Friday, February 18, 2011

Slasher Flick With Better 80's Music!



I know a lot people don't really think of American Psycho as a bonefide slasher flick, but heck there are axe murders, butcher knife stabbing, Cronenbergest "surgical" tools, even a naked "Leatherface moment" with a chainsaw that miraculously keeps running even after Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) lets go of it.  Oh, and the nail gun is positively inspired!  Besides this is a very wicked laugh riot.



Original Release Date:  14 October 2000



Runtime:  102 Minutes
Languages:  English/Spanish/Cantonese
Gross To Date:  at little more than $15,000,000 (out of an est. budget of $8,000,000)
The Genre on IMBd is Drama/Thriller, but oh so many Horror web sites are happy to list as a full on slasher movie...even if Patrick is a bit "confused" about the "murders" that he "commits."


Despite that it is set solidly in NYC, the vast majority of the movie was actually filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  Only the outdoor scenes that referenced NYC landmarks were actually filmed in Manhattan.


Some Trivia:

Patrick Bateman works for Pierce and Pierce; it is the same company that Sherman McCoy works for in Bonfire of the Vanities.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre appears in the film.  Bateman is watching it while he works out.

Oh so many actors were considered for the role of Patrick Bateman, including Johnny Depp, Jared Leto, Robert Sean Leonerd (of "House, MD" fame), Leonardo DiCaprio, Billy Cudup and Edward Norton to name just a few.  

Director Mary Harron had the cast and crew view Mario Bava's Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970) prior the beginning of filming.

The playful "little girl" style of jumping rope and the dancing just before Bateman (Bale) kills Jared Leto's character Paul Allen, were all added in by Bale.




Feminist Gloria Steinem got involved with trying talk Leo DiCaprio out of taking the part of Bateman, because she figured that he had all these female teenage fans; I guess she thought it was inappropriate for an actor to actually act in projects that they want or like, ie: do their job.  Ironically, she was set to become Christian Bale's stepmother!

Largest part of the budget was spent on securing the rights to use the various high profile songs for the soundtrack.

The pre-production phase of the film was dogged by an organization called Canadians Concerned About Violence in Entertainment.  They were protesting the Canadian government's granting of funding for the film in exchange for it being shot in Toronto

The film is set in 1986-1987.

While not based on the "exploits" of Ed Gein, Bateman does mention him.


WATCH THE TRAILER



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