mercurial
Posts 320
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4/22/2008 2:33 AM
posted awhile ago
Patrick Bateman
Adapted from the immensely disturbing eponymous novel, American Psycho definitely stands at the the front of the class of serial killers. Immaculate in his physical appearance yet fractured psychosis on the inside, the duality of Patrick Bateman makes him seductive and repulsive, charming and repugnant - exactly what makes serial killers so scary.
The film itself is filled with a great cast and enough blood and guts to fill a Manhattan penthouse. The delicately handled comedic moments of the film enhance the eeriness of it all while the violence is brutal and unflinching.
Having read the book, the only problem that I have with the movie is the wish that the filmmakers had incorporated more of the novels disturbing moments and biting critique of the New York elite (not that it wasn't present in the film, just that it's more pronounced in the book).
The sequel is another story.
Completely unrelated to the Bret Easton Ellis novel, American Psycho 2creates a fictional backstory to the original film and casts a young girl as a fledgling serial killer attempting to outdo Bateman and become an even better killer. Despite hating the way the film manipulated the Patrick Bateman character to serve its own interests, there is a stupidly entertaining side of the film in which it seems to recognize its B-movie qualities and goes with it. Predictable, hilarious dialogue and the inclusion of William Shatner in the cast make it an amusing flick if you're a glutton for that kind of punishment.
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SkyPilot
Posts 576
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4/27/2008 2:08 PM
posted awhile ago
Re:Patrick Bateman
 mercurial:
Having read the book, the only problem that I have with the movie is the wish that the filmmakers had incorporated more of the novels disturbing moments and biting critique of the New York elite (not that it wasn't present in the film, just that it's more pronounced in the book).
This got me thinking about something I've wondered before -- how often is a film's biting critique just preaching to the choir?
Honest question because I have no idea what the answer is, and I'm interested in getting challenging, meaningful critique in front of the people who need to get bit by it. So your comments got me wondering if this film or novel were marketed towards New York elite, or if this film (or slasher flicks in general) are appealing to the rich?
I remember when I saw this movie, I concluded it also had something to say about my mindset, and I'm a middle-class-bound suburban guy. That seemed like an intuitive leap, though. I thought the film was pretty artful, and on the other hand I can imagine a lot of suburban people not picking up how they're like Patrick Bateman.
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Risselada
Posts 2068
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4/28/2008 6:08 PM
posted awhile ago
Re:Patrick Bateman
SkyPilot: This got me thinking about something I've wondered before -- how often is a film's biting critique just preaching to the choir?
Honest question because I have no idea what the answer is, and I'm interested in getting challenging, meaningful critique in front of the people who need to get bit by it. So your comments got me wondering if this film or novel were marketed towards New York elite, or if this film (or slasher flicks in general) are appealing to the rich?
I remember when I saw this movie, I concluded it also had something to say about my mindset, and I'm a middle-class-bound suburban guy. That seemed like an intuitive leap, though. I thought the film was pretty artful, and on the other hand I can imagine a lot of suburban people not picking up how they're like Patrick Bateman.
I don't think something like a satirical piece of fiction is going to change the mindset of people who are far enough into the mindset of what what the subject of the satire is. I think those who may be affected are those like yourself who are open enough to realize that those things can affect all of us. Sometimes the people performing the satire are ignorant even that these very elements live within themselves I bet.
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SkyPilot
Posts 576
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4/28/2008 8:43 PM
posted awhile ago
Re:Patrick Bateman
Risselada:
I don't think something like a satirical piece of fiction is going to change the mindset of people who are far enough into the mindset of what what the subject of the satire is. I think those who may be affected are those like yourself who are open enough to realize that those things can affect all of us. Sometimes the people performing the satire are ignorant even that these very elements live within themselves I bet.
That speaks true to a lot of my experience, Rizzo. But does this mean satire will never be more than in-jokes?
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Risselada
Posts 2068
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4/29/2008 12:29 PM
posted awhile ago
Re:Patrick Bateman
SkyPilot: That speaks true to a lot of my experience, Rizzo. But does this mean satire will never be more than in-jokes?
Well, I think that's often what it is, but I don't think that means it can never be more. I think the best satire is that kind that can either show people who are open to it more about themselves than they realized, or the kind that can somehow entice even those who wouldn't normally be open to it to somehow see what it's really saying and affect some change in their life. The former is rare, the latter even more rare.
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