Video Picks Archive
Back to ArchiveReviews by Lauren Snyder <lauren@filmhead.com>
This week my picks are
American Psycho
(2000 - 
) and
Psycho
(1960 - 
).
What drives a man to murder? Two different scenarios
are explored in the featured selections. In the case
of American Psycho's Patrick Bateman, yuppie par
excellence, murder is one of the only thrills that
Patrick can derive from his shallow modern life,
matched only by an evening spent listening to the
early works of Genesis. The eerie dichotomy of the
misogynistic slasher and the Huey Lewis and the News
fan leaves you unsure of whether or not you want him
to get away with his crimes or pay for them. The film
is painted in broad, garish tones, and there is a
sarcastic, sadistic glee in which both story and
storyteller revel.
Full review from April 19, 2000
American Psycho's onscreen violence follows the current tradition of leaving nothing gory to the imagination, a philosophy not followed by master moviemaker Alfred Hitchcock in the classic Psycho. Norman Bates is a momma's boy with a secret, and Janet Leigh and her shower curtain are the innocent victims. Stunningly innovative cinematography enhances the intricate storyline, and Anthony Perkins continues to impress me with his ability to be so mild and so furious without giving off the impression that he has the capacity for any other emotional extreme than the one he's in. A drawn-out explanation scene at the end is the only thing that holds this film back from receiving four glorious stars.
For more information, visit the Internet Movie Database:
American Psycho (2000)
Psycho (1960)
Here's some merchandise for sale at
| American Psycho (2000) | -- VHS |
| American Psycho (2000) (R-rated Version) | -- DVD |
| American Psycho (2000) (Unrated Version) | -- DVD |
| American Psycho, a novel by Bret Easton Ellis | -- Paperback |
| American Psycho: Music From The Controversial Motion Picture | -- Compact Disc |
| Psycho (1960) | -- VHS |
| Psycho (1960) | -- VHS Widescreen |
| Psycho (1960) | -- DVD |
| Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, by Stephen Rebello | -- Hardcover |
| Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, by Stephen Rebello | -- Paperback |
| Psycho: The Complete Original Motion Picture Score | -- Compact Disc |
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