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A brief set report from AMERICAN PSYCHO
Here's one of the stranger books to adapt to screen. A dark and nasty little book that unflinchingly dives into an area that most of us never want to explore. But now we have our first set report. How hardcore violent is this film gonna get? How far will they push? Who knows... but our eyes and ears are on this one.
Hi! Just some info on how shooting is going on American Psycho. I won't say
what my tittle is on the film. I have been working on the film all week and
will be back for another week and various other days. Anyway, they just
finished shooting day five. The first day of shooting had taken place at a bar
called Senators which is down town Toronto. The scene simply saw the
characters, Kimball(played by William Dafoe) and Mr. Bateman(played by
Christian Bale) having lunch. Whoever read the book would be familiar with
these character that I mentioned. However, just to fill everyone else in,
Kimball is a detective that is hot on Mr. Batemans tail.
The rest of the week was shot in a studio with an office setting that
resembles Mr. Batemans office. They haven't shot any intriguing scenes as of
yet, is what I would say. However, the film looks promising. They are not
behind at all. There is a real good crew that is working very hard. I think
that the film will come out great! Bye for now.
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Is this directed by Mary Harlon? She did I SHOT ANDY WARHOL right? Man, was that movie a drag. Two hours of some bitchy feminist who hates men with a passion... thats about it. It was such a waste of 120 minutes of my life. They shoulda called that movie MEN SUCK. I hope she does something more interesting with this, because someone who read the book told me it was similar to Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange, one of my favorite novels. Did anyone else think that chapter 21 was a cop-out? The version that Kubrick read was the American version, in which the publishers chopped off chapter 21, hence it is not in the movie. When I read the book, I was excited to get to the end, because it would feel like, to me anyway, a legitamite sequel to the film. But I was disappointed. I felt it was too optomistic, and worse, that it undermined the entire point of the story--that freedom is all about choice, even if one chooses evil. The character of Alex was pure evil, meaning he did not persue evil for money or other greedy incentives; he chose evil because it was FUN. This is pure evil. A question that the novel (and film) brought up was: In a free society, shouldn't evil be free as well? That's not to say that we should let evil run the streets, but it does say that we should not try to change the heart of a person--that is brainwashing. But when Burgess had Alex "grow up" in chapter 21, I found it to be kind of apologetic, like, "Brainwashing evil is OK, because we are all good at heart anyway." I disagree with this; some people really are evil, and brainwashing them is also evil. Perhaps, though, this is not what Burgess meant by chapter 21. Any thoughts?
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Damn Leo, I'm glad Bale got the part, I can't even IMAGINE Leo as Bateman. I'm about halfway through the book right now and if Leo got took the part, I'd probobly kill myself. Leo was only considered because he'd appeal the the female audience, but, jesus, I don't think any female in their right mind would pay money to see a movie of this book. Ingenius and clever as it is, no female would watch it.
Bale looks the part, and he can act. He should be perfect. Now, Mary HArron, that's a different story. This feminist *person* is TOTALLY wrong for the director's chair if you ask me. First off, SHE'S A FEMINIST! This is a movie about a guy who gets off on torturing and overpowering women! If she tones down the violence and the gore and the overall tension and flow of the story (which she says she is), then she's messing with a modern classic. Damn, they should have gotten a better director...
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Did anyone else notice that in the book, Patrick Bateman never actually killed anyone? Hopefully Mary Harron and her politcally correct verison of American Psycho (shes admited it will be no where near as violent as the book..uh..hello Mary that was the entire point of the thing.)will get the punchline. I admire her for making attempting to make the novel into a movie but her vision is nothing like the book. The book is Wall Street, Braindead, and Henry portrait of a serial killer wrapped in one sick dark comedy. Its not supposed to be a "safe" "poltically correct" "toned down" serial killer movie. Oliver Stone would have been PERFECT for this. Oh well just like "eight milimeter", this will be another great oppertunity wasted by a director who "doesnt get it" -
Okay, first off, Kimble was never near cornering Bateman. Bateman's status in society kept him insulated from suspicion throughout the entire novel, and his seemingly abject lack of personality to the outside world made him appear incapable of the horrific crimes he commits. Why would the one leak from the set of this film indicate that they producers have already strayed completely from the course of the book? Mary Harron is sanitizing the book! First, she downplays the violence that, I hate to admit, typified the extremities of the 80's, then, she feels that anyone as heinous as Patrick Bateman must not ever feel as though they are getting away with it, hence she now attributes Kimble with detecting abilities he never displayed in the book. The whole point of the book was the bipolar existance that Bateman got away with...AND HE GOT AWAY WITH IT!!! As do most serial killers for some time. Excuse me...Bundy? 31.
