was published in 1991 amid significant controversy over its graphic delineation of violence confronting women. Ellis had been disappointed by the 1987 adaptation of his first novel, Less Than Naught (1985), and did not expect that anyone would be interested in adapting American Psycho, which he considered possibly unfilmable.^[5] Nonetheless, development of a moving-picture show adaptation began in 1992, after Johnny Depp expressed interest and producer Edward R. Pressman bought the pic rights.^[6] Pressman, to Ellis' surprise, was "obsessed" with turning American Psycho into a film.^[vii] Ellis discussed the projection with filmmaker Stuart Gordon merely felt that he was unsuitable.^[eight]

David Cronenberg and Brad Pitt respectively became attached to direct and star, and Ellis was brought on to write the screenplay. The process was difficult for Ellis; Cronenberg did not want to use any of the eatery or nightclub cloth from the novel (which he considered boring), wanted to excise the violence, and mandated that the script be 65–70 pages. Ellis considered Cronenberg's directions "insane" and ignored them.^{[8] [9]} Ellis' draft departed significantly from the novel, as he had "been living with it for, similar, three and a half years, four years" and had grown bored with information technology.^[8] It ended with an elaborate musical sequence to Barry Manilow'southward "Daybreak" atop the World Merchandise Center, a change which Ellis felt exemplified how bored he was with the textile.^[8]

The evolution was prolonged due to what Diversity chosen American Psycho 'southward "literary complexity", which fabricated adapting information technology to film hard.^[ten] Cronenberg was dissatisfied with Ellis' typhoon and by March 1994 had sought a new typhoon from Norman Snider;^{[9] [xi]} Ellis later recalled that Cronenberg left the project after he disliked Snider's draft even more.^[9] Ellis wrote another typhoon for Rob Weiss in 1995, but the moving picture again failed to materialize.^[ix] Pressman did non want to make a film that would offend people and described Ellis' draft every bit "completely pornographic".^{[half dozen]} Pressman appeared at the 1996 Cannes Motion-picture show Festival to pre-sell the distribution rights to no avail.^[12]

Development under Mary Harron [edit]

Afterwards her movie I Shot Andy Warhol premiered at the 49th Cannes Picture Festival to positive reviews in January 1996, Mary Harron received call from Roberta Hanley—who operated the production company which held the American Psycho moving-picture show rights—with an offer to straight the moving picture.^{[thirteen] [vii]} Harron had attempted to read the novel when it was originally published, simply establish information technology too vehement.^[v] However, rereading it, she realized that "but enough time ha[d] passed" to produce a period moving-picture show set in the 1980s, "bring out the satire", and comment on the era, which interested her.^{[5] [13]} Harron was clashing towards the other "very mainstream and deadening" offers she was receiving post-obit I Shot Andy Warhol and decided to make American Psycho due to its "risky" nature.^[13]

Harron read the existing drafts; while she somewhat enjoyed Ellis', she felt that most were also moralistic, missing the novel'due south preciseness in depicting social privilege.^[thirteen] Harron told Pressman that she would only join the project if she could write her ain screenplay.^[5] Pressman commented that out of all the directors who attached themselves to American Psycho, Harron was "the simply person who actually ever conveyed a clear solution as to how to do it".^[6] Harron recruited Guinevere Turner, who she had been working with on what would go The Notorious Bettie Page (2005), to co-write. Turner was not a horror fan and had never heard of American Psycho, but Harron convinced her that it would be a good projection to pursue. Though she found the novel unsavory, Turner appreciated its blend of sense of humour and horror and concluded that "with the correct spin it could be a really subversive, feminist movie".^[5]

Harron and Turner excised most of the novel's violence exterior 4 sequences of Bateman's murders.^[14] Their approach to the material and Bateman'south character was influenced by Mario Bava'south giallo moving picture Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970), with Bava historian Tim Lucas noting that both films feature protagonists motivated by a desire for self-discovery in their killings.^[15] Harron recalled facing scrutiny for depicting Bateman as homophobic—a criticism she found odd, since no objections were raised over his murders. She also received requests to delve into Bateman's psychology, but said that "having a very articulate psychological explanation [wasn't] of dandy involvement to me" since she found the concept generic, shallow, and unrealistic.^[thirteen] Harron rejected suggestions to explore Bateman's family unit and background; she felt it was unnecessary and that Bateman was simply "a monster".^[13]

