Rocktrospectiva: The Ecclectic "American Psycho: Music From The Controversial Motion Picture" Turns 25

Released on 4 April 2000, American Psycho: Music from the Controversial Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the 2000 film American Psycho directed by Mary Harron. The soundtrack featured music from the 1980s performed by artists such as David Bowie, Huey Lewis, Eric B. & Rakim, the Cure, amongst several others. 

The musical selections included on the soundtrack were inspired from the characteristics of Patrick Bateman and also authentic to the film's setting as Harron wanted it to set the film's tone. Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale's film score was also featured in the album subtitled as "monologues".

Distributed by Koch Records unfortunately and despite the positive reception, the soundtrack was also controversial in regard to music licensing, due to the film's violent content. The American Psycho soundtrack boasts some classic rock and pop hits from the 1980s. Like most movies set in the '80s, American Psycho features the music of the era, also almost entirely represents the tastes of its protagonist.Songs by New Order and Genesis have even become synonymous with the movie, given the crucial scenes in which they play. 

Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis and directed by Mary Harron, American Psycho revolves around a New York City banker who doubles as a serial killer at night. Rather than delving into familiar psychological thriller tropes, and takes a darkly comic approach as it decodes the consumerism and toxic masculinity that drives its twisted lead character, Patrick Bateman in the 1980s era. 

Music plays a key role in the film, given that Patrick has quite an interesting playlist. Despite the dark, homicidal things brewing in his mind, he listens to cheery songs while walking to the office. When he has visitors at his home, Patrick can also flaunt his record collection and break into monologues about various music groups and the solo careers of their members.

So Patrick Bateman uses songs to change his world in many movies, and therefore, Oftenly, movie directors choose music that might fit the scene's mood or pick out songs that they love and want to hear in their movies. However, for American Psycho, the songs were added for a very different reason. The songs used in this movie were all inspired by Patrick Bateman's characteristics and remain authentic to the specific moment in his life that is playing out on the screen. The music also plays a strong role throughout the movie as Bateman listens to his headphones and his favorite songs, once again seeing himself in the lyrics before he undertakes his murderous rampage. Patrick uses the songs to both understand his surroundings and to morph and change them to fit what he wants the world to look like.  

 

American Psycho also uses many instrumental tracks, which help show the changing personality of the serial killing protagonist, allowing all the music to help tell the story rather than superficially play over it.

 

Critics were favourable, depicting the sound and tracks as something that cinematically illustrated the nature of Bateman and also felt that it "holds up as fresh as anything out today." Definitely each song in the soundtrack has a distinct role in the movie, reflecting different scenes and revealing aspects of Patrick Bateman's personality, so practically we can say Music is another key actor throught the film.

 

American Psycho: Music From The Controversial Motion Picture Track List: 

 

1. You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) - Dope

2. Monologue 1

3. Something In The Air - David Bowie

4. Watching Me Fall - The Cure

5. True Faith - New Order

6. Monologue 2

7. Trouble - Daniel Ash

8. Paid In Full (Coldcut Remix) - Eric B. & Rakim

9. Who Feelin' It? - Tom Tom Club

10. Monologue 3

11. What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) Mix - Information Society

12. Pump Up The Volume - MARRS

13. Paid In Full (Remix) - The Racket

14. Monologue 4

15. Hip To Be Square - Huey Lewis And The News