Murray attempts to get Danny expelled for doing this, but Principal Dr. Bob Sweeney (Avery Brooks) refuses, instead informing Danny that he will study history and current events under Sweeney, and that the class will be called "Am… Kaye, who had been De Luca's preferred choice from the beginning, accepted and made his directorial debut in a feature film on American History X. [21], The film was released by New Line Home Entertainment on DVD on April 6, 1999 and on VHS on August 24 of the same year. [5][17], In June 1998, the film studio test-screened a second cut of the film which included changes made by Norton. ... A calming string orchestra instead provides a much more expressive and timeless palette". [5][14] Kaye served as cinematographer and camera operator, and would often silently walk around the set, scouting for camera angles or visuals. AMERICAN HISTORY X: Für mich ein Film, der den amerikanischen Rassismus auf extremste Weise thematisiert, bei dem fast jeder Dialog ein Stich ins Herz ist." When Norton was offered the starring role, he actually had to turn down a part in another movie, Saving Private Ryan, in which he would've played the title character. It seems most people either love this movie or hate it. For one thing, its willingness to take on ugly political realities gives it a substantial raison d'être. [31], Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, stating that it was "always interesting and sometimes compelling, and it contains more actual provocative thought than any American film on race since Do the Right Thing (1989)". [9][10] According to executive producer Steve Tisch, Norton's passion for the project was "contagious", and he even agreed to a pay cut of more than $500,000 from his usual $1 million fee, to be cast in the lead. Ich schäme mich, dass du aus meinem Körper kommst, Derek! He took the contract to a synagogue, "I signed it in front of the rabbi. I can describe the movie as explosive and very intense. It received a wider release in the United States on October 30. The studio tried to persuade Kaye to release Norton's cut, but he objected. He welcomed visitors on set, including singer Courtney Love, Norton's girlfriend at the time, and British historian John Richardson. Afterwards, Derek tells Danny about his experience in prison, which seems to prompt a change in Danny. A follow-up, African History Y, with Kaye returning as director and starring Djimon Hounsou, is in active development.[2]. They're suited up in boots with red laces, heads gleaming from a fresh shave, and tatted with Nazi insignia and racist slogans. American History X. Derek's mother Doris invites Murray, her boyfriend, for dinner where an argument about Rodney King and the 1992 Los Angeles riots occurs. Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address, Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Drama, White supremacist terrorism in the United States, "American History X - Movie Production Notes - CinemaReview.com", "Valerie McCaffrey- Executive Achievement Award 2017", "6 Directors Who Were Lumbered With Actors They Didn't Even Want", "Film: Losing it - Tony Kaye falls out with Hollywood", "15 Surprising Facts About American History X", "Edward Norton on The Tim Ferriss Show — Transcript", "American History X - Anne Dudley | Songs, Reviews, Credits", "Anne Dudley - composer for film & tv - American History X", "20 years on, American History X has a greater urgency than ever", "American History X and Tony Kaye, Hollywood Maverick", "Director Kaye recovers from 'X' debacle with 'Lake of Fire, "American History X DVD Release Date April 6, 1999", "Neo-Nazi With a Conscience / Norton shines, but 'History' disappoints", "22 Incredibly Shocking Oscars Injustices", "Chicago Film Critics Name Their Favorites", "U.S. pix help revive Italy's Taormina fest", "Racisme et cinéma La plus grande des démocraties ? Kaye hired British composer Anne Dudley to score the film, and wanted the music to be "big and elegiac". What is the song with lyrics in the trailer? He said "I had seen documentaries that just didn't ring true to me, and I wanted to write an accurate portrayal of how good kids from good families can get so terribly lost". [5] Norton recalls "Doing that film created the strangest distortion of perception on me ... the degree to which that film and the magic of camera and art and black and white photography ... made a lot of people think that I was a larger and tougher person than I am". High-profile racist Cameron Alexander becomes Derek's mentor and they form their own violent white supremacist gang called the Disciples of Christ (D.O.C.) Captions included. [4], Producer John Morrissey, who read the script three years prior, was impressed by the script's intense characters and dialogue. At school, Danny is shot dead by an African-American student from the previous day's incident. [6][10][18] Kaye disowned the film, describing the released version, which was 24 minutes longer than his own cut, as a "total abuse of creativity" and "crammed with shots of everyone crying in each other's arms". [6], During this period, Kaye took a number of combative actions, spending $100,000 on advertisements in the Hollywood press and condemning the behavior of Norton and the studio. Reformed and fresh out of prison, Derek severs contact with the gang and becomes determined to keep Danny from going down the same violent path as he did. [12][13], Principal photography took place in Los Angeles and Venice Beach, lasting for several months and finishing in May 1997. Derek is visited in the hospital wing by Sweeney, with whom he pleads for help to get out of prison. Although racism is openly practiced, it isn’t entirely irreversible. Derek is very much a guy whose anger and rage have superseded his intelligence. [6] After the film was released, De Luca stated "It's everything I had hoped for. Peace and Love, JB33 Rating 5 stars. