Excerpt from Mancave Playbabes:
Bret Easton Ellis has retired from writing novels, okay, nothing official, but he has strongly hinted that his latest, “Imperial Bedrooms” may have very well been his last book. Ellis is now in the movie business, haunting Hollywood with various scripts and adaptations. Lately, his work has brought him back into the headlines. First, “The Canyons”, initially written as a series for Showtime will be a movie starring porn star James Deen and Lyndsay Lohan. Ellis has also hinted at being involved with the adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey” for the big screen. Despite all of his new perceived Hollywood success it was his novels that earned him his reputation. Let’s take a look at five of his best that spanned a period of 25 years.
American Psycho
Ellis’s most controversial novel followed a Wall Street broker through his day to day meetings, thoughts, and brutal murders. Was it all a dream? That is for the reader to decide as Ellis has never given his interpretation. The movie (based on the book) wasn’t as bad as the critics said, and for my money, was one of the best performances by Christian Bale to this day. A reread of this novel today and you will see the shock is no longer there; however, in the late eighties anyone daring enough to play Huey Lewis and The News pre-rape/murder was considered out of line. Now? Isn’t this a requirement in every Tarantino screenplay?
Imperial Bedrooms
Bret Easton Ellis’s most recent novel and most underrated. Billed as a “follow-up” to “Less Than Zero”, Ellis checks in on Clay, Julian, Blair, Rip, and others from his debut novel and what he finds is not pretty. “Imperial Bedrooms” is a modern day horror story that stands on its own; HOWEVER, if you know the characters from “Less Than Zero” you will become even more invested in how their corrupted lives are turning (or turned) out. Just read the first line “They made a movie about us…” and try to not turn the page.
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David S. Grant is the author of "Blood: The New Red", Follow David on Twitter, .david_s_grant
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