Paul Allen's Card
Design Exercise for the 25th Anniversary of American Psycho
Droppin' some American Psycho facts:
- The character was named Paul Owen in Bret Easton Ellis’s novel. The film changed it to Paul Allen, likely for clarity or legal reasons.
- Director Mary Harron confirmed Bateman did commit the murders, but the film emphasizes how society ignores the violence, creating ambiguity by design.
- Harron based the business card scene on a real meeting at an ad agency where execs obsessed over card design—a perfect symbol of 1980s status anxiety.
- Christian Bale drew from Tom Cruise’s “intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes” seen in an Oprah show appearance.
- Leonardo DiCaprio was initially attached but exited due to image concerns post-Titanic, making way for Bale.
- Lionsgate wanted to cut the “Hip to Be Square” scene, but Bale and Harron fought to keep it.