Harron met with several actors for the part of Patrick Bateman but struggled to notice a suitable candidate. She noted that "if someone isn't 100 percent on a function like [Bateman], y'all can't cast them and they shouldn't do it."^[13] Billy Crudup was attached to the role for a calendar month and a half,^[v] but was uneasy and left the project.^[13] Turner appreciated Crudup's honesty in admitting he could non understand the character. Harron sent the script to Christian Bale,^[5] merely he had never read American Psycho and thus had no involvement.^[14] Harron contacted Christine Vachon, who was working with Bale on Velvet Goldmine (1998) at the time, and Vachon told him to read the script.^[v] Bale found the script humorous and immediately became interested, and flew to New York to audition in Harron's living room.^{[5] [13] [14]}

Bale struggled to speak in an American accent since he had been speaking in a Manchester accent for Velvet Goldmine, just Harron idea it was articulate he understood the role.^[xiii] Similar Harron, Bale was uninterested in Bateman's backstory; he saw the character every bit "an conflicting who landed in the unabashedly backer New York of the '80s".^[5] Bale, in contrast to the other actors Harron had spoken to, did not observe Bateman admirable and Harron felt he was the only i who fit the role.^[5] Harron idea casting Bale, a relative unknown, was risky simply "had a lot of faith in him", as Velvet Goldmine manager Todd Haynes told her that Bale was "the best actor I've ever worked with."^[v] Harron and Bale, in-grapheme as Bateman, met with Ellis for dinner, an experience Ellis said was "unnerving" since it was the commencement time he had met "someone pretending to be this monster that I created".^[vii]

Pre-production and casting [edit]

Lions Gate Films acquired the American Psycho distribution rights in May 1998 and set a budget of $10 one thousand thousand. Harron and Bale were planning to begin filming the following Baronial and though no actors were signed on yet, Willem Dafoe and Jared Leto had expressed involvement in joining.^{[x] [16]} Harron suggested that the slim Bale go to a gym since Bateman often exercises; she said that within two weeks, Bale had "totally transformed".^[thirteen] Turner said Bale "became completely ripped, super tan, got his teeth turned into perfect American teeth. I think he said he was modeling himself after his lawyer, or his amanuensis, or Tom Prowl—an amalgam of those."^[7] Bale received numerous warnings that starring in American Psycho was "career suicide", but this only made him more committed.^[6]

Bale was a relative unknown at the time; he was simply 13 at the time of his and so-nearly famous role, in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun (1987).^[17] Lions Gate did not want to cast him and pushed for a more famous star like Edward Norton or Leonardo DiCaprio,^[6] who Lions Gate was willing to pay $20 million (although the budget for the movie itself would remain but $vi million). DiCaprio was considered the biggest star in the globe at the fourth dimension (having only starred in Titanic (1997), then the highest-grossing film ever) and was interested in playing Bateman,^{[5] [13]} but Harron opposed casting him, comparing the prospect to Demi Moore's casting in the critically panned 1995 Cherry-red Letter film.^[half-dozen] She argued he was too boyish to play Bateman and that his presence would damage the film given his immature female fanbase.^{[vi] [5]} She refused to even consider meeting with him, despite Pressman's pleas.^[13] Ellis did not mind the idea of DiCaprio as Bateman, though he knew this annoyed Bale and Harron.^[viii]

At the 51st Cannes Film Festival in May 1998, Lions Gate of a sudden announced that DiCaprio had been cast as Bateman.^{[5] [6]} Though Pressman wanted Harron to stay,^[7] Harron was fired subsequently making it articulate that she would not direct American Psycho without Bale.^[half-dozen] Furthermore, DiCaprio wanted to work with a major managing director and had drafted a shortlist that included Danny Boyle, Stanley Kubrick, and Martin Scorsese.^{[6] [13]} Oliver Stone was hired to straight and, afterwards a reading with DiCaprio, Leto, and Cameron Diaz,^[seven] began reworking the script. Stone and DiCaprio wanted to take the film in a more psychological management in contrast to Harron's satire^[6] and turn information technology into a Jekyll and Hyde-like story.^[13] Their attempt was beset by artistic differences; Pressman said that "[DiCaprio] was looking for solutions to things that weren't problems... As time went on more than and more questions came into Leo's mind—which might have been about the script or other factors."^{[half dozen]} Bale was then confident DiCaprio would depart that he turned down other roles for nine months and continued preparing.^{[vi] [eighteen]}

