DH `American Psycho` analysis

`American Psycho` (2000) was directed by Mary Harron and stars Christian Bale, who plays a businessman called Patrick Bateman who leads a secret life as a serial killer. The film is a Psychological black comedy gaining very positive reviews and making $34mill at the box office.

Production

-The film was based on a book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis.
-The film was distributed by Lionsgate after its showing as Sundance film festival.
-The movie had a budget of $7mill but were originally prepared to pay Leonardo DiCaprio $20mill for his appearance but he pulled out because of the negative affect a violent film might have on his mainly young girl fan base.

Influences of the book

-The book the film is based on had a massive influence on the style, in order to get Bateman's thoughts across much non-diegetic narration was used in the main character's voice.
-Each chapter of the book is devoted to one of Bateman's favourite artists, for this reason the soundtrack to the film was very important featuring music from Huey Lewis and The News, Genesis and many others.

Distribution

-As promotion, you could register to receive e-mails "from" Patrick Bateman, supposedly to his therapist The e-mails, written by a writer attached to the film and approved by the book's author Bret Easton Ellis, follow Bateman's life since the events of the film.
-Lionsgate also spent $50,000 on an online stock market game called `Make a Killing with American Psycho`
-The film was given an NC-17 rating so 18 minutes of footage was cut to make it R-rated.
-The soundtrack to the film was released as a CD separately.

This is one of the most famous parts of the film, where the main character murders a man while listening to the song `It's Hip To Be Square`. The positive music and gory effects combine unsettlingly and add an aspect of comedy.

DH