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From Amazon.co.uk
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, Amazon.com
Product Description
DVD Special Features
Deleted scenes
Theatrical Trailer
Cast and Crew
Ratio: 16:9
Running Time: 114 mins approx
Subtitles: English
Chapters: 33
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Gail Parnell
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
Having just brought American History X and watched it on DVD, I was surprised at what a good film it was. Starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong, it is a thoughtful, provoking film that in no way glamorises racial hatred, but offers a brutal, lingering, shocking and unflinching look at racism.
The story focuses on Derek Vinyard (Norton) and his kid brother, Danny. (Furlong - still baby faced from Terminator 2) Derek has been released from prison, following a stretch for the murder of two black youths who were trying to steal his car. Derek's hatred and neo-nazi attitude are fuelled by his father's murder and racist teachings. A prominant figure in neo-nazi circles, Derek is released a changed man and has no intention of reprising his old ways, much to the disgust of his neo nazi friends, and girlfriend.
Derek's redemption in prison comes after he is brutally attacked by other neo-nazis in prison, who didn't approve of his friendship with a black inmate. A shattered Vinyard is left to realise the error of his ways and turn his life around. He is dismayed to realise his brother has started copying him, and tries to get his brother to change his ways too.
Norton and Furlong are surprisingly well cast. Norton has immense screen presence, managing to convey the story of a man who has realised the error of his ways, and wants to put his life back on track.
Furlong, displays the arrogance he inherits from his brother's former days of neo-nazi activities and like his brother is humbled as he learns that life is too short to spend it filled with hate. (A fact which is later underlined for Furlong and his family.)
The film is very stylised. Flashbacks are shot in slow motion black and white, and are full of impact and can be very shocking.... Read more ›
The story focuses on Derek Vinyard (Norton) and his kid brother, Danny. (Furlong - still baby faced from Terminator 2) Derek has been released from prison, following a stretch for the murder of two black youths who were trying to steal his car. Derek's hatred and neo-nazi attitude are fuelled by his father's murder and racist teachings. A prominant figure in neo-nazi circles, Derek is released a changed man and has no intention of reprising his old ways, much to the disgust of his neo nazi friends, and girlfriend.
Derek's redemption in prison comes after he is brutally attacked by other neo-nazis in prison, who didn't approve of his friendship with a black inmate. A shattered Vinyard is left to realise the error of his ways and turn his life around. He is dismayed to realise his brother has started copying him, and tries to get his brother to change his ways too.
Norton and Furlong are surprisingly well cast. Norton has immense screen presence, managing to convey the story of a man who has realised the error of his ways, and wants to put his life back on track.
Furlong, displays the arrogance he inherits from his brother's former days of neo-nazi activities and like his brother is humbled as he learns that life is too short to spend it filled with hate. (A fact which is later underlined for Furlong and his family.)
The film is very stylised. Flashbacks are shot in slow motion black and white, and are full of impact and can be very shocking.... Read more ›
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is the only film i have seen which really tackles racism in a realistic and intelligent way. The Ed Norton character is an intelligent and articulate individual who convincingly preaches the twisted logic of racism. The film manages to convey most psychological explanations of racism - the authoritarian personality,the scapegoat hypothesis, in-group out-group bias, transference, etc, without feeling preachy. I can't think of a more socially important or responsible film than this. Derek's emotional oddessy is both moving and disturbing, with all points of view given equal airing, no matter how extreme. Personally I found the question asked of Derek 'Has anything you have done made your life better?' a stark and penetrating wake up call for anyone who is unhappy. The ending has been criticised for being overly emotional but I thought it was appropriate, Derek gets hurt by former chosen enemies who have not yet learnt the lesson he has. This makes us question whether Derek was wrong in the first place. This is a complicated film about a difficult subject which should be required viewing in all schools. The ultimate message is to do your best and try to get along with other people. Its not just about racism, its about personal choice, do we live to hate or do we try to make life better for ourselves and others. The director walked away from the film, my question is if he was unhappy with this cut, what would his version be like? This version is a technical, artistic and emotional triumph.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Angel Eyes
Format:DVD
This film represents a huge leap forward from the sickly, prescriptive preaching of "the world would be lovely if it wasn't for the bad people" into an aknowledgement that there are fallible human beings on both sides of the racial divide, some of whom mistake personal bitterness for a moral justification of hatred. Hearteningly, the more recent "Crash" also takes this approach, though from a wider perspective than American History X's specific focus on racially motivated violence.
