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Last Update
- June 21th, 2003
Unmasking an
'American Psycho'
Paul Fischer,
www.darkhorizons.com, 2000
Christian
Bale is one of the hottest actors around, but now this British
star is destined to be even hotter with his star turn in one of
the most controversial and talked about films of the year: American
Psycho. Talking to CrankyCritic.com's Paul Fischer at this years
Sundance Film Festival, the normally publicity-shy actor talked
candidly about one of the most heinous yet compelling characters
to reach the screen in years. Hes come a long way since the young
boy who graced Spielbergs Empire of the Sun a decade ago.
The heat was
on at this years chilly Sundance Film Festival, where American
Psycho had its world premiere. The buzz was in full gear, and
for 26-year old Welsh-born Christian Bale, it was the first time
he came face-to-face with the controversy surrounding the much-hyped
Psycho. Based on the often-discussed Bret Easton Ellis novel,
Bale hadnt read the novel prior to be cast as yuppie serial killer
Patrick Bateman, but knew about the book and the character he
seemed destined to play.
I was making
Velvet Goldmine when I got the script, and just thought it was
so well written, with this amazing dialogue, and it was surprisingly
funny. In the reviews of the book that Id read, it was never
mentioned that it was a satire. Satiric or not, Patrick Bateman
is one of those characters few actors would dare play (such as
Leonardo Di Caprio who had temporarily replaced Bale at one point).
Patrick Bateman is the son of a wealthy Wall Street financier,
pursuing his own lucrative career with his fathers firm. He is
the prototypical yuppie, obsessed with success, fashion, and style.
He also happens to be a serial killer who murders and mutilates
strangers without provocation or reason. Not exactly the kind
of character an actor can identify with. I kept on thinking as
I was doing it, that in order to play satire, youve got to half
love what you re satirising. What Bale also found tough to identify
with, was the world in which Bateman inhabited, the yuppie, educated,
pretentious society to which this character belongs or tries
to. I couldnt understand the whole thing of them being like
such macho guys, but at the same time really being bitchy, coupled
with this incredible vanity. Bale further points out that Bateman
is a character that youd hate to be around, but is entertaining
as hell to watch
So how does
one approach a character like this, a guy with very few, if any,
redeeming qualities? Normally you try and find the real side
to a character, the emotions, and there is none of that here;
in Bateman it is entirely surface, even at times when hes just
on the phone. Its almost like hes trying to be emotional. I
guess its like the fascination of people slowing down to look
at a car crash.
Bateman is
a quintessential American creation, and for this very British
actor, his foreignness was an advantage playing a character on
the outer of society. Mary [Harron the director] thought that
being English would be a real advantage for playing Bateman, because
she felt that I would understand the class system, which Americans
just dont. This guy, to me, seems to be the blueblood of America,
really. Bale also brought something to Bateman that few other
American actors of his generation could really muster. Mary met
with a few American actors who were all about trying to find that
really dark, nasty side to him, and bring it up from their childhood
or whatever.
The fact is,
with Bateman, motivation is completely unnecessary. For this
actor, working on this character had a lot to do with how he sounded
and looked, crucial
elements to his uncanny performance. So much of the portrayal
actually came from that voice as well as his external being. After
sitting in makeup and hair, putting the suit on, he sort of suddenly
was created, which is exactly what he doeshe creates himself
each morning. But Bale had to do a little more than get his hair
styled for the role. He also spent months tanning himself and
working out in order to achieve the look of Batemans perfectly
sculpted body and although he swears that the bigger your muscles
get, the smaller your brains get, it didnt effect his meticulous
performance. As for trying to look tanned, that was no mean feat.
I started going swimming on Sundays, and here was me, with this
white English body, emerging with a stripy arse; not such a good
look. While Bale worked on capturing Batemans very specific
physicality, the actor also researched the characters professional
world. I went to visit the trading floors on Wall Street, and
some of those guys professed to being as money-obsessed as Bateman.
It was fascinating.
Audiences
seeing American Psycho will find it impossible to relate to Bateman.
Bale, also, having played so many empathetic characters throughout
his long career, is forced to admit that try as he might, Patrick
Bateman is completely unsympathetic. I dont think there is any
redeeming quality to Bateman, whatsoever, which makes for an
interesting challenge as an actor, Bale explains. The satirical
side of that made that possible, and made him an enjoyable character
to play.
American Psycho
is a film that arrives with plenty of established publicity. Even
before shooting began, from the initial Di Caprio casting, through
production, and the films launch at Sundance, controversy is
bound to dog the film, beginning with its violence. This is, after
all, a movie that explores the psychology of violence in urban
American society. But Bale isn t phased by that element of the
movie. I think what people will be surprised by, is actually
the LACK of graphic violence in the movie, because THAT has been
so talked about. In a film that explores violence, its ironic
that in gun-obsessed America, it was a wildly irreverant sex scene,
which garnered that countrys controversial NC-17 rating (the
old X-certificate). Its bullshit, isnt it, and basically, what
does it matter? But having said that, I have also learnt that
a lot of theatres simply wont run NC-17 movies, and papers wont
advertise them, so whilst I dont really wish 12-year olds to
see it, I still want the film to have an audience. Since this
interview was completed, the film was recut to generate an R-rating,
in the US. Its clearly ironic, though, that its sex, not violence,
that gave the film its NC-17. Its a bizarre thing, but then not
entirely shocking either.
Christian
Bale seems the perfect actor to play Bateman, a character miles
away from the British teenager of Empire of the Sun. He was13
when he rose to prominence in the Spielberg-directed drama, and
recalls how his media experiences back then made the actor very
publicity shy. It reached a point where I wanted to slap people
whenever somebody got a microphone in my face. I had an idea at
that time that I could say: No, thats too much, and could remain
anonymous. While Bale had difficulty shaking Empire and turn
confident adult star, he did make the transition. I think what
helped with that, is the nature of the roles that Ive played,
refusing to slip into playing typical teenage parts. They included
roles in Kenneth Branaghs Henry V, Charlton Hestons take on
Treasure Island, the musical Newsies, and 1993s Swing Kids. Bales
breakthrough role was in Gillian Armstrongs adaptation of Little
Women, and went on to star in such varied films as The Secret
Agent, Portrait of a Lady, Metroland and A Midsummer Nights Dream.
Bale admits
that his perception of acting now is very different to what it
was when he was a child. Unfortunately, its a much more self-conscious
thing now. When youre a kid, youre not aware of the business
at all; the more you do of it, the more people inform you about
quite what it is that youre doing, and that becomes a battle
after a while.
American Psycho
is a film that may emerge as Bales triumph, receiving the critical
kudos he richly deserves. The actors hypnotic portrayal of Patrick
Bateman is unlike any character to emerge on film in years, and
Bale has made it his own, controversy notwithstanding. Next up
for the actor is a starring role opposite Samuel L. Jackson in
Shaft Returns, which he was due to complete virtually straight
after our interview. The guy I play in thats a real prick.
It seems that having recently played none other than Jesus Christ,
Bale has discovered his new calling as screen baddie. And what
fun that is, the actor finally retorts.
Source -
www.darkhorizons.com
