Music Banter - View Single Post - Genesis and American Psycho
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Old 01-13-2012, 07:16 AM   #9 (permalink)
midnight rain
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RMR View Post
You are correct, the scene is set up to provide irony-- or more accurately-- satire, and it is not to be an accurate analysis of the band, but rather of the Patrick Bateman character. The quote about Genesis has nothing to do with spoofing Genesis fans. In fact, the original author (Brett Easton Ellis) must of had imitate knowledge of Gabriel era Genesis to be able to include that section. The Genesis quote is used because it fits the Patrick Bateman character perfectly. He likes 80's genesis and doesn't understand 70's Genesis because he is a shallow character, so he associates more with the more shallow version of Genesis from the 80's, which he even admits... "I’ve been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn’t understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual"

American Psycho II has nothing to do with the book or the original; it was not even in the theaters. The Huey Lewis quote, as well as a similar Whitney Houston quote, along with the Genesis quote are all in the original.

All Patrick Bateman (the protagonist) is concerned with is how things seem on the surface... clothes, restaurants, music, and so on. Here's a great clip of interviews from the actors. Mary Harron, the director, does the best job of explaining the movie. Although there is a back plot of Bateman as serial killer, it is certainly not a slasher film, which is why the film is so misunderstood.

Like has already been said, most people here don't watch American Psycho and just think slasher film. I really don't think it's as complex and ambiguous as you make it out to be. Hell most of Bateman's monologues/speeches are pretty direct and to the point, such as the opening monologue when he describes himself as "simply not there".

Engine was correct. As Bateman states at some point, "Because I want to fit in!"

Don't think it gets much clearer then that.

Last edited by midnight rain; 01-13-2012 at 07:22 AM.
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