I take the point of the previous reviewer that this film reduces some of the neo-nazis to cardboard cut-outs, but to be fair its approach was ambitious enough already. (To fully develop all the characters in such a complex subject might require a stage tragedy rather than a general release movie.) Similarly, the handful of liberals were probably necessary, sadly, to prevent idiots taking the film as a vindication of their so-called beliefs, and also to avoid alienating much of the target audience. For a film released in 1999 this was a very brave production.
I take the point of the previous reviewer that this film reduces some of the neo-nazis to cardboard cut-outs, but to be fair its approach was ambitious enough already. (To fully develop all the characters in such a complex subject might require a stage tragedy rather than a general release movie.) Similarly, the handful of liberals were probably necessary, sadly, to prevent idiots taking the film as a vindication of their so-called beliefs, and also to avoid alienating much of the target audience. For a film released in 1999 this was a very brave production.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a truly great film, intelligent and thought provoking. Edward Norton is amazing.
Films like this need to be made because the problems confronted are still very real. The film takes you into the mind of a hardcore, militant racist in a world were he has to confront that which he hates. The debate between Norton and Eliott Gould is masterful, Gould's character being Jewish leads to inevitable consequences. The politics of the white power movement are depicted amazingly and it is a refreshing change for a skinhead to be depicted in a morally balanced way.
It is a shame that, because of the language, this film will never be shown in schools. If the teachers werent so seemingly scared of the language that most teenagers use anyway, this film could easily be used as a great film to analyse morals and beliefs in our society.
In the year 2003, we should have evolved past racism. Unfortunately, we havent.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
History X
Watching this film for the first time is shocking in the violence and racism it portrays and does not allow you to process the real message of the film. Read more
Published 5 days ago by OWLISE
5.0 out of 5 stars
The human condition
Edward Norton is on form as the title character as are all of the cast. Not just a tale of hatred and anger but one of redemption and sorrow. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Patrick Byrne
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ed Norton Neo Nazi
An excellent film that proved that Edward Norton could act. It doesn't pull many punches and gives a good introduction to the US Neo Nazis and what a nasty set of sleeze balls... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Nick N
5.0 out of 5 stars
Harsh reality check on todays world
Nortons best film and this is a real life insight in to the world we live in today so if people just opened their eyes and admit what they see, they will get a lot out of this... Read more
Published 26 days ago by A Dupont
5.0 out of 5 stars
good dvd
Really good quality and very good price dvd, would recommend to anyone to purchase this especially if this is your thing,
Published 1 month ago by Jules
5.0 out of 5 stars
must see film!
Amazing film. one to watch again and again. one of my favs :-) Ive recommended to many of my friends to watch
Published 1 month ago by jemz
1.0 out of 5 stars
Scratched DVD
DVD was scratched and cut out at varouis times, And didnt work at all when it first came, I had to clean it to make it work even after that it didnt work
Published 1 month ago by alexcaygill
4.0 out of 5 stars
Certainly Cliched, But The Acting Just About Carries It
Tony Kaye's 1998 film attempts to tackle the issue of American white supremacists (and racism, more generally) head on and, whilst the film has more than its fair share of OTT and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Keith M
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not for the faint hearted
Husband wanted this after "boys" at his garage were talking about it, so so film.. what it says on the box. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Carol
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top Notch
top notch film Hercules acting great directing just shear quality. from start to finish you clue to the screen. top notch
Published 3 months ago by stiffly
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