Gacy? 22. Dahmer? 14....Harron is castrating this thing already.
By the way, Jesus, Lane Myers, Relax!...every time I come in here it's like your hopped up on acid.
It's fuck this, and assfuck that...c'mon man. There's 267,000 other words..Pick a few new ones that aren't so gross. It just gets tired, dude. Your point can be valid, but no one wants to wade through the crap, chest beating, and profanity to catch it. Chill... -
I'm serious!
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Mar 05, 1999 7:46:04 PM CST
I was going to tell you to calm down, but I guess it's beside th
by valmonts ghost
I've been reading this site for quite some time now and I've avoided posting because I've seen many regulars who seem bound by an unknown compulsion to post on every subject, every day and then reply to every post after that. I figured it was a kind of addiction. But, I really enjoyed Lane Myers posts. He's funny, rude and more often than others genuinely thought provoking. He seemed to have a weird kind of love for film that I found to be likeable. Come on, Lane! You can't just quit! I was looking forward to arguing with you!
About "American Psycho". I have to agree that this book can never be brought to the screen. It's too violent, too controversial and too complex to ever duplicate it's brilliant madness to film. The director is wrong, the rumors all bear the tell tale signs of a true piece of crap. I don't like the fact that Willem Dafoe got such a small part. I can't see him settling for what the book gave the character so his part is going to be expanded and that alone is going to mess up the book. It's too bad Oliver Stone had to drop his interest in it. I figured after "Natural Born Killers" he would've liked having this film to his name. -
AMERICAN PSYCHO is far from a "Hollywood" film. It is being made in Toronto by Lions Gate Films, one of the finer independent companies out there (although, they do have a distribution deal with Universal, but that's as far as it goes. There is no studio interference.) That said, I must admit that I believe Ellis' novel to be without merit. I found it sensationalistic, and, overall, poorly written. Ellis seems to be more interested with listing the names of famous designers than he does in telling a compelling story. If there is a metaphor to be found in AP, it's lost in all of the banality. I must admit that I'm not a fan of Mary Harron's either, but, at least, Ellis is getting the payback he deserves: a feminist's take on one of the worst novels of the eighties. For those of you who'd like to read something that nails the eighties, you can't do any better than Tom Wolfe's BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES. And if this isn't a discombobulated post, I don't know what is.
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American Psycho is a terrible book. I had to stop half way thru because it was so gross ... and boring. If there was a social commentary buried in there, I didn't see it. Its only catch was the primal rush we get from images of sex and violence, the echoes of our vicious DNA. I must admit, I'm very squeamish. Friends ask me what I'll do when my wife gives birth. It's different because there is context. Anyone can write out the most vile act but few can figure out a reason to. I've read books about serial killers, taken some psychology classes and can confidently say that there could never be a killer like Bateman. (And what the hell is with the brand-naming of things?!) He must be a metaphor for something (but I didn't read long enough to figure what). Americans have an unusual love of serial killers. They are slick and smart in movies (obviously hearkening to the father of serial killers, Ted Bundy). Ted Bundy was a drunk and a petty thief. His prized possessions were stolen and he was drunk when he committed most of his crimes. Not too glamorous, is it.
There is an interesting psychological condition known as cognitive dissidence. It says that when actions and opinions conflict (in a person), the opinions must change because we cannot change how we acted. I think some people (not all -- I'm sure some people liked Amer.Psy.) read the book and then, after finishing such a vile work, think why did I subject myself to that if I didn't like it? Since the actions can't change -- you can't unread the book -- you conclude you liked it. -
Lane, get a hold of yourself! Take a short break, delete the hate mail, and get the hell back here where ya belong. Don't let the motherfuckers get ya down. Ain't no one gonna whack ya over a long winded, mean spirited post, I promise! If there were, you would have been dead a long time ago. Shit, if Lane ain't postin, I ain't reading! Later Days!
