I own the book and movie. They missed a lot of the real violence from the book, which -- to be honest, would never see the light of day in the medium of film. It would be a hard NC-17, perhaps unmarketable by a film company for fear of backlash. Director Mary Harron did it tastefully without straying too much from the source content and like you said, she left it more to the imagination...
I've read and watched both the book and movie multiple times and the message of American Psycho is about Patrick's failure to stray away from conformity. Most of his murders and sick actions actually do happen, but he doesn't suffer any serious consequences because everyone else is so involved with themselves, really self-centered. He hates the position he's in and tries to set himself apart by being a serial killer, but he's still heavily involved with the upper class and embraces it at the same time. His frustration and existential crisis in the end wraps the message of self-centered and the wealthy lifestyle of the 80s because he knows that no matter what he does, the cycle is inescapable. Mary Harron stated that she never intended people to think it was all in his head, even though the entire film is ambiguous. The satirical content is much stronger if you see the whole story as being real. It's one of my favorite books/movies and a brilliant critique of the materialistic society in the 80s. Great review, guys! Keep up the good content!
14:18. Patrick clearly likes to watch Off the Shelf Reviews in his spare time! By the way, if you haven't already done so you should review Harsh times, Christian Bale is absolutely incredible in it. One of his finest acting performances.
Reese witherspoon starred in Walk The Line.....with Joaquin Phoenix.....who is playing The Joker this year.......Batman links EVERYTHING! Never mind Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon, let's try Six Degrees Of Batman! Even the alleyway where Patrick kills the hobo, looks straight out of 1989 Batman! Joaquin Phoenix also starred in 8mm, directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, Batman & Robin) , which starred Nic Cage, who played Big Daddy, a Batman-esque character in Kick Ass. Nic Cage is a well renowned Superman fan, Superman faced off against Batman! Batman truly brings everything together!
For anyone who was having issues finding the podcast episodes to download on their phone (I always found them a bit long to watch in their entirety on RUclips) they're all up on the Castbox app. I've been binging them for about a week. Doing almost two a day while I pretend to work in my office 💪. It's very funny when they talk about future movies that have already come out. The optimism I shared for those dumpster fires 😂
Personally I think for Luis and Jean, it's because they had meaningful connections to him, even if he didn't reciprocate. Everyone else around him was so fake and shallow (his business partners, Evelyn) or so inconsequential (the prostitutes, Elizabeth, the beggar Al) that he felt nothing when he killed them. Meanwhile Jean loved him and also wanted more from her life. Luis loved him, even to the point of publicly embarrassing himself. In the book, Patrick tries killing a child and finds no pleasure in it. It's a life snuffed out before if can come into its own. There's no satisfaction to be gained. Later, Patrick actually strikes a relationship with Jean and feels something almost like happiness. When he does the same with Evelyn earlier - a holiday in Aspen - her banality leads him back to violence.
I can say, having read the book, that the movie is far better. There are parts in the book that come across as complete torture-porn that seem to be there for shock value and to generate notoriety (hence many book bans at the time of release). The film kind of subverted it and made it ridiculous and comical instead - which is fine since it's all going on in the protagonist's head. I never realised when watching it that the business card scene had them with all the same job title and phone number - almost as though they are all just aspects of Bateman that he both envys and loathes...
they were all basically a version of the same conscienceless character - it was a matter of degrees. Paul Allen for example was never actually killed. Or was he? Didn't matter, these guys were yuppie superior monster consume-machines, we just went into the mindset of the logical end of the spectrum, the most dehumanizing, extreme mentality
The direction of this film is impeccable. Yes the acting too. But Mary harron knew exactly what to put in the forefront and what to highlight in the background.
+Off The Shelf Reviews The card sequence is also what won me over the first time I saw it. Because of the spelling mistake and the whole color as well as typeface argument. Amazing scene, amazing film. Another big thumbs up for Off The Shelf Reviews!!!