DiCaprio departed in favor of Boyle's The Beach (2000), which led to Stone'south withdrawal.^[6] Turner later said she heard from a friend that DiCaprio chose to exit after Gloria Steinem, a strong critic of the novel, convinced him to carelessness the project due to his immature fanbase.^[7] Lions Gate rehired Harron but was however against casting Bale as Bateman.^[13] Lions Gate offered the role to Ewan McGregor, who turned information technology down subsequently Bale personally urged him to practise and so.^[eighteen] Harron spoke with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Norton, and Vince Vaughn, only after they all declined, Lions Gate begrudgingly agreed to rent Bale with a minor $50,000 salary.^[13] Lions Gate also mandated that the budget not exceed $10 meg and that recognizable actors would make full the supporting roles.^[6] Past that point, Dafoe, Leto, Reese Witherspoon, and Chloë Sevigny were already committed; Harron and Bale unsuccessfully tried to convince Winona Ryder to play Evelyn Williams.^[13]

Filming [edit]

Principal photography commenced on February 28, 1999^[19] and lasted 7 weeks,^[xx] with a budget of $vii million.^[21] Andrzej Sekuła served as cinematographer; he and Harron oftentimes argued, with Ross recalling that "[Sekula] was setting up shots that in [Harron]'south mind may have been cool shots, pretty shots, simply didn't tell the story she wanted to."^[five] Every bit American companies did non want to be associated with American Psycho, the production team had to turn to European companies for clothes and cosmetics,^[6] though these still imposed restrictions. Rolex made Harron change the novel's line "don't touch the Rolex" to "don't touch the watch", while Cerruti 1881 disallowed Bale from wearing its dress during the murder scenes.^[22]

Though some outdoor shots were captured in New York City (where the film is set up), the majority of filming took place in downtown Toronto, with a variety of scenes shot in bars and restaurants around the urban center.^[21] Anti-violence advocates petitioned Toronto Metropolis Hall to deny the production permission to film in Toronto and organized protests because of reports that Paul Bernardo—who committed serial murders and rapes in Toronto—owned a re-create of the novel.^{[14] [19] [a]} As a event, the production faced difficulty securing shooting locations; the scenes in Bateman'due south office had to exist filmed on a sound stage because the owners of the building that Harron intended to flick in feared negative publicity.^[twenty] Harron had been unaware of the novel'south connection to the Bernardo case and sympathized with the protesters, but reasoned that she did not "want to put horrible mayhem on the screen... there's something to do hither that hasn't really been done, a portrait of the late 80'due south that's worth putting on the screen."^[fourteen] To avert protests, the production removed the championship from daily call sheets and parking permits.^[twenty]

Bale brought his copy of the novel to the set every solar day. Harron remained faithful to the novel'south dialogue, so he "would kind of be skimming through information technology and looking at it and finding piddling bits and conferring in the corner with [her]".^[five] Bale drew inspiration from Nicolas Cage'southward performance in Vampire's Kiss (1989) and Tom Cruise in an interview on Late Dark with David Letterman.^{[23] [24]} He kept images of 1980s figures who he felt Bateman would attempt to emulate, such as Prowl and Donald Trump, in his trailer. A Method role player, Bale never broke character during the shoot—he did non socialize off-camera, always spoke with an American accent, and worked out at a gym for hours to maintain Bateman'south physique.^{[v] [vii]} His beliefs confused other actors, with Sevigny maxim that she had never seen an thespian commit to a role to such a degree. Josh Lucas later told Bale that the other actors "thought that [he] was the worst player they'd ever seen" and did not empathize why Harron fought for him.^[5] Harron nicknamed Bale "Robo-Actor" for his ability to control his sweat glands, which she and his co-stars noticed during the business carte scene.^[25]

Harron and Bale excluded Leto from rehearsals of the murder of Paul Allen so Leto's expression of shock when Bale ran at him with an axe would be genuine. The shots of Bateman swinging his axe at Allen had to be done rapidly since the scene's utilize of theatrical blood limited the number of takes. Bale swung at a Plexiglass-coated camera as the crew squirted fake blood at his face. The blood covered merely one-half of Bale's face by accident, just Harron plant this "a perfect metaphor for the Jekyll-and-Hyde aspect of Bateman: pristine on the outside, bloody and psychotic on the inside".^[26] Bale improvised Bateman's moonwalk, a alter from the novel that Ellis initially disliked but grew to appreciate over time.^[vii] For the subsequent interview scenes featuring Donald Kimball, Hannon shot three takes and requested that Dafoe act differently in each of them. Dafoe acted as if Kimball knew Bateman was Allen's killer in the showtime, simply suspected him in the 2nd, and did not suspect annihilation in the third. The three takes were and then blended in postal service-product to confuse audiences.^[27]