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. [5] During filming, Kaye established a casual environment for the cast and crew. View production, box office, & company info. High quality American History X gifts and merchandise. [52], For the 20th anniversary of the film, Christopher Hooton writing for The Independent opined that the film "feels more essential now that it ever has". Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Edward Norton was not the first choice for American History X. Joaquin Phoenix, a few years away from Gladiator, reportedly passed due to the movie's subject matter. Through his brother's, Danny Vineyard, narration, we learn that before going to prison, Derek was a skinhead and the leader of a violent white supremacist gang that committed acts of racial crime throughout L.A. and his actions greatly influenced Danny. [4] In 1996, the producers first approached Dennis Hopper to direct the film. [6] He later admitted that "My ego got in the way. Derek becomes disillusioned by prison gang politics; he believes in the ideology, but disapproves of his gang's dealings with non-white gangs and believes they only use the philosophy of white supremacy out of convenience. That was entirely my fault. [17] American History X was due to premiere at the 1998 Toronto International Film Festival, however, Kaye demanded that organizer Piers Handling withdraw the film. That night, the same group of Crips that Derek had beaten in the basketball game earlier attempt to steal his truck. In particular, Norton was acclaimed for his compelling and realistic performance, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. She said, "The neo-Nazi faction is personified in the music by a boys choir – what could be a more Aryan sound? The American History X is a movie about 2 Venice, LA brothers. [32] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly called the film "riveting", and praised the narrative structure despite "thinness of the script". [5] Kaye was mortified, saying "I'm fully aware that I'm a first-time director, but I need the same autonomy and respect that Stanley Kubrick gets". member, frequently disrespects Derek's mother and sister, while grooming Danny for the gang; Seth and Danny are closely controlled by Cameron. High school student Danny Vinyard antagonizes his Jewish history teacher Murray by choosing to write a civil rights essay on Mein Kampf. [6] In 2012, he said that he was "very proud of what we all achieved". The supporting cast includes Fairuza Balk, Stacy Keach, Elliott Gould, American History X is one of the most shocking, brutal, disturbing and evil spirited films I've ever seen. If I am dissatisfied, it is because it contains the promise of being more than it is". List of American History X characters, along with their pictures from the film when available. The point I tried to make in the script is that a person is not born a racist. It is still used to raise awareness of human rights issues. From shop LizARTprintStudio. [4] In order to make the characters as realistic as possible, McKenna interviewed and observed the behavior of skinheads during the writing process. HoloLens PC Mobile device Xbox 360 Trailer. As Dr. King said, judge me not on the color of my skin, but on the content of my character. [36], Norton was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Derek Vinyard, but lost to Roberto Benigni for Life Is Beautiful. [35] Michael O’Sullivan wrote "There are moments when Anne Dudley's string-laden score overpowers the stark simplicity of the film's message and other times when the moral of brotherly love is hammered a bit heavily", but conceded "the blunt and brutal American History X is ultimately only as imperfect as we ourselves are". Michael De Luca, then-production president of New Line Cinema, said "I was intrigued by its intensity, conviction and brutal honesty. Looking to watch American History X? [10] On July 28, 1998, after the eight week deadline, Kaye had nothing new to show and the studio announced that it would release Norton's cut. Want to help us help them? I remember being very tense when I watched it in a movie theater back in 1998. Hopefully it wont be too late, as it was for him. An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston. Discover something for everyone this month with some choice picks for the best movies and TV to stream in April. [8] To prepare for the role, Norton increased his calorie intake and spent hours in the gym to gain 25-pounds (11 kg) of