“I'm always shocked when people want to make movies out of my books. […] They have cinematic scenes, they have a lot of dialogue, but often they don't have that narrative momentum a movie needs” (Shulman, par. 12), said Bret Easton Ellis, the author of the novel American Psycho, in an interview about movie adaptations of his books. Ellis wrote a total of seven novels and became one of the most famous authors of postmodern American literature. His third novel American Psycho was published in 1991 and turned into a movie in 2000 by Mary Harron. Yet, the missing narrative momentum Ellis mentioned was not Harron’s only problem while adapting the novel. When American Psycho was published in 1991, it was not well received. Because of its extremely graphic scenes of violence and pornography the novel caused a chorus of outrage among critics. Female activist groups complained that it was “a how-to novel on the torture and dismemberment of women” (McDowell, par. 1). Ellis even received death threats and had to face furious outcries from women...
Ellis was surprised that the novel provoked such reactions because he intended the novel to be a black comedy and a critique of the capitalist society in New York City in the 1980s. His intention was to decry the greed, envy and the urge for conformity present at Wall Street at that time. However, the satiric elements of his novel were almost completely overshadowed by the violent and pornographic passages which led many people to misinterpret the novel’s message. The reactions to Mary Harron’s movie adaptation of American Psycho were much friendlier:
Watching "American Psycho" is like witnessing a bravura sleight-of-hand feat. In adapting Bret Easton Ellis's turgid, gory 1991 novel to the screen, the director Mary Harron has boiled a bloated stew of brand names and butchery into a lean and mean horror comedy classic. (Holden, par. 1)
In view of this change of opinion from the novel to the movie adaptation, it is justified to take a closer look at how Harron adapted Ellis’s novel. In the framework of the seminar "Literature and Media: A Kaleidoscope", this paper analyzes the rehabilitation of the novel focusing on internal changes and the resulting changes in the effect on the audience. Mary Harron rehabilitated American Psycho by turning it into a feminist movie.
Table of Contents
- I. Introduction
- II. American Psycho: A feminist movie
- A) Added/Altered content
- 1) New scenes
- 2) Altered scenes
- B) Focus on satiric elements
- C) Are Bateman's crimes reality or fantasy?
- D) “Distancing effect”
- E) The female perspective
- A) Added/Altered content
- III. Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper analyzes Mary Harron's film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho, focusing on how Harron transforms the novel into a feminist film. The analysis examines the changes made to the source material and their impact on the audience's reception, exploring the successful "rehabilitation" of a controversial work.
- The adaptation of a controversial novel into a film.
- The feminist perspective in the film adaptation.
- The alteration of violent and pornographic content.
- The use of satire and humor to critique capitalist society.
- The impact of cinematic techniques on audience interpretation.
Chapter Summaries
I. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage by discussing Bret Easton Ellis's surprise at the frequent film adaptations of his books and the initial negative reception of his novel American Psycho. It highlights the extreme controversy surrounding the novel, including death threats and accusations of misogyny, contrasting this with the more positive reception of Harron's film adaptation. The introduction establishes the central question: How did Harron successfully transform a highly controversial novel into a film that was better received? The chapter provides crucial context by outlining the novel's original intent as a satire of 1980s Wall Street culture, while acknowledging how its graphic violence overshadowed its satirical aspects. The contrast between the novel's initial reception and the film's more favorable critical response lays the foundation for the analysis of Harron's adaptation techniques.
II. American Psycho: A feminist movie: This chapter delves into the central argument of the paper: Harron's transformation of American Psycho into a feminist film. It examines how the film's directorial choices, including the addition and alteration of scenes, the emphasis on satirical elements, and the creation of a “distancing effect,” contribute to its feminist interpretation. The chapter acknowledges the inherent challenge of adapting such a violent and misogynistic text into a feminist work. It highlights the strategic move of having a female director, which allowed for a feminist reinterpretation, and explains how the limitations of the film medium necessitated modifications compared to the novel. It introduces the concept of “commentary” in film adaptation, focusing on how Harron re-structures and re-emphasizes elements from the novel to achieve a different impact. The chapter sets the stage for a detailed examination of specific instances of added and altered content in subsequent sections.
Keywords
American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis, Mary Harron, film adaptation, feminist interpretation, satire, violence, pornography, capitalist critique, 1980s culture, genre, cinematic techniques, audience reception.
American Psycho Film Adaptation: A Feminist Interpretation - FAQ
What is the main focus of this academic paper?
This paper analyzes Mary Harron's film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho, focusing on how Harron transforms the novel into a feminist film. It examines the changes made to the source material and their impact on the audience's reception, exploring the successful "rehabilitation" of a controversial work.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
The key themes include the adaptation of a controversial novel into a film; the feminist perspective in the film adaptation; the alteration of violent and pornographic content; the use of satire and humor to critique capitalist society; and the impact of cinematic techniques on audience interpretation.
What is the central argument of the paper regarding the film adaptation?
The central argument is that Harron's directorial choices, including additions and alterations to scenes, emphasis on satirical elements, and the creation of a “distancing effect,” contribute to a feminist interpretation of American Psycho. It highlights the strategic move of having a female director enabling a feminist reinterpretation and addresses the necessary modifications due to the limitations of the film medium compared to the novel.
How does the paper address the controversial nature of the source material?
The paper acknowledges the extreme controversy surrounding the novel, including death threats and accusations of misogyny, contrasting this with the more positive reception of Harron's film adaptation. It addresses how Harron successfully transforms a highly controversial novel into a more favorably received film by re-structuring and re-emphasizing elements from the novel to achieve a different impact.
What aspects of the film adaptation are specifically analyzed?
The analysis examines added and altered scenes, the focus on satirical elements, whether Bateman's crimes are reality or fantasy, the "distancing effect" employed in the film, and the female perspective presented.
What is the significance of the film's director being female?
The paper highlights the strategic importance of having a female director (Mary Harron) in allowing for a feminist reinterpretation of the source material.
What is the role of satire in the film adaptation?
The adaptation uses satire and humor to critique capitalist society, a crucial element in its successful transformation and positive reception.
What cinematic techniques are discussed in relation to audience interpretation?
The paper examines the impact of cinematic techniques on how the audience interprets the film and its themes, including the "distancing effect".
What is included in the provided document preview?
The preview includes the title, table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What is the overall goal of the analysis presented in this paper?
The overall goal is to understand how Mary Harron successfully adapted Bret Easton Ellis's controversial novel, American Psycho, into a critically acclaimed film, focusing on the feminist perspective and the significant changes made in the process.
- Quote paper
- Tobias Utz (Author), 2013, Mary Harron’s movie adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s "American Psycho". A feminist movie, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/232158
