NationStates Jolt Archive

Does anyone think this is a modern classic, I think both the film and book are amazing. Its just such a great critique of yuppie wallstreet in the 80s and its hilarious to boot, with the swipes taken at the pompous preening of Bateman and his friends. But I think also that it conveys a more important message, that consumer culture is pretty empty and repetitive and Batemans "murderous rampages" (since theyre all in his head) express this emptiness, the mind numbing soulessness that would cause repressed fustration in most people, but with Bateman its a literal enactment of that general fustration taken to its extreme. Not to mention he is the embodiment of that culture.

Anyway thats my rant over. The film is incredible the book even better and soundtrack is...priceless, I mean Sussodio and that scene.

soundtrack is...priceless, I mean Sussodio and that scene.Dude... Dope covering "You Spin Me Round". I laugh my ass off every time I hear it.

I think I saw it about 5 years ago, if it's the movie i'm thinking of. Is that the one where he's screwing the chick and looking in the mirror getting off over himself?

Or am I ignorant and it's something much newer?

I hated it. It might've had a message but frankly I only didn't leave the room because I was too hung over to stand. :(

I think I saw it about 5 years ago, if it's the movie i'm thinking of. Is that the one where he's screwing the chick and looking in the mirror getting off over himself?

Or am I ignorant and it's something much newer?
Yeah, that's the one.

It is a great film. I remember being a bit disappointed they cut out a lot of stuff from the book, but considering how sick some of it was it's not really that surprising.

Yeah, that's the one.

It is a great film. I remember being a bit disappointed they cut out a lot of stuff from the book, but considering how sick some of it was it's not really that surprising.

*must track down the book*

After I track down the Battle Royale book, that is...

Yup. Good movie, and awesome book.

I think I saw it about 5 years ago, if it's the movie i'm thinking of. Is that the one where he's screwing the chick and looking in the mirror getting off over himself?

Or am I ignorant and it's something much newer?

If its weird that I want to see the movie because of that comment, I don't want to be normal.

Relatively speaking of course.

*must track down the book*

After I track down the Battle Royale book, that is...

the manga? the film version of BR is crap by comparison I found, but the manga is unbelievable, its just to good to comprehend, artwork, characterization, storylines, its amazing

If its weird that I want to see the movie because of that comment, I don't want to be normal.

Relatively speaking of course.

:P

the manga? the film version of BR is crap by comparison I found, but the manga is unbelievable, its just to good to comprehend, artwork, characterization, storylines, its amazing

Not the manga...it was originally a novel.

*must track down the book*
It's not a bad read, though I think it may have lost some of it's satire now. It's was avery harsh critque on the whole 80's yuppie culture.
If you can remember what that was like, you'll understand it better.

tip: listen to Huey Lewis & the News, and Phil Collins before u read it. Adds to the atmosphere of the book

tip: listen to Huey Lewis & the News, and Phil Collins before u read it. Adds to the atmosphere of the book
Good tip, though it has the obvious downside of listening to Phil Collins. :p

Good tip, though it has the obvious downside of listening to Phil Collins. :p

Yeah, see, I was with him up till that part...

;)

Yeah, see, I was with him up till that part...

;)
You'll understand when you read the book. ;)

Good tip, though it has the obvious downside of listening to Phil Collins. :p
True. I suppose I could change it to, "scrap your fingers down a blackboard while thinking of Phil Collins". The effect on your aural nerves are the same.

Does anyone think this is a modern classic, I think both the film and book are amazing. Its just such a great critique of yuppie wallstreet in the 80s and its hilarious to boot, with the swipes taken at the pompous preening of Bateman and his friends. But I think also that it conveys a more important message, that consumer culture is pretty empty and repetitive and Batemans "murderous rampages" (since theyre all in his head) express this emptiness, the mind numbing soulessness that would cause repressed fustration in most people, but with Bateman its a literal enactment of that general fustration taken to its extreme. Not to mention he is the embodiment of that culture.

Anyway thats my rant over. The film is incredible the book even better and soundtrack is...priceless, I mean Sussodio and that scene.

I have carefully avoided watching the film.

The book contained some good ideas, but fell into the same trap that "Natural Born Killers" and "Shallow Hal" both became victims of - falling the wrong side of the parody/tribute line.

Did it have good points? Yes - there are a lot of iconic references, New York is used as a metaphor, and there is a deliberate play on the similarity between the names "Bateman" and "Batman".

But it was lost in what became little more than a glorification of shallow violence, a tragic victim of loss-of-focus.

Does anyone think this is a modern classic, I think both the film and book are amazing. Its just such a great critique of yuppie wallstreet in the 80s and its hilarious to boot, with the swipes taken at the pompous preening of Bateman and his friends. But I think also that it conveys a more important message, that consumer culture is pretty empty and repetitive and Batemans "murderous rampages" (since theyre all in his head) express this emptiness, the mind numbing soulessness that would cause repressed fustration in most people, but with Bateman its a literal enactment of that general fustration taken to its extreme. Not to mention he is the embodiment of that culture.


I've only seen the film, but... Exactly. It's one of the few good horror films, way above most.


After I track down the Battle Royale book, that is...

I've only seen the film (which is excellent), but a few weeks ago for the first time I saw the book (in English) for sale in a bookshop in England.

I've only seen the film (which is excellent), but a few weeks ago for the first time I saw the book (in English) for sale in a bookshop in England.

The film is indeed excellent. According to wiki, the book was released in England late last year...which means we'll probably have it down here too if I can be bothered travelling to get to the places they sell good stuff. Meh.

I suppose I could get it in Japanese, but i'm a little out of practice. :p

The scene where he deconstructs the whole of Huey Lewis and the News while spreading papers and drop cloths and then obliterates his colleague's head -- all to the tune of "Hip to Be Square" -- brilliant. Also brilliant, the scene wherein Bale has an internal monologue about the various levels of quality of the business cards being passed around.

Yes, the book got short shrift, but NEWSFLASH, books that become films always do, even when the book isn't very long or complex or lends itself well to the transition.

Christian Bale was cast perfectly, and the mood and sllickness of the mid 80s was perfectly rendered (having lived through it, I can attest to its accuracy -- while I was studying music, many of my acquaintances were headed for internships at brokerage firms, looking to cash in on the fictional Gordon Gecko's mantra "greed is good").

As a look into the 80s, it's better than Bonfire of the Vanities which was also a much better novel, and certainly better than Wall Street because of the latter's lofty perch atop the penthouse. It's difficult to identify with obviously slimy characters so out of the daily mainstream of the moviegoing public, whereas American Psycho showed us the ambitious and eager-to-get-ahead Bale, who many of us could either identify with or at least envy.