Books have often had the power to court controversy. Vladimir Nabokov’s seminal 1955 novel, Lolita, depicted a grown man’s sexual appetite for a 15-year old girl, causing it to be banned in many places upon its initial publication. Harper Lee’s magnificent 1960 novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has often been called out for its use of racist language, violence and even rape, making it a very controversial book despite winning a Pulitzer Prize. Even The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger’s magnum opus about young misanthrope, Holden Caulfield, is no stranger to controversy, at one time being the most banned book in the United States. But the one thing that all of these books have in common is that their power cannot be denied. Even all these years later, these books are still held up as examples of excellence in writing and are even praised for dealing with taboo topics that may not otherwise be explored, especially among young people.

In 1991, author Bret Easton Ellis released his third novel, American Psycho, a book that caused major controversy upon its release for its depiction of coke-sniffing Wall Street banker Patrick Bateman who begins murdering people in brutal ways because of the violent urges he has and because of the sadistic pleasure he derives from it. His obsession with consumerism, cleanliness and status are shown to us through a first-person narrative in which the character of Bateman is preoccupied with things like having a better business card than his peers or deeply analyzing pop albums of the 1980s.

Author Bret Easton Ellis. Photo courtesy of Mark Coggins.

Much of the controversy came not over the murders themselves, but of how they were being done. Often described in cruel and barbaric ways, Bateman seems to relish in the creative ways he can kill people, using axes and cyanide in brutishly original ways. Many scenes show Bateman using racist language and looking down upon those he sees as racially inferior, even confusing different ethnicities as if it isn’t important. Bateman’s superficiality combined with his blood-thirsty endeavors creates a dynamic and enthralling character that must be read to be believed.

“I’m into, uh, well, murders and executions, mostly.”

Patrick Bateman, protagonist of American Psycho

Personally, I found this book beyond fascinating, and it’s one of those books that I’ve continued to think about despite having read it almost ten years ago. At about 400 pages, it’s an average size read, but I blew through it at a torrent pace, eager to see what Ellis was going to show us next. Although Bateman proves to be somewhat of an unreliable narrator–we’re never quite sure if what he’s telling us is true or just a figment of his imagination–he takes us on an incredible roller-coaster ride of emotions, weaving in and out of the superficial world of banking and nightlife in New York City, and his nighttime hobby of killing. Ellis manages to take a very violent and nauseating subject matter and somehow make it thoroughly engrossing.

It has to be admitted, however, that this is certainly not a book that will be enjoyed by most. I have recommended this book to several people over the years and most have reported back that they were unable to get through most of it because of how hardcore and squeamish the violence is. And this is understandable–most people don’t want to read about a murderous, misogynistic, homophobic psycho chopping up a hooker and feeding a rat up her vagina. It’s this and many other scenes like it that get seared in your memory forever. Still, the sheer inventiveness that Ellis shows here is by far one of the most original and spell-binding stories in recent memory.

“I guess you could say I’m a pretty sick guy!”

Patrick Bateman, protagonist of American Psycho

In 2000, Canadian filmmaker Marry Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol, The Notorious Bettie Page) adapted Ellis’ novel into a feature-length film starring British actor Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, The Machinist) as the psychotic Bateman, a role in which he was perfectly cast and that cemented him as one of the best actors working in Hollywood today. Harron rounded out the cast with other standout actors such as Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde, Walk the Line), Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club, Requiem for a Dream) and Willem Dafoe (Platoon, The Florida Project).

Actor Christian Bale. Photo courtesy of Asim Bharwani

One thing to note about the film is how many of the more violent and gory scenes from the book didn’t actually make their way into the film. This is not to say the film wasn’t violent–it most certainly was–but Harron was able to imply certain scenes without actually showing them. She also built in more of a dark comedy tone to the film that gave it perhaps a lighter feel than the book (which, to be clear, was also full of dark humour). This was likely a way of getting butts in seats that might not otherwise have done so.

Much of Bateman’s character was the same as in the book, and Bale was able to do the character justice by showing just how narcissistic and murderous Bateman is. One of my favourite scenes in the film is when Bale as Bateman is sweating profusely over his apprehension of whether or not his peers are going to be envious of his business card and the subsequent feeling of panic and disappointment when he realizes that some of them may have actually created a *gasp* better card than his.

All in all, the Harron film is thoroughly entertaining and offers up a great take on Ellis’ psychotic creation. Indeed, the deranged mind of Patrick Bateman is on full display as we watch him wax poetic about the music of Huey Lewis & the News while swinging an axe into the head of a rival Wall Street banker. The film’s pace matches the frenetic energy of Bale who manages to strike the right tone and avoids making the role cheesy as could easily have happened in the wrong hands.

However, when comparing the two mediums, it is the book that makes the larger impact, forcing you to either tear through it at a breakneck pace or throw it down in disgust, writing it off as little more than shock-value filth. This is the power of a book as polarizing as Ellis’ and is the reason why it is the superior choice to the film. In the future, the book will be remembered for its cultural impact while the movie will most likely only be remembered as an early breakthrough for its main star.

Final verdict: the book.

To pick up a copy of Ellis’ controversial book, click here. For film-lovers, click below to have a look at the trailer for the 2000 movie.