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Actually, a femi-nazi is absolutely perfect to direct this sort of thing. Feminists absolutely love serial killers and revel in the graphic details of their victims because, for them, the serial killer sexual maniac represents the natural, core motivation of all men in what they see as a cock-dominated world. They see ALL men as potential women-killers just waiting to cut 'em up and fuck their dead corpses. Feminist literature is chalk-full of graphic, brutal discriptions of men doing sick things to women - for them, the more disgusting and perverse, the more they feel they are exposing the wicked, bloodthirsty desires of the male cock. They absolutely love every single fuckin detail. So, if the broad who's directing this one runs with that pack, then it's a perfect opportunity for her to impress her cock-hater socialites by making it as graphic as possible. However, there's clearly SOME limits to what can be shown simply due to some relative standards which have already been established in the general world of filmdom.
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I know Leo chose the Beach over American Psycho, but after reading The Beach, I don't know why. The Beach is a boring novel, but on the other side of the coast, if anyone can make it interesting it would be Hodge and Boyle. Will Leo's next project be a film version of Growing Pains. Oh, Kurt Cameron where have you gone.
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...what you meant by Bateman not actually killing anyone in the book? Gutting them and stuffing their entrails down the throat normally does the trick, I find...
I'm also surprised that people found no powerful satiric current in the book, although I don't blame anyone for feeling queasy at its contents. OK, so it doesn't have the studied elegance of Alexander Pope, but what Ellis brilliantly does is to suggest what our obsessively materialistic culture is turning us all into. And that's what really made me feel ill.
Not that this has anything to do with the film (which I reckon is a very bad idea whoever you have at the helm - some works should remain on the page in my opinion - they're more powerful there). -
Of course he'll be back... he'll just (maybe) use a different nickname. During my years on the Internet, anyone who has said he/she will stop writing because too many people complain, has never kept his/her promise. It's just a way of making people feel guilty. Which nobody ever does, of course, because these people (nicknames) only exist in "cyberspace", will always be replaced by somebody else, and will be forgotten quicker than you can say "Matt Drudge".
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I was mortified to hear the news about the atrocity that is the adaption of AMERICAN PSYCHO. Patrick Bateman being sanitized? A female director? For the love of all that is good: Willem DaFoe? (Willem DaFag to my friends)? A "detective hot on his trail"? Harry, you must do something. Put on a cape, join the Mystery Men, and stop this trash! They are ruining an American Classic. If this film goes the direction that I believe it's going to, I will never see another film adaption of a book again. Why are they doing this? Why is Ellis allowing this to happen? And who was the fuckhead who said "Did ya notice bateman never killed anyone in the book?" You mongoloid! Bateman kills and tortures 7 women and kills 7 men. Not to mention a child at the zoo and a dog. Who the hell gave you permission to talk out your ass? I'm glad Leo didn't take this fucking role. Hey, I liked Titanic, and I liked Basketball Diaries, but Leo's got the body of a 12 year old girl with a face to match. Seriously. I knew this girl in, like, 3rd grade named Erin Korchoran who looked just like him, honest to God! At any rate, he wasn't right for that role. I don't know about this Christian Bale character, but I'm not mad about that yet, as all the other AMERICAN PSYCHO fans have since claimed that this was a good casting choice. And, what's with filming in motherfucking Canada? The novel's setting (NYC) plays a big a part in the novel as Patrick Bateman does. How are they gonna do the scene with Tunnel, or all the parts in Dorsia and other places? Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
"I weep for the future".