9:40 The business card scene is brilliant. Not only do the cards have the same spelling error (the missing C), but they are all printed slightly off-center. Patrick Bateman's card is slightly too far to the left, the others are printed too high or too low. The fifth card (the one by Luis Carruthers), which is seen later in the film, is ridiculously exaggerated and over-the-top. This tasteless green ink with gold foil is completely off-centred. This card is probably the most expensive, but also the one with the most errors. This scene shows how anyone of theme is basically the same, only caring about their own image.
You got half of the point the story is trying to tell, but you totally missed the social commentary. The entire story is basically showcasing business people in the 80s as shallow and self centered but to a ridiculous extreme. Patrick hates the fact he is a part of the culture and wants to differentiate himself from the rest. The point is he really did commit these murders but society is so self centered that they don't even notice which frustrates him to push the violence further. Patrick hesitates to kill some people because he realizes they are different from the social norm. He attempts to kill Jean but throughout their conversation he realizes that she's different. She actually has goals to better herself away from this lifestyle but is also not self centered, materialistic and is genuinely innocent. Did you notice the fact Jean (other than the detective) is the only one who doesn't mistake him for someone else? She is everything he wishes he was, but can't because he is too far gone into the life that he can't stop. All he can do to take out his frustrations is kill people who remind him of himself and who he sees as below him. He hates lazy people, that's why he kills the homeless guy and prostitutes. He also hesitates to kill Luis because he finds out he's gay AND attracted to him. He stops because in his mind being gay makes Luis different and unique from society. Also because the existence of Luis feeds his ego, all because of the fact Luis is sexually attracted to him. Nobody notices the murders which pushes Patrick to the brink of insanity all because he wants to feel unique and different. The detective knew Patrick was guilty but had no actual evidence. The real estate agent also knew about the murder in Paul's apartment, but chose to clean it up and cover it up in order to sell it. Fully shows just how self centered and self serving this society is. Which makes Patrick realize at the end that he will always get away with murders because nobody cares. All he can do is just to keep going in order to vent his frustrations on the world and hatred of himself. These are all the facts but the author which the director did so well was place you into the mindset of Patrick Bateman. Doing so would make him an unreliable narrator due to his psychopathic tendencies and fantasies.The thing that the director felt she screwed up with was the ending. She and the author never intended to make it one sided. But the ending made you think it was all in his head which isn't what the author wanted. They wanted to make you question everything as reality solely because of the fact you're viewing the story through Patrick.
Reading the book and watching director interviews give great insight. It was all real, materialism and superficiality were the "vices" being satirized in the story. They're what allows Bateman to evade being caught
In the book preceding American psycho, The rules of attraction, it is explained that Patrick and his brother Sean are some kind of nobility or distant royalty, so they have access to almost unlimited wealth. Tom Cruise was actually supposed to cameo in the film, as he does in the novel. Also Silvester Stallone and Donald Trump cameos were planned, Stallone declined, so the whole idea was scrapped because they wanted all three of them or none of them. The reason he doesn't kill Jean or Louis is because they are genuine and not phoney or prostitutes, which he has no respect for.
Are his murders based on movies? The axe murder is like The Shining and he's actually watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre before going on his own chainsaw rampage... perhaps in his imagination
Their early work was a little too "new wave" for my taste...but when sports came out in 83 I think they really came into their own commercially and artistically.
did it launch his career? I don't remember anyone liking this movie at the time. I didn't. It's one of my favourite movies now, but I'm not sure it was recieved as well as it is today. The solution to your perception problem with Christian Bale is 'Patrick Batman'
I agree with Gary. I believe...read the novel 20 years ago..watched the movie a lot of times..Both are masterpieces.. 2 scenes specific: 1. "Sussudio" never really sounds the same after watching this movie. 2. The monologue: Patrick on the phone speaking to his layer and everything that's comes next... that acting from C. Bale is brilliant...hahah...I needed to kill a lot of people! Hahaha... I have always acted in especialy stage plays..and have always sayd...oh man, that scene...that's something I want to do..you know American Psycho....Briliant how he closes/ends with: and.....keep your eyes open...(because...I'm coming for you..)