Harron and Turner kept most violence off-screen, but Harron wanted "i classic horror movie scary scene" with "a large explosion of violence" that embraced the novel's brutality.^[seven] They conceived a threesome with Bateman and two women that ends with him murdering them.^[7] Bale had no problem appearing nude, though he wore sneakers and covered his penis with a sock.^[25] Turner, who is also an extra, portrayed i of the women; she found information technology "very daunting" being directed past Harron despite having been her co-author for years.^[7] The shot in which Bateman murders Turner's graphic symbol while having sexual practice with her took several takes, every bit it was difficult to get the theatrical blood to ooze through the sheets as they intended.^[seven] Bateman'due south telephone confession took around 15 takes considering Harron felt Bale's interim got meliorate as he became more flushed. In contrast, a shot in which Bateman peels off a facial mask only took one accept.^[25]

Music [edit]

American Psycho 's soundtrack features licensed 1980s popular music from a multifariousness of artists, including David Bowie, Phil Collins, the Cure, the Mediæval Bæbes, New Order, and Eric B. & Rakim.^{[28] [29] [30]} Due to the film'south controversial nature, obtaining the rights proved difficult. Though the product was able to obtain the rights to all necessary songs,^[25] Whitney Houston refused to allow the apply of her operation of "The Greatest Love of All", so an orchestral arrangement had to be used instead. The Huey Lewis and the News vocal "Hip to Exist Square" appears in the film and was intended to exist on the soundtrack anthology, but was removed, forcing Koch Records to recollect approximately 100,000 copies. Koch Records president Bob Frank said that the removal was due to Huey Lewis objecting to the film'south violence,^[28] but in 2013, Lewis said Frank's story was "completely made up".^[31] Lewis'due south manager Bob Brownish said that "Hip to Be Foursquare" was included on the album without their permission, which he speculated was a publicity stunt.^[28]

The original score was composed past Welsh musician and Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale, who besides scored I Shot Andy Warhol,^[29] alongside M.J. Mynarski.^[thirty] Cale joined because, like I Shot Andy Warhol, he found Harron's script intelligent. He equanimous in his studio using a sampler and sent the music file to someone who turned it into a composition and hired musicians to record it. Harron described Cale's piece of work as "a soulful, even melancholy sound to complement the soundtrack's poppy effulgence."^[29] Cale was uninvolved with the option of licensed music and sound mixing, though for one scene that Harron wanted to be unsettling, he suggested using animal noises, like the tapes of rabbits screaming that the Federal Bureau of Investigation used against the Co-operative Davidians during the Waco siege.^[29] The soundtrack anthology was released on April four, 2000.^[thirty]

Release [edit]

As promotion, one could annals to receive e-mails "from" Patrick Bateman, supposedly to his therapist.^[32] The e-mails, written by a author fastened to the flick and canonical by the volume'due south writer Bret Easton Ellis, follow Bateman's life since the events of the film. He discusses such developments every bit his marriage to (and impending divorce settlement with) his erstwhile secretary, Jean, his complete adoration of his son, Patrick Jr., and his efforts to triumph over his business rivals. The due east-mails also describe or mention interactions with other characters from the novel, including Timothy Toll (Bryce in the film version), Evelyn, Luis, Courtney, David, Detective Kimball, and Marcus. However, the movie'due south star, Christian Bale, was not happy with this kind of marketing: "My main objection is that some people think it will be me returning those e-mails. I don't like that ... I remember the movie stands on its own claim and should attract an audience that can appreciate intelligent satire. It's not a slasher motion picture, but information technology's as well not American Pie. The marketing should reflect that."^[32]

Lionsgate spent $50,000 on an online stock market game, Brand a Killing with American Psycho, which invited players to invest in films, actors, or musicians using false Hollywood money. This marketing ploy did niggling to aid the film'due south box function but the studio'southward co-president Tom Ortenberg still claimed that information technology was a success: "The aim was to gain exposure and awareness for the picture, and we did that," he said. "Lionsgate will make a tidy profit on the picture."^[33]

American Psycho premiered at the 2000 Sundance Picture Festival.^[34] The Flick Association of America (MPAA) initially gave the flick an NC-17 rating for a scene featuring Bateman having a threesome with two prostitutes. The producers excised approximately xviii seconds of footage to obtain an R-rated version of the film.^{[35] [36]}

Home media [edit]

A special-edition DVD was released on July 21, 2005.^[37] In the U.South., two versions of the moving picture have been released: an R-rated and unrated version. For the edited version and R-rated cinematic release in the U.Due south., the producers excised almost xviii seconds of footage from a scene featuring Bateman having a threesome with two prostitutes. Some dialogue was also edited: Bateman orders a prostitute, Christie, to curve over so that another, Sabrina, tin can "run into your asshole", which was edited to "encounter your ass". The unedited version besides shows Bateman receiving oral sex from Christie. The uncut version was released on Blu-ray on February 6, 2007.^[38] A 4K Blu-ray was released with the Uncut Version on September 25, 2018 in U.s.^[39] and October 15, 2018 in United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland.^[twoscore] Sony Pictures Dwelling Amusement likewise released the film on Blu-ray around Australia, Spain, S Africa and Portugal in December 2008.