-Ferris Bueller's Day Off
PATRICK BATEMAN-The American PSycho -
If you read American Psycho closely, you will come to understand (in my opinon anyways)that none of the muders actually took place, they were figments of his imagination. What in Patrick Bateman's sick mind would have happned if he hand the balls to carry it out. He calls escort services and muitaltes the girls, yet no one questions, where the hell thier at, he keeps 3 vaginas and semi automatic weapons in plain view in his gym locker, yet no one says anything, he keeps his apartment littered with body parts, yet none notices the smell, he confesses his actions to other people who have seen the person Patrick claimed killing just the other day or just kills people in right there on the street (the bum, the Chinese delivery boy)etc.
he is caplable of violence (such as when he beat up Christie and the call girl) but when situations confront him (Courtney's gay husband begs to have sex with him, his date with Jean the secratary, Eleanor his fiancee getting on his last nerve among others) you expect him to snap and take them all out but he never does. he lets them live and then fantasizes about killing some girl he was checking out at the supermarket or some bum that pissed him off or Christie (he supposedly let her live longer than any girl in the book even though he felt she was no better than the whores he picked up). for him it is a release. Theres more to it than what I wrote but try reading the book next time with this all this in mind, read to Brett Easton Ellis discriptions of certain scenes, how there carried out and how seemingly dead people suddenly are alive (Paul Owen the girl whom Patrick shoved everything but the kitchen sink between her legs yet meets up with her at a party (not the habitrail girl but the girl he dated in college)look benieth the blood and violence and you will see this is just the diluted fantasies of a sick sick man
Of course I could be wrong and Im sorry I made my pervious post sound like it was absoulte last word on the book. But try reading it again and see what you make of it. -
First, Yes I would like to say I caught on to the fact that Bateman killed no one in the book American Psycho. Murders were described but not committed is what I thought. He was too trapped in his world of labels and corporate culture to do that. They were what he wanted to do, but couldn't. He was just this guy that couldn't stand the fact that he didn't understand women, and were mad because they were not impressed byy all his possesions. Second, the dropping of name brands was done to make a point about consumerism of the 80s. This book is a satire like, but not as good as, the work of Jonathan Swift (Gulliver's Travels, etc.) Lastly, Toronto has passed for New York many, many times on film and you never knew the difference then so don't worry about it, it's a money issue.
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The ONLY character in the entire book who sensed/knew that Bateman was a sick fuck (besides the cab-driver who stole his rolex) was the realty agent showing off Paul Owen's apartment. Bateman left two hooker's remains there month's before and came back to find it cleaned up and stuffed with roses to mask the smell of death. The realty agent showing off the place to some yuppie couple just "knew" Bateman was responsible when she saw him show up there. Kimball is in the book for a total of 2&1/2 pages! He's totally clueless.
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AMERICAN PSYCHO is satire clumsily served up by way of sledgehammer, and to that end, it is inexcusably gruesome. It is also a major letdown following Ellis' prior novel, THE RULES OF ATTRACTION. I'd much rather watch a Hershel Gordon Lewis film than endure reading AP again. At least with Lewis, you don't feel like there's any talent being squandered.
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Hey,
Charper as a clinical psychology student, I kinda have to take issue with your views on the field. First of all, it's Cognitive Dissonance not dissidence, and I'm not really sure you can apply it to reading books. A better example would be someone who grew up devoutly fundamental christian and ended up having homosexual sex with young boys (a la John Wayne Gacy). the difficulties they then have resolving their beliefs with their actions and the stark contrast between them results in cognitive dissonance. As for people like Bateman, they do exist, it's called Antisocial Personality Disorder. These people are likable, charming, seem to function perfectly well, yet are completely amoral and would seem to be completely evil once they show you how they actually think. I'm intrigued by the idea of Bateman not actually doing any killing, I'm gonna have to read it over and see how that fits. It's definitely a cool idea.