Absolutely love this movie it is hilarious and Bale embodies a mix of Jim Carrey and Tom Cruise! The direction the music the acting...everything about this film is brilliant for me, loved the review broskis well done 👊
It's not everything that's in his head I think maybe he just imagines all the murders being as "perfect" , he is a psychopath killer but not this good or efficient. And I think the waitress for instance just didn't hear him because of the loud music, and when he talked about murder to others I guess they just didn't take him seriously
I think the guy with the hat on misunderstood the business card scene, the reason why he felt like it was stupid because it was meant to be stupid. The business card scene is a satire of some of the upper-classes and the standards of society that we live in. It was to show how arrogant and snobby these people are by overexaggerating, exposing and criticizing people who think that their own existence is more important than others. If that makes sense.
The sequel is a joke compared to the original “American Psycho”. smh At least, William Shatner was entertaining in it. However, I just paid a visit to the writer and director of that horrid sequel, and now, I’m off to the cleaners, to get some...cranberry juice stains, out of my clothing.
I’ve now watched this movie and own it I watched it about a year ago and last week I bought it on Blu-ray and it’s good and Christian Bale did a fantastic job but I still think his best performance is Batman/Bruce Wayne
I respect Iains opinions on films but he lost some of my respect for his take on this movie it’s a modern classic end of story. He kinda missed the point on this one, part of me thinks understanding the absurdity of 80s Wall Street culture would’ve added to to the viewing. (Especially the comedic value)
American Psycho 2 is AMAZINGLY FUNNY - do not skip it!!! The story is actually pretty fantastic, the humor is ridiculous, and it's actually connected with the first one.
Didnt read the book, but really hated this movie aside from a few scenes. Spoiler...Its all in his head. He never actually has the guts to kill anyone and just fantasizes about it to seem important. Basically...The tired "It was all a dream" bullshit
*Look at that subtle off-white coloring, the tasteful thickness of it, oh my God...it even has a watermark :O*
Shortened summary of this movie...
Atm machine: Feed me a live kitten.
Patrick Bateman: 👌
Lol the dancing in the rain coat really gets me
I own the book and movie. They missed a lot of the real violence from the book, which -- to be honest, would never see the light of day in the medium of film. It would be a hard NC-17, perhaps unmarketable by a film company for fear of backlash. Director Mary Harron did it tastefully without straying too much from the source content and like you said, she left it more to the imagination...
I kinda think the movie is better for it. It's a comedy essentially. No need to drag it down with too gruesome violence.
I've read and watched both the book and movie multiple times and the message of American Psycho is about Patrick's failure to stray away from conformity. Most of his murders and sick actions actually do happen, but he doesn't suffer any serious consequences because everyone else is so involved with themselves, really self-centered. He hates the position he's in and tries to set himself apart by being a serial killer, but he's still heavily involved with the upper class and embraces it at the same time. His frustration and existential crisis in the end wraps the message of self-centered and the wealthy lifestyle of the 80s because he knows that no matter what he does, the cycle is inescapable. Mary Harron stated that she never intended people to think it was all in his head, even though the entire film is ambiguous. The satirical content is much stronger if you see the whole story as being real. It's one of my favorite books/movies and a brilliant critique of the materialistic society in the 80s. Great review, guys! Keep up the good content!
14:18. Patrick clearly likes to watch Off the Shelf Reviews in his spare time!
By the way, if you haven't already done so you should review Harsh times, Christian Bale is absolutely incredible in it. One of his finest acting performances.
“Sabrina! Don’t Just Stare At It!! EAT IT!!!!”-Patrick Bateman
George Carlin and Kevin Smith reviewing "American Psycho" ?!?!? = New Sub !!! Thanks guys ! 👍
Guess I’m not the first to see the double resemblance !
@@ColonelPatchy1 😉 yes 👍
Nice video again fellas. You deserve way more than 17,000 subs. Keep the great work coming.
Yeah these guys are way better then most reviewers on youtube. Im lucky I found them a couple years ago.
Agree...
Thank you for the re-upload guys
love this film and this review, hands down one of the best Christian Bale movies ever
Reese witherspoon starred in Walk The Line.....with Joaquin Phoenix.....who is playing The Joker this year.......Batman links EVERYTHING! Never mind Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon, let's try Six Degrees Of Batman! Even the alleyway where Patrick kills the hobo, looks straight out of 1989 Batman! Joaquin Phoenix also starred in 8mm, directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, Batman & Robin) , which starred Nic Cage, who played Big Daddy, a Batman-esque character in Kick Ass. Nic Cage is a well renowned Superman fan, Superman faced off against Batman! Batman truly brings everything together!