Reception [edit]

American Psycho debuted at the Sundance Movie Festival, where it polarized audiences and critics; some showered the film with praise for its writing and performance from Christian Bale, others with criticism for its violent nature.^[41] Upon its theatrical release, the picture show received positive reviews in crucial publications, including The New York Times which chosen it a "mean and lean horror one-act classic".^[42] On Rotten Tomatoes, the picture show has an approval rating of 69% based on 150 reviews, with a average rating of 6.3/ten. The website'southward critical consensus reads, "If it falls brusk of the deadly satire of Bret Easton Ellis'south novel, American Psycho still finds its own blend of horror and humor, thanks in part to a fittingly creepy performance by Christian Bale."^[43] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the moving-picture show a score of 64 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[44] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the moving picture an average form of "D" on an A+ to F scale.^[45] It was called the "next Fight Club", which Leto besides appeared in, by the Guardian.

Roger Ebert gave the film three out of 4 stars and regarded Christian Bale every bit being "heroic in the manner he allows the character to leap joyfully into despicability; there is no instinct for self-preservation here, and that is one marking of a good role player".^[46] In his review for the Los Angeles Times, Kenneth Turan wrote, "The difficult truth is that the more viewers tin model themselves subsequently protagonist Bateman, the more they can distance themselves from the human reality of the slick violence that fills the screen and take it all equally some kind of a cool joke, the more they are likely to enjoy this stillborn, pointless slice of work".^[47] Newsweek magazine'south David Ansen wrote, "Merely afterward an hour of dissecting the '80s culture of materialism, narcissism and greed, the moving picture begins to repeat itself. It becomes more than grisly and surreal, but not more interesting."^[48] In his review for The Hamlet Voice, J. Hoberman wrote, "If anything, Bale is too knowing. He eagerly works within the constraints of the quotation marks Harron puts around his performance".^[49]

Rolling Stone 's Peter Travers wrote, "whenever Harron digs below the glitzy surface in search of feelings that oasis't been desensitized, the horrific and hilarious American Psycho can withal strike a raw nerve".^[50] In a somewhat positive review for Slate magazine, David Edelstein noted the toned-downward brutality and sexual content in comparing to the novel and wrote that the moment where Bateman spares his secretary is when "this one-dimensional moving picture blossoms like a flower".^[51] Owen Gleiberman gave the film an "A−" rating, writing for Entertainment Weekly: "By treating the volume equally raw material for an exuberantly perverse practice in '80s Nostalgia, Harron recasts the get-go years equally a template for the casually brainwashing-consumer/manner/image culture that emerged from them. She has made a movie that is actually a parable of today."^[52] Time mag'due south Richard Corliss wrote, "Harron and co-screenwriter Guinevere Turner do empathize the book, and they want their flick to exist understood equally a menstruation one-act of manners".^[53] A.O. Scott (also from the aforementioned New York Times) also praised the pic equally well.^[54]

Bloody Disgusting ranked the film at No. 19 in its listing of the "Top 20 Horror Films of the Decade", with the article praising "Christian Bale's disturbing/darkly hilarious turn as serial killer/Manhattan businessman Patrick Bateman, a role that in hindsight couldn't have been played by whatsoever other actor. ... At its all-time, the film reflects our own narcissism, and the shallow American culture it was spawned from, with piercing effectiveness. Much of the credit for this tin become to director Mary Harron, whose off-kilter tendencies are a proficient complement to Ellis's unique mode."^[55]

Original author Ellis said, "American Psycho was a volume I didn't call up needed to be turned into a film", as "the medium of film demands answers", which would make the book "infinitely less interesting".^[56] He also said that while the book attempted to add ambiguity to the events and to Bateman'due south reliability as a narrator, the film appeared to make them completely literal before disruptive the outcome at the very end.^[57] On a 2014 appearance on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Ellis indicated that his feelings towards the picture show were more mixed than negative; he reiterated his stance that his conception of Bateman as an unreliable narrator did not brand an entirely successful transition from page to screen, adding that Bateman'southward narration was so unreliable that even he, as the author of the volume, didn't know if Bateman was honestly describing events that really happened or if he was lying or even hallucinating. Still, Ellis appreciated that the motion picture clarified the sense of humour for audiences who mistook the novel's violence for blatant misogyny as opposed to the deliberately exaggerated satire he'd intended, and liked that it gave his novel "a second life" in introducing it to new readers. Ultimately, Ellis said "the flick was okay, the moving picture was fine. I just didn't think it needed to be made."^[58]

