American History X (DVD)

...fact that this is an American film located in the notoriously racist Los Angeles, would suggest that Hollywood believes America still has a huge problem with racism, but my current fear is the extent that this is becoming rife within the UK, with more and more racially motivated attacks occurring in towns and cities across the country. The recent mindless and shocking murder of schoolboy Anthony Walker in Huyton, Liverpool was a stark and upsetting ...
...be. I share the opinion of another reviewer I saw some time ago on this film, and that is that both the good guys and bad guys are easily recognisable in the film. All the bad guys are cigarette chain-smokers, with obesity problems, and marked from head to two in tattoos. Oh, and they may guzzle a fair amount of alcohol too. On the flip side, the good guys are usually English teachers, budding writers / teachers, who are trying to right the world ...

newty1977 12.04.2006 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

"Racists are so stupid. Hating people just because they're black. We're all the same underneath" What is revealed in this film is that often nothing could be further than the truth- often racists and members of hate groups are frighteningly intelligent. Intelligence in the sense of being very selective about what they read and learn which supports their viewpoint. There are many racist lectures given by Ed Norton's character, Derek Vinyard which ...
...whilst net surfing, or even watching Newsnight interviewing Nick Griffin, head of the British Nationalist Party of racists, thugs and conmen who are trying to pass themselves off as a respectable electable political party. Describing affirmative action conspiracies, how racist comments should be protected under the Constitutional rights to free speech, the high statistics of crime committed by African Americans in proportion to how they are a comparatively ...

SnakePlissken 25.10.2004 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...until 1998, when Kaye made American History X that he gained focus from the film industry. Unfortunately, the attention he received was not entirely positive. After production of the film, Kaye took out a $275 million lawsuit against New Line and the Directors Guild because they had refused to allow him to use a pseudonym (Humpty Dunpty) on the film credits. His reason for this was a reluctance to be associated with the film after Edward Norton edited ...
...it. Since directing American History X Kaye has directed Snowblind in 2002 and is working on two further films, Paranoia to be released this year and A Private War due to be released in 2007. Kaye also directed the music video, Dani California for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. ***What's American History X all about*** American History X tells the story of Derek Vinyard played by Edward Norton. It takes place shortly after the Los Angelas race riots ...

ally2kc 23.08.2006 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

In around 1968/69 I lived in Fort Walton Beach Florida. This was at the time of the de-segregation of blacks and whites. I had not lived in America that long at the time and for this reason I was not aware of the problems there had been in the South. I remember seeing bus loads of black children all stood on the curb waiting to be emptied and I was surprised to see police cars surrounding them. I didn't know the reason for it at the time. There ...
...the buses. I walked over to the area to see what was happening and was in time to see the buses open their doors to let off their passengers. What happened next I could not believe. The whites who had been shouting so much attacked the kids disembarking from the buses. With baseball bats, hammers, crowbars and lumps of wood, they hit out at those poor kids. Most were around my age but some were older. Fighting broke out as these poor people tried ...

Wayne10ch 02.04.2002 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...on as it is in American History X. Centred on the lives of Derek and Danny Vinyard, it is undoubtedly a vicious and merciless tragedy, intended as much to shock the viewer as to educate them. Edward Norton is Derek, an intelligent young skinhead and leader of a group of wannabe-Nazis, convicted of murder after executing two young black men for trying to steal his car in one of the single most memorable, sickening and twisted scenes in Cinema, ever. ...
...to follow in his footsteps, being sucked into the same traps and groups. The film is shot in both black and white and colour, the black and white scenes being those in the past, most notably Derek's early life, and the colour scenes being the current events as they unfold. Derek's first love, maybe his only one, if for his family. His chronically ill mother has been left to look after the family alone, after Derek's father, a fireman, was shot and ...

ILoveJackDaniels 04.07.2002 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...warped sense of perfection. American History X is a story of the life of a ‘White Power Movement’ leader in America, who is convicted of manslaughter, of two black men after he caught them attempting to steel his car. Infact he murdered them brutally, but this at the time does not affect his conscience. The film is seen through the eyes of Danny his younger brother, who in some sort of sick way looks up to his older brother, and worships ...
...I feel that even by American or British justice standards to be rather week. In jail he is turned upon by his fellow white supremacists for going against their leader, and at one stage is brutally raped in the showers by a group of them. He is befriended by a black inmate, and soon learns that the colour of your skin, or the god that you worship, (if any) does not make you a good or bad person. The timely intervention and encouragement of a former ...

WILMA 03.05.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...one class will be called American History X with the teacher Dr Sweeny. There are a lot of flash backs with Derek's life, he basically comes out of prison a changed man but can he change his brothers ways before something bad may happen?? The family is torn apart by these racial issues. Danny is a very disturbed boy who is full of anger and rage against black people in one scene near the beginning he says "Before Derek went to jail, the white kids ...
...made it safe"…what does this say to you as someone watching this film in these days. Derek life changes in prison when he becomes "friends" with a black in mate called Lamont, they both work together in the laundry room, at first Derek doesn't want to know and keeps his head down but he warms to Lamont and they have a good relationship and it changes Derek's ways of thinking about black people. When Derek is released from prison he comes face to ...

melliebird 19.06.2008 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...born in London, 1952. Unfortunately American History X was his only feature film, which to me was a real shame is this film really bought out the best in the director, but he stuck around directing music videos and continued doing lower key documentaries and so on. But his biggest accolade was this film. Basic Plot Outline (Well its actually quite complicated) Ok well ill try my best to explain the general plot of the story, without having to give ...
...Ok so the film starts of in the early 90's following the character of Derek Vinyard (Norton), a young smart and gifted kid who had so much potential in life. However, Derek is reluctantly drawn into the movement of Neo Naziism, after a group of black gang members killed his father. During Derek's childhood, he was subjected to the racist's views his fathers expressed about black, Jewish and Mexican people. Thus the mentality was built up inside him ...

