Leonardo DiCaprio's decision to go from heroic heartthrob to literal lady-killer isn't going over well in some quarters. The New York Post reports the National Organization for Women is attacking the Titanic star's decision to take on the role of a sexually sadistic murderer in the big screen adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' 1991 novel, American Psycho. Leo will reportedly receive $21 million to play Wall Street broker Patrick Bateman, a consumer-crazed yuppie in the go-go '80s who develops a taste for torture, mutilation, and murder.

"His public persona, attached to a very violent film of this nature, could have a disturbing effect on teenagers and other fans," says Elizabeth Toledo, vice president of NOW. "No matter who is in the lead, this film would be disturbing. But having an actor that attracts a very young, impressionable audience poses extra risks."

DiCaprio, 23, kept the world waiting while he sifted through the avalanche of offers he received following his acclaimed performance as adventurous Jack Dawson in the mega-grossing big boat flick. And while he reportedly was tempted with many A-list projects, including the lead role in the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses (Matt Damon eventually snagged the part), Leo, apparently eager to shed his Titanic halo, settled on Psycho. American Psycho has been dogged with controversy from the start. Original publisher Simon & Schuster decided against publishing it, and it was picked up and released by Knopf. NOW led a national boycott against it, objecting to the many scenes of shockingly graphic violence. In the novel, Bateman kills 18 people through various methods, including gouging out the eyes of a homeless man, slicing out a woman's tongue, and crucifying a woman with a nail gun.

"We felt at the time that American Psycho socially legitimized savage violence," Toledo says. "It's irresponsible and also lazy for Hollywood to continue to rely on sexual violence for entertainment."

Lions Gate Films, the company behind the picture, responded by saying that any criticism of the picture is premature.

"We think that before anyone condemns the film American Psycho they should let us make the movie, and then watch it," says studio president and exec producer Mike Paseornek, who insists the film is "loosely based" on the book. "We oppose pre-emptive censorship," he says. "It will be more of a dark commentary about the soullessness of a group of people living in the '80s and is not in any way about the degradation of women."

Filming on the $40-million flick, adapted for the screen by Mary Harron and Guinevere Turner, is expected to begin this fall in New York. No director is yet attached.

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-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), May 21, 1998

Answers

Okay, so now we can decided which roles actors should or should not take FOR them??? What crap!!! Let the Guy make his own decisions. Every person has a right to choose what they want to do and if Leo thinks this will help his acting ability then let him do it! Last time I checked it was still a free country.

-- Miranda Swearingen (Kylen1@hotmail.com), May 21, 1998.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned novel is as politically-incorrect as any work of fiction can be.

The thought of the mythical teen-age fan girl reading the book is deeply disturbing.

-- Thomas M. Terashima (titanicShack@yahoo.com), May 22, 1998.

I've got to say I agree with Thomas. While it is still a free country, why would anyone choose to make a movie like this? It's just sick and it is scary that all Leo's younger fans will be wanting to see it just because he's in it.

-- Emma (foo@bar.com.au), May 22, 1998.

I have a thought. Maybe he chose the role because he is tired of his teenage following and this was such a far out, challenging role for him that he's hoping he recieves a more mature audience and some respect from his peers. May not be the right way about it but who are we to judge. The movie hasn't even been made, atleast we should all wait for it to be done to make an opinion about him and the movie.

-- Shaunna (Shaunna@visualmetrics.com), May 22, 1998.

What about all of the young psycho's who think he's cool, deciding that they want to go out and really do what he did in the movie? It's happened before. Isn't our world violent enough already? This just makes me sick, and I'm not one of his young teenage fans.

-- sally (salie@aol.com), May 22, 1998.

I'm not going to say that this is going to be a "G" rated movie here people but for cryin out loud who really cares? All Leo's little teenage fans are going to have to find out SOMETIME that the characters in the movies are not REAL PEOPLE!!!! And why would all the phyco's who are Leo fans want to go out and do what he does in the movie? Yes, it's happened before but there are also a ton of movies that it never happened to.....Basic Instict, Misery, Copy Cat, Scream,.....the list goes on and on. If everyone is afraid that a violent movie is going to cause the downfall of our society then we should only allow hollywood to make love stories, and comidies. BLAH how boring would THAT be!! LOL

-- Miranda Swearingen (Kylen1@hotmail.com), May 23, 1998.

For more of the story, go here:

http://www.canoe.ca/JamMovies/may24_titanic.html

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), May 24, 1998.

Update on the story:

http://www.variety.com/article.asp?articleID=1117471309

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), May 28, 1998.