Since the mid 2000s, the film has attracted a sizeable cult following, which has grown in the 2010s due to various social media platforms.^[59]

Legacy [edit]

Sequel [edit]

A direct-to-video sequel, American Psycho 2, directed by Morgan J. Freeman and starring Mila Kunis, was released in 2002. The sequel's only connexion with the original is the death of Patrick Bateman (played by Michael Kremko wearing a confront mask), briefly shown in a flashback. The moving-picture show was denounced by American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis.^[threescore] In 2005, star Mila Kunis expressed embarrassment over the film, and spoke out against the idea of a sequel. "Delight somebody finish this," she said. "Write a petition. When I did the second one, I didn't know it would exist American Psycho II. It was supposed to exist a different project, and it was re-edited, but, ooh ... I don't know. Bad."^[61]

In popular culture [edit]

Contained musician Miles Fisher covered "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" on his self-titled 2009 EP, Miles Fisher. The music video is an homage to American Psycho, with Fisher imitating Christian Bale's performance every bit Patrick Bateman.^{[ citation needed ]}

The film's influence tin can be seen in Kanye West's music video "Love Lockdown"^[62] and Maroon 5's music video "Animals".^[63]

On September 10, 2013, information technology was appear that FX and Lionsgate were developing an American Psycho television series that would serve as a sequel to the film.^[64] It would exist set in the present, with Patrick Bateman in his 50s, grooming an apprentice (Andrew Low) to be only like him.^[65] In April 2015, information technology was stated the show was yet in development merely as of 2019 it is presumed to accept been cancelled or in evolution hell.^[66]

The character Bateman mistakenly attributes a quote by Edmund Kemper to Ed Gein, which has led to it being mistaken as such by others; Bateman says: "You know what Ed Gein said about women? ... He said 'When I see a pretty girl walking down the street, I think 2 things. 1 function of me wants to have her out, talk to her, be real nice and sugariness and care for her right ... [the other part wonders] what her head would expect like on a stick'."^[67]

Funny or Die recreated the "Hip to exist Square" scene with Huey Lewis in the Bateman role and "Weird Al" Yankovic in the Allen role. In the scene, Lewis discusses the creative merits of the picture American Psycho and shows the actual scene. It ends with Lewis killing Yankovic saying "Try parodying one of my songs now, yous stupid bastard!" The video so plays "I Desire a New Duck", Yankovic's parody of the Huey Lewis and the News vocal "I Want a New Drug".^[68]

American metalcore band Ice 9 Kills wrote a vocal based on the film for their 2021 album The Silver Scream 2: Welcome To Horrorwood called "Hip To Be Scared" and features Papa Roach vocalist Jacoby Shaddix.^[69]

The film is frequently a topic of memes and has been said past some to be relevant due to its themes and satirical nature. ^[70]

Notes [edit]

1. ^ The merits that Bernardo was inspired past American Psycho is false. His crime spree began in 1987, several years earlier American Psycho 's publication. Additionally, author Stephen Williams wrote in Invisible Darkness, a book about the Bernardo case, that Bernardo was nearly illiterate and the copy of American Psycho in his house belonged to his wife Karla Homolka; he is unlikely to have e'er read it.^[20]

References [edit]

Citations [edit]