jaygami1986 08.02.2008 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...not been recommended for me. American History X is a film centred around the White power movement and the consequences of extremism. The film’s main protagonist is the intelligent Derek Vinyard. Following the murder of his father; a fireman who was shot whilst putting out a fire in a crack house, Derek becomes filled with racial hatred and eventually becomes the second in command of the Venice Beach neo-Nazi gang, The Disciples of Christ. Under ...
...a class the principal entitles American History X. The film is narrator by Danny as he writes his report. It consists of many flashbacks of Derek when he was second in command of the D.O.C and Danny’s commentary on what he thought of his brother. However, Derek is no longer the White Supremacist he used to be. His time in prison particularly time spent with a black fellow prisoner and Derek noticing the hypocrisy of members of his group of Supremacists, ...

shister_not 10.07.2007 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...invoking movies i've ever watched, American History X is an incredible movie with profound performances and an incredible look at racism and its origins. The tale unfolds through the eyes of young Danny ( Edward Furlong ), whose older brother Derek ( Edward Norton ) has been released after three years of imprisonment. Enraged those years ago at the death of his father and seeking retribution Derek had embarked on a campaign of hate. Despite being ...
...the charismatic leader of a locally formed white power movement. His hate finally ended in a brutal killing and earned him a prison sentence. However upon his release, unknown to his loved ones, he is a changed man. Ashamed of his past actions and now determined to save his brother and family from the suffering he brought their way. Directed by Tony Kaye has truely captured a film that sparks high emotion and that disturbs at times. All of it makes ...

num13er 19.12.2004 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...to write an assignment called American History X, all about the effect his brother has had on his life and the social relevance of him in contemporary America. His brother, Derek, was a known racist activist in their town who had been sent to prison for shooting a black man who was breaking into his car. Whilst writing the assignment he talks to the recently released Derek about his time in prison, and the effect it had on him. Daniel has always ...
...He spent the time while Derek was in prison trying to carry on his brothers legacy of “white power”. This is an incredibly hard hitting film, which tackles all the issues it addresses with great sensitivity and honesty. The scenes showing the fights between the blacks and whites can be a bit graphic but they don’t step over the line enough for it to become an unnecessary display, just something to make you think. The scene of sexual ...

ruthio 28.06.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

American History X is a powerful movie which deals with the controversial topics of white supremacy and racism mainly through the eyes of Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong), a young white male. Danny is idolises his older brother Derek (Edward Norton) who is in prison for the manslaughter of some black men who were trying to break into his car. When given an assignment on civil rights to do in High School Danny hands in a report on Mein Kampf to his ...
...a gifted student in Derek and instructs Danny to go home and write a report on his brother’s fall from grace. This causes the majority of the film to be based on Derek’s experiences and the influences on both himself and Danny that caused them to become the people that they have. Derek on his release form prison is a reformed character. This doesn’t seem to have anything to do with rehabilitation but is more to do with his experiences ...

tommy7 19.09.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...opinions that they do. However, American History X is an exception to this. One of the flashbacks shows us that when Derek is a child, his father, who is a fireman, is shot whilst he is on duty and doing his job. He is shot by a black gang member. This is obviously the spark that sets off the fire and fury in the heart of Norton's heart! I think that this is a good touch to the film because it brings in a level of understanding between the viewer ...
...of violence between white gang members and innocent members of the black community. These are very graphic, but are in-keeping with the type of film that it is. If the scenes weren't as graphic and depective as they are, then i do not think that it would have been so successful. It needs to show the violence, for that extra shock factor, and to ensure that each scene hits home hard. There is a strong moral undercurrent running through the film, each ...

lustba 24.11.2007 (15.11.2007) · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

American History X is most definitely one of the most controversial films to have been produced over the past few years. It deals with one of today’s most sensitive issues – racism, which is heightened by the fact that it is told unusually through the eyes of the racist rather than the victim. The story develops through the eyes of Danny (Edward Furlong) who is the younger brother of Derek (Edward Norton). Derek furious and enraged by ...
...Big Hit) as Sweeney. American History X turned out to be like nothing its director Tony Kaye had intended though, as so much of it had to be cut out of the final film due to the expectation that it would be too much for an audience to take. This bothered Kaye so much that shortly after the film’s release in the UK he wrote a letter to a well-known British broadsheet disowning the film as his own work. There is also rumour that Norton re-edited ...

CandiceB666 10.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)

...sweet, sugary or 'feelgood', then American History X will not be for you. Made in 1998, it is an uncompromising and uncomfortable to watch study of Neo-Nazism and racism in the USA. Centering around two brothers, Derek and Danny Vinyard, it is a modern day tragedy that shocks, disgusts, and refuses to leave your mind days after you've watched it. PLOT: Derek Vinyard is a highly intelligent young man who gets involved with a group of Neo-Nazis. ...
...film. DIRECTION: American History X was directed by Tony Kaye who does a brilliant job of keeping the movie stable whilst jumping from past to present frequently throughout. His main technique here is to show the past in black and white. He also gets incredibly tense and seemingly spontaneous performances out of his two leads. Having said that, Kaye actually disowned the film on its release, claiming that Norton had re-edited some scenes, and ...

sandrabarber 08.12.2002 · Read full review
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Review of American History X (DVD)