Great to see it back, thanks guys OTSR 👊👊
For anyone who was having issues finding the podcast episodes to download on their phone (I always found them a bit long to watch in their entirety on RUclips) they're all up on the Castbox app. I've been binging them for about a week. Doing almost two a day while I pretend to work in my office 💪. It's very funny when they talk about future movies that have already come out. The optimism I shared for those dumpster fires 😂
Personally I think for Luis and Jean, it's because they had meaningful connections to him, even if he didn't reciprocate. Everyone else around him was so fake and shallow (his business partners, Evelyn) or so inconsequential (the prostitutes, Elizabeth, the beggar Al) that he felt nothing when he killed them. Meanwhile Jean loved him and also wanted more from her life. Luis loved him, even to the point of publicly embarrassing himself.
In the book, Patrick tries killing a child and finds no pleasure in it. It's a life snuffed out before if can come into its own. There's no satisfaction to be gained. Later, Patrick actually strikes a relationship with Jean and feels something almost like happiness. When he does the same with Evelyn earlier - a holiday in Aspen - her banality leads him back to violence.
I can say, having read the book, that the movie is far better. There are parts in the book that come across as complete torture-porn that seem to be there for shock value and to generate notoriety (hence many book bans at the time of release). The film kind of subverted it and made it ridiculous and comical instead - which is fine since it's all going on in the protagonist's head.
I never realised when watching it that the business card scene had them with all the same job title and phone number - almost as though they are all just aspects of Bateman that he both envys and loathes...
they were all basically a version of the same conscienceless character - it was a matter of degrees. Paul Allen for example was never actually killed. Or was he? Didn't matter, these guys were yuppie superior monster consume-machines, we just went into the mindset of the logical end of the spectrum, the most dehumanizing, extreme mentality
The direction of this film is impeccable. Yes the acting too. But Mary harron knew exactly what to put in the forefront and what to highlight in the background.
+Off The Shelf Reviews The card sequence is also what won me over the first time I saw it. Because of the spelling mistake and the whole color as well as typeface argument. Amazing scene, amazing film. Another big thumbs up for Off The Shelf Reviews!!!
You hit one outta the park with this one bros.
I just love the card sequence. It's so fking entertaining
9:40 The business card scene is brilliant. Not only do the cards have the same spelling error (the missing C), but they are all printed slightly off-center. Patrick Bateman's card is slightly too far to the left, the others are printed too high or too low. The fifth card (the one by Luis Carruthers), which is seen later in the film, is ridiculously exaggerated and over-the-top. This tasteless green ink with gold foil is completely off-centred. This card is probably the most expensive, but also the one with the most errors. This scene shows how anyone of theme is basically the same, only caring about their own image.
You guys are one of my favourite reviewers, love the horror reviews!
You got half of the point the story is trying to tell, but you totally missed the social commentary. The entire story is basically showcasing business people in the 80s as shallow and self centered but to a ridiculous extreme. Patrick hates the fact he is a part of the culture and wants to differentiate himself from the rest. The point is he really did commit these murders but society is so self centered that they don't even notice which frustrates him to push the violence further.
Patrick hesitates to kill some people because he realizes they are different from the social norm. He attempts to kill Jean but throughout their conversation he realizes that she's different. She actually has goals to better herself away from this lifestyle but is also not self centered, materialistic and is genuinely innocent. Did you notice the fact Jean (other than the detective) is the only one who doesn't mistake him for someone else? She is everything he wishes he was, but can't because he is too far gone into the life that he can't stop. All he can do to take out his frustrations is kill people who remind him of himself and who he sees as below him. He hates lazy people, that's why he kills the homeless guy and prostitutes. He also hesitates to kill Luis because he finds out he's gay AND attracted to him. He stops because in his mind being gay makes Luis different and unique from society. Also because the existence of Luis feeds his ego, all because of the fact Luis is sexually attracted to him.