1. ^ "American Psycho". British Board of Picture show Classification . Retrieved April xvi, 2022.
2. ^ "American Psycho (2000)". BFI . Retrieved October 28, 2018.
3. ^ "American Psycho". AFI Catalog . Retrieved October 28, 2018.
4. ^ ^{a b} "American Psycho (2000)". Box Role Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j yard l g n o p q r s} Molloy, Tim (April 14, 2020). "American Psycho: An Oral History, twenty Years Subsequently Its Divisive Debut". MovieMaker. pp. 1–4. Retrieved April ten, 2022.
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f m h i j thousand l grand north o p} Gopalan, Nisha (March 23, 2000). "American Psycho: the story behind the movie". The Guardian . Retrieved April 10, 2022.
7. ^ ^{a b c d due east f g h i j chiliad l chiliad} Tenreyro, Tatiana (April 20, 2020). "Blood, Cold-shoulder, and Body Bags: An Oral History of 'American Psycho'". Vice . Retrieved April 11, 2022.
8. ^ ^{a b c d e} Buchanan, Kyle (May eighteen, 2010). "Bret Easton Ellis on American Psycho, Christian Bale, and His Trouble with Women Directors". Movieline. pp. ane–three. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
9. ^ ^{a b c d} Jagernauth, Kevin (April ane, 2016). "Bret Easton Ellis Says He Wrote A Script For 'American Psycho' For David Cronenberg, With Brad Pitt Attached To Star". IndieWire . Retrieved April 10, 2022.
10. ^ ^{a b} Carver, Benedict (May v, 1998). "Lion's Gate to fund 'Psycho'". Variety . Retrieved Feb 24, 2015.
11. ^ Rooney, David (March 2, 1994). "Disney wins Houston and Washington teaming …". Variety . Retrieved February 24, 2015.
12. ^ Peter Bart (May 12, 1997). "Fast-talkers can't hold a candle to Pressman". Variety . Retrieved February 24, 2015.
13. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k fifty 1000 north o p q r} Shapiro, Lila (April 22, 2020). "In Conversation: Mary Harron". Vulture . Retrieved Apr 10, 2022.
14. ^ ^{a b c d e} Weber, Bruce (April 4, 1999). "Moving picture; Digging Out the Sense of humour in a Serial Killer'due south Tale". The New York Times . Retrieved April 12, 2022.
15. ^ Lucas 2007, p. 793.
16. ^ Cox, Dan (May 21, 1998). "Casting Leo has Harron hesitant". Variety . Retrieved February 24, 2015.
17. ^ ShortList Team (September 7, 2021). "The troubled birth of American Psycho". ShortList . Retrieved April 12, 2022.
18. ^ ^{a b} Heaf, Jonathan (April 26, 2011). "Christian Bale: behind the mask". GQ . Retrieved March 2, 2015.
19. ^ ^{a b} Kelly, Brendan (February 22, 1999). "'Psycho' rabble". Variety . Retrieved April 13, 2022. The $x million picture show begins production Sun in Toronto. There will also be some shooting in New York.
20. ^ ^{a b c d} Harron, Mary (April ix, 2000). "Film; The Risky Territory Of 'American Psycho'". The New York Times . Retrieved April 18, 2022.
21. ^ ^{a b} Clark, Sean (October half-dozen, 2010). "Horror'south Hallowed Grounds: 'American Psycho'!". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved April 13, 2022.
22. ^ "The American Psycho lookout man". Esquire. Apr 26, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
23. ^ Cheung 2012, p. 166.
24. ^ Heritage, Stuart (October 23, 2009). "Who other than Tom Cruise has inspired Christian Bale?". The Guardian . Retrieved February 24, 2015.
25. ^ ^{a b c d} Eisenberg, Eric (July 23, 2020). "14 American Psycho Behind-The-Scenes Facts You lot Might Not Know". CinemaBlend . Retrieved Apr 13, 2022.
26. ^ Lawrence, Derek (Apr 14, 2020). "American Psycho turns 20: Within Paul Allen's murder — and Jared Leto'southward surprise". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved April 12, 2022.
27. ^ Russell, Calum (May 1, 2021). "The incredible particular of Willem Dafoe's operation in 'American Psycho'". Far Out Magazine . Retrieved April 12, 2022.
28. ^ ^{a b c} "American Psycho soundtrack in hot water". The Guardian. London, England. April 13, 2000. Retrieved July 27, 2010.
29. ^ ^{a b c d} Baumgarten, Marjorie (April 14, 2000). "The Audio of One Psycho Cracking". The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved April 18, 2022.
30. ^ ^{a b c} Mathis, Derrick. "American Psycho Review by Derrick Mathis". AllMusic . Retrieved April xviii, 2022.
31. ^ Greene, Andy (May 17, 2013). "Huey Lewis on xxx Years of 'Sports': 'Our 15 Minutes Were a Real 15 Minutes'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved July 3, 2014.
32. ^ ^{a b} Howell, Peter (March 8, 2000). "American Psychos Web Promo Sickens Star". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
33. ^ "Greed appeal fails to lift American Psycho". The Guardian. May 5, 2000. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
34. ^ "American Psycho hits Sundance". The Guardian. January 26, 2000. Retrieved July 27, 2010.
35. ^ "American Psycho cut to gratify censors". The Guardian. Feb 29, 2000. Retrieved July 27, 2010.
36. ^ "American Psycho" Achieves "R" Rating From MPAA". February 28, 2000. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved June ten, 2019.
37. ^ IGN
38. ^ Blu-ray (uncut version) on blu-ray.com
39. ^ 4K Blu-ray (uncut version) on blu-ray.com
40. ^ United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland 4K Blu-ray on blu-ray.com
41. ^ Harron, Mary (Apr 9, 2000). "The Risky Territory of American Psycho". The New York Times.
42. ^ Holden, Stephen (Apr 14, 2000). "Murderer! Fiend! Cad! (But Well-Dressed)". The New York Times . Retrieved Apr 8, 2009.
43. ^ "American Psycho". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
44. ^ "American Psycho". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
45. ^

    "CinemaScore". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April xvi, 2022. The film's score can be accessed from the website's search bar.