muscle. The film went on to gross $6,719,864 from 513 theaters in the United States, for a worldwide total of $23,875,127. American History X  (6,691)IMDb 8.51 h 58 min1998X-RayR Academy Award-nominee Edward Norton delivers a searing performance as aformer neo-Nazi skinhead who now struggles to prevent his youngerbrother from following in his footsteps. Available on. [25] The film grossed $156,076 in 17 theaters during its opening weekend. "Edward Nortons Darstellung des Skins Derek ist erschreckend authentisch, überzeugend, verursacht unbehagliches Gefühl. Derek runs to the school and cradles Danny's body, blaming himself for influencing Danny's views. The film stars Edward Norton and Edward Furlong, as two brothers from Los Angeles who are involved in the white supremacist and neo-Nazi movements. American History X Ill BillWhat's Wrong With Bill?℗ 2004 Uncle Howie RecordsReleased on: 2004-05-04Auto-generated by YouTube. 487 of 662 people found this review helpful. The older brother (Norton) serves three years in prison for voluntary manslaughter, and is rehabilitated during this time, and then tries to prevent his brother from further indoctrination. in Venice Beach. Directed by Tony Kaye. Derek's best friend Seth, also a D.O.C. American History X 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. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. American History X is a 1998 American crime drama film directed by Tony Kaye and written by David McKenna. Written by Years earlier, Danny and Derek's father, a fireman, was shot and killed by African-American drug dealers while putting out a fire at their home. Edward Norton gives an absolute masterclass and the two performances he gives either side of his characters transition are both incredibly captivating. These characters from the movie American History X are displayed from top to bottom according to their prevalence in the film, so you can find the lead characters at the top of the list. [51] Although director Kaye did not watch the film until 2007, he has acknowledged that it has become "quite a little classic in its own befuddled way". The question that intrigued me is: why do people hate and how does one go about changing that? The next morning, Danny completes his paper, reflecting on his reasons for adopting white supremacist values, and their flaws. [28] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on scale of A to F.[29], Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune, gave American History X four out of four stars, describing it as "a shockingly powerful screed against racism that also manages to be so well performed and directed that it is entertaining as well", adding it was "also effective at demonstrating how hate is taught from one generation to another". I knew that racism was horrible, but I found through this film that it does not come without a terrible price..the loss of love, friends, family...and the realization that everything that you believed to be true isnt always the way things are. American History X is probably one of the most brutal and violent movies about racism in America, and sadly more relevant today than when it was released in 1998. He is sentenced to three years in the California Institution for Men for voluntary manslaughter. [5] He also discovered at the time a newsletter published by a British political group, the National Front, which said he was a prominent Jew who supposedly controlled Britain's media.[5]. [16], Kaye's original cut of the finished film had a run time of 95 minutes, which was delivered on time and within budget. [8] Kaye initially objected, feeling that Norton lacked the "weight or presence", but he eventually conceded. Sweeney and a police officer inform Derek that Seth and Cameron are in an intensive care unit. Suggest a diversity update. [18] Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote "Though its story elements are all too easily reduced to a simple outline, American History X has enough fiery acting and provocative bombast to make its impact felt. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Some people thought that this was only an extreme case, that this kind of group was very marginal and that there could be no equivalent in France", she said. Was this review helpful to you? [5][19] Kaye's behavior caused Hollywood to view him as unemployable, and he did not watch the film until June 2007. Screenwriter David McKenna wrote the screenplay for American History X and sold the rights to New Line Cinema when he was 26. Did this review miss something on diversity? Mathilda, a 12-year-old girl, is reluctantly taken in by Léon, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. A skilled basketball player, Derek is dragged into a game against several Crips, winning control of the local courts. It's lurked on the fringes of American power since the birth of this nation". In this episode of A Matter of Film, we will discuss American History X. Far worse, the ending is a misfire". Joaquin Phoenix turned down the lead role. There was a brilliant character study woven into the screenplay, and I knew we had something special if we did it correctly". 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