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Original poster

American Psycho: Please tell DH that that the film doesn't make the points that the book does.

37 replies

Ninks · 05/09/2009 22:01

He thinks he won't enjoy the book because he has watched the movie.

I read it in the early nineties. Found it really disturbing. Shocking content obviously, but the flat, emotionless prose, the sense of benign neglect that the upper-class NY / Boston brothers endured - all implicit...

And the sense of America post-AIDS when silly money was being earned by silly people. It's worth reading for that alone in this day and age.

Very original style he has too, Mr Easton Ellis. Which is always good. (Apart from when he tries to write other books - I'm not keen on them )

Seems to me that people who liked the social commentary of, "We Need To Talk About Kevin", would be interested in this. I bloody loved that about the book more than the main narrative tbh.

I am obviously forgetting lots of other good things about it. Can you help me out MNers?

OP posts:
Original poster
Ninks · 06/09/2009 00:46

The film was less graphic but er, not - somehow.

Oh I liked the gastroporn, I did. Didn't anybody else love the ironic descriptions of poncey NY food? MN material surely? They ate flowers FGS!

OP posts:
scottishmummy · 06/09/2009 00:30

dont pulp em all keep a few as dire warning of wankfest masquerading as fiction

southeastastra · 06/09/2009 00:25

the film was sort of funny, book wasn't iirc

BitOfFun · 06/09/2009 00:24

You've got to admit that this is fucking funny though...

HolyGuacamole · 06/09/2009 00:21

Hellish book, way too graphic in a not very nice way, completely unappealing.

Don't think I've seen the film, thank goodness.

hellzapoppin · 06/09/2009 00:19

scottishmummy- my sentiments exactly. every copy should be pulped imo.

Original poster
Ninks · 06/09/2009 00:05

Jeez MN-ers don't hold back will you?

Maybe I am rem'bering it bad. I was very young when I read it but 'tis still better than that crappy film surely!

OP posts:
BitOfFun · 05/09/2009 23:28

Oh I only skimmed the book after seeing the movie, but god, it was even worse!

scottishmummy · 05/09/2009 23:21

book = pseudo-intellectual wankfest.film as bad

in the book hated endless product descriptions,i mean how much about huey fuckin lewis or phil collins can one read

i regret i have knowledge of the book or movie

BitOfFun · 05/09/2009 23:17

I second that, sal

supersalstrawberry · 05/09/2009 23:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Leln · 05/09/2009 23:00

I think the film was pretty good but the novel is a masterpiece, so def can and should be read by yr dh.

The book is dense with mundane details which give a wonderful insight into the mind of a high-achieving narcissist. It is full of irony and by humour as well as passages of searing violence.

The main points which can give rise to amzingly fraught discussions are:
-is Patrick a psycho or a pussycat?

  • is the book misogynistic or a critique of misogynism?
  • does reading about graphic acts of violence brutalise the reader?
  • how does the author convey the anti-hero's confused state of mind whilst apparently having him give a hyper realistic account of his daily life?

Loved the book, liked the film. Would highly recommend the book as it is much more challenging and disturbing, as well as funnier. The novel's dialogue is just hysterical.

Good luck convincing dh.