46. ^ Ebert, Roger (April 14, 2000). "American Psycho". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on Nov 9, 2021. Retrieved Nov 17, 2021.
47. ^ Turan, Kenneth (April fourteen, 2000). "American Psycho". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 15, 2019.
48. ^ Ansen, David (April 17, 2000). "What A Total Psychopath". Newsweek . Retrieved Apr 8, 2009.
49. ^ Hoberman, J (April 11, 2000). "Barbarism Exhibitions". The Village Voice . Retrieved April 8, 2009.
50. ^ Travers, Peter (December 8, 2000). "American Psycho". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 29, 2009. Retrieved April eight, 2009.
51. ^ "Dressed to Impale". Slate. April 14, 2000.
52. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (April 14, 2000). "American Psycho". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 28, 2009. Retrieved Apr eight, 2009.
53. ^ Corliss, Richard (April 17, 2000). "A Yuppie's Killer Instinct". Time. Archived from the original on Nov 22, 2010. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
54. ^ Johnson, Gabe (November eight, 2010). "Video: Critics' Picks: 'American Psycho'" – via NYTimes.com.
55. ^ "00's Retrospect: Encarmine Icky'south Pinnacle xx Films of the Decade...Office four". Bloody Icky. December 15, 2009. Archived from the original on February viii, 2010. Retrieved January iii, 2010.
56. ^ "Bret Easton Ellis talks moving picture adaptations at SCAD". Creative Loafing. Archived from the original on June 24, 2010. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
57. ^ Buchanan, Kyle (May 18, 2010). "Bret Easton Ellis on American Psycho, Christian Bale, and His Problem with Women Directors". Movieline. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
58. ^ "WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - Episode 552 - Bret Easton Ellis". wtfpod.com.
59. ^ Edgeworth, Shane (March 14, 2018). "What Makes American Psycho A Cult Classic".
60. ^ "Bret Easton Ellis Speaks Out". IGN. August 21, 2001. Retrieved Baronial 22, 2010.
61. ^ Harris, Chris (May 6, 2005). "Mila Kunis' Career Thrives Despite 'Psycho' In Her By". MTV. Retrieved February x, 2016.
62. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (October 7, 2008). "Kanye West Says 'Love Lockdown' Video Was Inspired By American Psycho". MTV. Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
63. ^ Atkinson, Katie (September 29, 2014). "Watch Adam Levine Become an American Psycho in Maroon 5'south 'Animals' Video". Billboard . Retrieved November 28, 2019.
64. ^ AJ Marechal (September ten, 2013). "FX Developing 'American Psycho' Followup TV Series". Variety.
65. ^ Elavsky, Cindy (October six, 2013). "Celebrity Extra". King Features. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
66. ^ Doupé, Tyler (April 22, 2015). "American Psycho TV Series Nevertheless in the Works at FX". Wicked Horror. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
67. ^ Schram, Jamie (February 10, 2016). "Series Killer quoted in American Psycho doesn't desire to leave jail". The New York Post . Retrieved October 3, 2019.
68. ^ Fischer, Russ (April 4, 2013). "VOTD: Huey Lewis Gets Bloody Revenge in 'American Psycho' Parody". SlashFilm.com.
69. ^ Brownish, Paul 'Browny' (July 8, 2021). "Ice Nine Kills Drop 'Hip To Exist Scared' feat. Jacoby Shaddix". Wall Of Sound.
70. ^ Lazic, Manuela (Apr 14, 2020). "Twenty Years Later, 'American Psycho' Has Only Grown More Timely". The Ringer . Retrieved October 23, 2021.

Works cited [edit]

• Cheung, Harrison (2012). Christian Bale: The Inside Story of the Darkest Batman. Dallas, Texas: BenBella Books. ISBN978-1936661640. {{cite volume}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Lucas, Tim (2007). Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Night. Video Watchdog. ISBN978-0-9633756-1-2. {{cite volume}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)

External links [edit]

hackettperess.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Psycho_(film)

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