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American History X

By ccf23, in The Silver Screen

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ccf23

ccf23

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it should; Norton is so fully immersed in his role as a neo-Nazi skinhead that his character's eloquent defense of racism is disturbingly persuasive--at least on the surface. Looking lean and mean with a swastika tattoo and a mind full of hate, Derek Vinyard (Norton) has inherited racism from his father, and that learning has been intensified through his service to Cameron (Stacy Keach), a grown-up thug playing tyrant and teacher to a growing band of disenfranchised teens from Venice Beach, California, all hungry for an ideology that fuels their brooding alienation.

The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and American History X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkward sentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon

 

 

Just an amazing movie. Who else has seen it? What did you think? I loved the ending. It made you sit there and stare through the credits almost not realizing the movie is over. You just sit there, jaw dropped..."wow...wow..." All movies should do that.

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ccf23

ccf23

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It's one of those movies that looks amazing even though i'll probably never rent it.

It is amazing and I thought it would be a case of that with me too but seriously, if you don't rent it you're missing out on probably the best movie you'll ever see in your life. Make it a priority to rent.

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mrs jesus

mrs jesus

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i hated american history x. hated. it.

because it was about americans? jajajajja

no, because it was a horrible movie, you fucking spic.

Now, now no need to get nasty.

oh, i think saturnine would say otherwise

 

now piss off

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ccf23

ccf23

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i hated american history x. hated. it.

because it was about americans? jajajajja

no, because it was a horrible movie, you fucking spic.

Now, now no need to get nasty.

oh, i think saturnine would say otherwise

 

now piss off

You're a jolly one, aren't you?

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mrs jesus

mrs jesus

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i hated american history x. hated. it.

because it was about americans? jajajajja

no, because it was a horrible movie, you fucking spic.

Now, now no need to get nasty.

oh, i think saturnine would say otherwise

 

now piss off

You're a jolly one, aren't you?

i like to think so

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static

static

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I didn't find Fight Club very faithful to the book (content wise.) I thought of the film as an expansion with some minor tweaks. But in that regard, it was really f'in awesome.

I haven't watched American History X, but there's no way in hell they can top Fight Club's ending.

I would be highly surprised if AHX turned out to be better than Fight Club because the latter is one of the greatest movies i've ever seen.

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