Nobody notices the murders which pushes Patrick to the brink of insanity all because he wants to feel unique and different. The detective knew Patrick was guilty but had no actual evidence. The real estate agent also knew about the murder in Paul's apartment, but chose to clean it up and cover it up in order to sell it. Fully shows just how self centered and self serving this society is. Which makes Patrick realize at the end that he will always get away with murders because nobody cares. All he can do is just to keep going in order to vent his frustrations on the world and hatred of himself.
These are all the facts but the author which the director did so well was place you into the mindset of Patrick Bateman. Doing so would make him an unreliable narrator due to his psychopathic tendencies and fantasies.The thing that the director felt she screwed up with was the ending. She and the author never intended to make it one sided. But the ending made you think it was all in his head which isn't what the author wanted. They wanted to make you question everything as reality solely because of the fact you're viewing the story through Patrick.
Excellent review guys!
People always say it’s ambiguous, I just thought it was that nobody cares or suspects him.
there is a joke in an episode of Dexter about this movie...he uses the alias 'Patrick Bateman", to get his supply of tranquilizers.
Great work boys. Been waiting on this review.
13:10 - Now it's also ironic that Jared Leto is gonna be Morbius, The Living Vampire, a character connected to bats, like his own "Batman."
PLEASE Review
The New Outer Limits - "The Haven" - "The Grid" - "Blank Slate" - "Straight and Narrow"
The book was very difficult to read and accept that it was so entertaining. Really enjoyed the film and your review!
Awesome re upload!
Reading the book and watching director interviews give great insight. It was all real, materialism and superficiality were the "vices" being satirized in the story. They're what allows Bateman to evade being caught
Love this film. The book is crazy. Especially what he does with rats!
So you guys know, in investment banking, Vice President is not a very high position. More middle of the road. Some firms have hundreds of VPs.
“Sabrina! Don’t Just Stare At It, EAT IT!!!” This movie is a Tour D’Force Dark Satire Masterpiece lol
In the book preceding American psycho, The rules of attraction,
it is explained that Patrick and his brother Sean are some kind of nobility or distant royalty,
so they have access to almost unlimited wealth.
Tom Cruise was actually supposed to cameo in the film, as he does in the novel.
Also Silvester Stallone and Donald Trump cameos were planned,
Stallone declined, so the whole idea was scrapped because they wanted all three of them or none of them.
The reason he doesn't kill Jean or Louis is because they are genuine and not phoney
or prostitutes, which he has no respect for.
Are his murders based on movies? The axe murder is like The Shining and he's actually watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre before going on his own chainsaw rampage... perhaps in his imagination
Kimbell is not a police officer, he's a private investigator
I’m surprised u guys didn’t review ‘a clockwork orange’ with Alex’ droogs psychopaths
48:20
I feel this way about both the Robocop and Total Recall remakes.
Do you like Huey Lewis and the News?
Their early work was a little too "new wave" for my taste...but when sports came out in 83 I think they really came into their own commercially and artistically.
did it launch his career? I don't remember anyone liking this movie at the time. I didn't. It's one of my favourite movies now, but I'm not sure it was recieved as well as it is today. The solution to your perception problem with Christian Bale is 'Patrick Batman'
37:05 Holy shit foreshadowing
this was all in his mind
just like with
JOAQUIN PHOENIX
JOKER / ARTHUR FLECK
I agree with Gary. I believe...read the novel 20 years ago..watched the movie a lot of times..Both are masterpieces.. 2 scenes specific: 1. "Sussudio" never really sounds the same after watching this movie. 2. The monologue: Patrick on the phone speaking to his layer and everything that's comes next... that acting from C. Bale is brilliant...hahah...I needed to kill a lot of people! Hahaha... I have always acted in especialy stage plays..and have always sayd...oh man, that scene...that's something I want to do..you know American Psycho....Briliant how he closes/ends with: and.....keep your eyes open...(because...I'm coming for you..)
Compare Christian Bales' voice in American Psycho to Brent Spiner's voice in any Star Trek the Next Generation episode.