Peace,
Cipher -
Does anyone have any idea about where american psycho is filming with toronto!!
anything about be helpful !
claire@box.netinc.ca -
Frankly when I read this book I thought it would be unfilmable. I mean, how the hell do you shoot a scene of a guy walking around his apartment naked with a severed head hanging off his cock?!?! Sure i guess it can be done, but it'd have to be NC-17. but besides that, there really isnt much PLOT going on here, and though the book is interesting, as a film it would just meander from boring scene of Bateman to psycho scene of Bateman without any real direction. Nonetheless, for some reason I've really been looking forward to this, if for just the curiousity of seeing how the hell the approach it and what they are able to do it. Now after some of the shit I heard, Im downright scared. First off, toning the book down is missing the point ENTIRELY. The whole point of the book is just how over-the-top everything is, both the violence and the consumerism and name-dropping and shallowness and banality. Just like the 80's. Second, I've never seen a Mary Harron film, but if she's both a feminist and feels the book needs to be toned down, why the FUCK is she doing this movie???? Shouldnt she be off doing Thelma & Louise Part 2 or something? Seriously, I think a female director could do this properly, but not if they need to tone it down and remove the misogyny in the book... take out the violence and misogyny from this book and about all you have left is a list of Designer and Brand Names. Finally, if Bateman gets captured at the end of this thing, I'm gonna KILL somebody... you can debate whether or not Bateman really murdered or was just fantasizing, but either way, having him get caught completely undermines what the book is all about. I guess we should all thank god that at least we dont have to suffer DiCaprio-as-Bateman, which would have been a disaster, but then again, if Leo was in it, then Oliver Stone wouldve been directing, and if Stone directed this thing it wouldve been a FUCKED UP film, and thats what this needs to be..... a FUCKED UP film.
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Those of you who loved the novel, if the movie is somehow true to the book and actually released to theatres, I ask an honest question: Why should I see it? Why should I spend two hours and almost ten dollars on this experience. I'm female (duh) so I won't get a forbidden thrill (despite what Phantom Nigga seems to think). I have loved some "killer" films (Lambs, Manhunter, Kalifornia, even the Hitcher had some interesting stuff), and I want to know what this will show me to get me thinking. This isn't a hostile question - I just have trouble seeing the point and have since the novel's release. (Same problem with 8mm, BTW).
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Disney is remaking Fantasia, but the director that has been slated to shoot it is removing any scenes and artwork that may resurge some viewers freaky acid trip.
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Kimball??? I still think they should have gotten Adrian Pasdar to play Bateman, but maybe he was too old. This movie is going to be really difficult to pull off, with all the graphic sex and violence. Hopefully it won't stink like Naked Lunch did.
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To Victoria, who on March 7th wanted to know more about Toronto locations of AP.
I think this is still being filmed in Toronto at the mo. If you really wanted to find out you could call Film Locations at (416) 633-6240, or The Canadian Centre For Film Studies (that big place north on Bayview around York Mills -- that's not the exact name). They aren't directly involved but someone there could probably help you out as to what's the buzz around town with AP.
For some reason loads of actors and industry people always stay at the Sutton Place Hotel near at Bay and Wellesley Sts. -- talk to someone there like a doorman, they probably have the dope on where stars currently shooting in Toronto are staying, including AP.
Also the restaurant across the road from the hotel Bistro 660 (on Bay Street) is a notorious star hangout.
To the peeps worried about Toronto not being NYC-enough. Don't worry, only people from Toronto can tell that it's Toronto (and if there's *really* good location scouting etc. in the film, _no one_ should be able to tell). You won't be disappointed. Important, or key exteriors will be shot in NYC. Toronto is often used for general outdoor east coast city shots and always for interiors. That person was right, it's all about money since the CDN $ is worth about .50 cents on the US $, it makes sense to go up there.
L8R
Betty -
I can understand why most of America cannot understand the American Psycho novel. This is a New York book, MORE importantly this is a glimpse into the scary world (no not of a serial killer) but an Investment Banker! I know because (no im not one of them - Thank god) I work at a Investment Firm. Like the book, they contemplate brand labels to no end, dine at the most prestigious restaurants, and travel in the same exclusive WASPY circles. Now if thats not scary I dont know what is. Being a NYer myself I found it interesting how they worked a lot of the same REAL places (such as Smith and Wollensky's steakhouse) into the plot. However had I not had insight into their life I wouldnt "GET IT" either. Nevertheless they do lead an interesting life and this novel did send chills down my spine. I think it will show middle america not only how a serial killer lives but how the young, rich wasps live. and believe me, its very very different from us normal people.
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