American History X

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8.7/10

FilmFascination Rating

When I first saw this movie, I was at a loss for words. It was just too overwhelming for me. Also, I have to admit that I did not expect it to be this good. I know this movie was controversial when it came but it does have a message to share.

The movie starts with a powerful scene. A black-and-white scene, portraying that it happened in the past, shows teenager Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong) bursting into the bedroom of his older brother Derek (Edward Norton) to tell him that two young black guys are breaking into his car out front. Derek has a shaved head and his beliefs engraved on his chest by a swastika tattoo. He tells a black guy in a scene showing the swastika tattoo, “See this? That means Not welcome.” Enraged with hatred filled in his eyes, Derek dashes out his door with nothing but his boxers and his pistol, charges out into the dark night, and without hesitation, which seems to be kind of personal, guns down the two guys before being arrested. One of the survivors among the two was killed by Derek in such a violent way that it is difficult for me to explain that. It involves the jaw, teeth, and curb. Tony Kaye (director) has staged dramatic action sequences.

Now in real life, such a heinous killing of two people would have at least gotten him a lifetime but in the film, he just gets three years. In the present, shown in the coloured frame, we meet Danny, who has a shaved head to go with his recalcitrant attitude, and is being disapproved by his black high school principal, Sweeney (Avery Brooks), for having written a favourable book report on “Mein Kampf.” To avoid getting expelled, Sweeney insists Danny to take a private course with him, that he calls American History X. Danny is told to write a paper on his brother Derek, a former brilliant student of Sweeney’s who has just been released from prison after serving three years for the horrible crime he did.

Danny although stubborn with his views turns out to be a bright student and especially a brilliant writer. And his paper ‘American History X’ takes us on the journey of showing the rotten roots that made Derek such a white supremacist. Derek had his head turned around when his firefighter father was murdered by black criminals when he tried to put out a blaze at a crack house. As a result, he is filled with rage at blacks and all the immigrants consuming the so-called American resources. Derek finds a channel for it with the insidious help of a high-profile shadowy white supremacist, Cameron (Stacy Keach), who feeds him all the propaganda Hitler believed in. Thus, making Hitler their ultimate visionist. Cameron drops Derek among the skinheads who are like-minded or have been brainwashed.

The scenes where the skinheads are seen bonding with each other are one of the scariest and most powerful ones. It quite realistically shows how violent gangs, which lead to riots, are created. They are led by Derek’s brilliant speechmaking and fuelled by drugs, tattoos, goth culture, and heavy metal. The insecure people feel to belong to a movement greater than their own existence. I think this movie beautifully shows how antipathy shuts down the brain. It paralyzes man’s inherent potential.

At a time when many films steer clear of difficult subjects, American History X dives right into infuriation by hate and might even shock some to experience such animosity. It digs to uncommon depths in examining the roots of prejudice and the wages of violence inspired by hatred. It shows that man has the power to change. How much ever fucked up life could be, a radical transition in a man’s thought process could utterly change his life. It’s a gripping drama that shows a useful take on learning how to unlearn systemic beliefs.

Just like in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ prison changes Andy from an honest man to a crook, prison can also change a violent man like Derek filled with bitterness into someone who starts reconsidering his actions due to convincing circumstances. In the prison, we get to see a very good performance by Guy Torry (a black guy named Lamont in the movie) who plays an important role in changing Derek’s perspective. When Sweeney visits Derek during his utmost downfall, he asks him an interesting question- “Has anything you’ve done made your life better”.  Sweeney supplies the moral center of the film.

When Derek is released, he is different; he has grown both hair and a conscience. He seems to be rational about all things. He is no longer the fearless Derek he was initially in the movie and becomes a responsible brother. He says; “I’m tired of being pissed off, Danny. I’m just tired”.

Under Cameron’s indoctrination, Danny too has one foot on innocence and the other on the white supremacist headstrong views. As a fatherly figure, Derek feels responsible for all of this and tries to save Danny from following the same horribly violent life that even broke his family.

Although pretty common, the concept of showing the flashbacks in monochrome and the present in colour gives the movie clarity. In recent movies, the audience themselves have to decipher the entire timeline of the movie if it goes back and forth.

David McKenna wrote the screenplay of American History X and sold the rights to New Line Cinema at the age of 26. He took inspiration from a punk rock scene from his childhood where he witnessed violent behaviour. The point he tried to make in the script is that a person isn’t made racist. It is learned through the people around him and his environment. During the writing process, to make the characters realistic he also interviewed and observed the behaviour of skinheads. Esquire magazine writer, Justin Kirkland said “Perhaps the reason that American History X still feels so relevant two decades after its release is because we haven’t done enough for it not to be.”

The movie is powerful. In the sense of Nortan’s performance and even the message, it wants to spread. The range of the character that Nortan shows in this movie alone is quite impressive. He even received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Amazing performances are also given by Edward Furlong (Danny) and even Beverly D’Angelo (Doris) who plays the mother struggling to keep her family from falling apart. The acting makes the movie impactful.

Before the film’s release, Kaye and the film studio were in disagreements about the final cut of the film. Kaye wanted to have his name removed as the film’s director, arguing that the film needed more work and was longer what he intended it to be. This negatively affected his career. He waged an unsuccessful battle with New Line Cinema to remove his name from the product. Once Kaye disowned the film, Norton made changes to the movie.

Kaye was quoted in the newspaper saying, “Good is the enemy of great” in response to the people who thought that Kaye’s imperfect film was still pretty fine. But he was later proud of the movie and what it had achieved.

Favourite Quotes

Bob Sweeney: There was a moment, when I used to blame everything and everyone for all the pain and suffering and vile things that happened to me, that I saw happen to my people. Used to blame everybody. Blamed White people, blamed society, blamed God. I didn’t get no answers ’cause I was asking the wrong questions. You have to ask the right questions.

Derek Vinyard: Like what?

Bob Sweeney: Has anything you’ve done made your life better?

Danny Vinyard: It’s hard to look back and see the truth about people you love.

Murray: I’m so sorry Doris. I really am. He’s gone.

Doris Vinyard: He’s just a boy. Without a father.

Murray: Doris, you don’t know the world your children are living in.

Danny Vinyard: [Narrating his essay] So I guess this is where I tell you what I learned – my conclusion, right? Well, my conclusion is: Hate is baggage. Life’s too short to be pissed off all the time. It’s just not worth it. Derek says it’s always good to end a paper with a quote. He says someone else has already said it best. So if you can’t top it, steal from them and go out strong. So I picked a guy I thought you’d like. ‘We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.’

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1 thought on “American History X”

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