Re-upload! Nice one guys! 😄 👊
As always... fucking love you guys
Absolutely love this movie it is hilarious and Bale embodies a mix of Jim Carrey and Tom Cruise! The direction the music the acting...everything about this film is brilliant for me, loved the review broskis well done 👊
It's not everything that's in his head I think maybe he just imagines all the murders being as "perfect" , he is a psychopath killer but not this good or efficient. And I think the waitress for instance just didn't hear him because of the loud music, and when he talked about murder to others I guess they just didn't take him seriously
I guess Patrick Bateman really showed up in shaft :D
I think the guy with the hat on misunderstood the business card scene, the reason why he felt like it was stupid because it was meant to be stupid. The business card scene is a satire of some of the upper-classes and the standards of society that we live in. It was to show how arrogant and snobby these people are by overexaggerating, exposing and criticizing people who think that their own existence is more important than others. If that makes sense.
Duct tape. I need it for......taping something.
like Pat Bateman has Texas Chainsaw in the back ground i have American Psycho on...
Omg you guys are doing so many of my fave films! :D
You guys should review saw 1
*Turn Up*
14:15 lmao
The card scene demonstrates how shallow they are; it's a good example of the kind of pointless minutiae these soulless financiers care about
15:40 all the characters are in Batemans mind. THEY DO NOT EXIST! That is why they are all Vice President. They are all part of Batemans personality.
The sequel is a joke compared to the original “American Psycho”. smh At least, William Shatner was entertaining in it. However, I just paid a visit to the writer and director of that horrid sequel, and now, I’m off to the cleaners, to get some...cranberry juice stains, out of my clothing.
its good this movie you get to see batman kill joker WITH A AXE.
Rain mac on..Volume up..Axe in hand..I'm ready!🧐
Re-Upload, guys !!
I’m a huge Christian Bale fan and yet I have not seen this movie I really got to get around to watching it
It's his best performance ever
I’ve now watched this movie and own it I watched it about a year ago and last week I bought it on Blu-ray and it’s good and Christian Bale did a fantastic job but I still think his best performance is Batman/Bruce Wayne
Rain Man is on Next Friday 11:25pm on BBC1 Gary ok
You want a good spiritual sucessor to this movie check out American Mary
you guys r awesome! Can you pls review eternal sunshine of the spotless mind?
Don't just stare at it. Eat it!
Loyal Shelfers ALWAYS re-thumb a re-upload!
Cool sons of anarchy t shirt
Only a 50 minute review this time? You're slipping, boys. :-)
Jare' Le'oh! 😂😂😂
Have you seen the film called Rain Man Gary
Oh yes the re-upload their videos
Batman Begins next.
Reuoad? Great film!
Any chance you could do a review of kids (1995),it's really a disturbing movie, which has a lot of talking points.
speedygonzales378 great movie
Lmao 14:18
Its back! Haha awesome:)
according to the director it was real and not in his head
Love this movie love your reviews cheers guys
I respect Iains opinions on films but he lost some of my respect for his take on this movie it’s a modern classic end of story. He kinda missed the point on this one, part of me thinks understanding the absurdity of 80s Wall Street culture would’ve added to to the viewing. (Especially the comedic value)
Reese Witherspoon is sooooo damn fine!
Wow, I clicked on 666 views of this.
Why don't you guys review Evilspeak 1981 with Ron Howard's brother?
Sometimes I think some movies are just way over Iians’s head.
Gary is more of a thinker and more intelligent than Iian.
I love to get high on steroids
A Collaboration of Insecure Males Hanging Out To Include the Director's they Create their Own Atmosphere and Gather Up as Many as Possible .
American Psycho 2 sucked.
American Psycho 2 is AMAZINGLY FUNNY - do not skip it!!! The story is actually pretty fantastic, the humor is ridiculous, and it's actually connected with the first one.
Please can you review Jeepers Creepers
Why do you guys keep using that guy silent bob from clerks to censor stuff?
The book is far better but of course I read the book before I saw the film.
Didnt read the book, but really hated this movie aside from a few scenes. Spoiler...Its all in his head. He never actually has the guts to kill anyone and just fantasizes about it to seem important. Basically...The tired "It was all a dream" bullshit