Bret Easton Ellis Reflects on 'Less Than Zero,' Reviews, and Movie Adaptation

Bret Easton Ellis, in a rare interview with Vogue, discusses his debut novel 'Less Than Zero,' published when he was 21. He reveals he stopped giving interviews two to three years ago but made an exception. Ellis describes his early writing process, heavily influenced by Joan Didion, Ernest Hemingway, and Raymond Chandler. He wrote the first draft in winter 1982-1983 while at Bennington College. The novel, set in 1980s Los Angeles, follows protagonist Clay home from an East Coast college. Ellis admits he last reread the book in 2008 while working on its sequel 'Imperial Bedrooms,' finding it painful due to self-criticism. He recalls being unmoved by reviews, including a negative one from Michiko Kakutani in the New York Times, stating he didn't care about critical reception. Initially disappointed by the 1987 film adaptation, he now loves it, calling it gorgeous and haunting. Ellis also discusses his writing schedule, his inability to force a new novel, and his view that life is inherently ridiculous, which informs his work.