I am going to try for a third time now in a week to write about my favorite movie, which is American History X. Why is that so hard? Well, maybe it's writer's block-- that's the only thing I can think of, cuz this is one heck of a movie and yet I just can't seem to get it down in black and white. I'll try once again though to tell you why I liked it and what it has to say. Not giving up as this is probably the most important movie about hate versus the human spirit that I have ever witnessed. So here goes...
First of all, Edward Norton! (nominated that year, 1998, for an oscar). He lost to Roberto Benigni,Life is Beautiful). He is one phenomenal actor; (I've seen everything he's done and this is his best yet). He can say so much just with his facial expression with or without spewing out the words, and he definitely does that in this film. He plays the part of Derek Vinyard, a young man with one heck of a chip on his shoulder. He has a younger brother, Danny (Edward Furlong) who idolizes him. He lives with his mother (Beverly D'Angelo), and two sisters (one close to his age). His father has been killed doing his job as a firefighter. The title of the movie American History X is given by Bob Sweeney (Avery Brooks), the principal and history teacher at the high school which Danny attends. His assignment is to write a paper on his brother Derek. Sweeney know Derek too, all to well. Will get to that later.
Derek comes under the influence of Cameron (Stacy Keach) who is out to recruit all the skinheads so they can wreck havoc on what's due them. What might that be you ask? Well, how about their neighborhood playground, the boardwalk, and the local haunts in the neighborhood. You see-- they are slowly being taken over by a lot of minorities, mostly of the African-American race. That just makes his blood boil. Derek is a leader that all these wannabe skinheads look up to. Derek with his trademark swastika on his chest becomes filled with hate and anger as he feels everything is stolen from him by these minorities and he's not gonna take it anymore. He hates all minorities. He's still ripe with anger after his dad has been killed just doing his job.
The movie is done in black and white (flashbacks) and color for present day. It depicts some of the worst violence I have ever seen, as it was so realistic in the black and white scenes. I've seen the movie perhaps 4 or 5 times, the first time in the theater when it first came out, rented the VHS video and then saw it on DVD just last week. There were three scenes that were cut out in the movie but are shown on DVD; I would rent it for that alone. The verbiage that goes along with the violence is enough to have you shakin' in your boots, as well you should. I actually got a little nervous myself watching it in the theater, hoping that some angry 'black person wouldn't take revenge on me. It is that thought-provoking!
Let's just say that Derek 'loses it one night as someone tries to break into his truck and commences to kill some of the intruders (blacks) in a most vicious way. The police arrive with the sirens, proceeding to arrest Derek, (who is outside in his shorts and combat boots) after committing these murders. When he is told to put his hands behind his head and kneel down, I'll never forget the intensity in his eyes as he obeys the command, all the while looking at his younger brother Danny.
He ends up going to prison and sees the other 'groups in prison-- skinheads, Hispanics, and the African-Americans in particular. He gets a good glimpse of the politics that go on in there if you want to 'watch your back. As he begins to serve his time and sees the way the system works, he begins to have remorse for what he's done, but hears from his mother that his younger brother is headed in the same direction. After a particularly brutal rape scene, Sweeney comes to see him in prison. They talk about what's happened, and about the path that Danny is on. One of the key scenes takes place here when Sweeney asks him about his hate-- "is your life any better"? When Derek sees the path his life has lead him to thus far, and wants a better life, Sweeney then offers him a way to 'make it right so to speak. In other words, when he gets out of prison he needs to stand up to Cameron as he preys on these impressionable young kids with no direction.
There are a lot of twists and turns to this movie and unfortunately there are no happy endings here. It does show though, two brothers becoming close and a family coming together after much chaos. But, it forces one to take a look deep inside themselves and ask the question-- "Is My Life Any Better?" I guess that's what I really liked about this movie, as controversial as it was, that people can change. And, isn't that true for all of us? If one is continually unhappy and hateful about life, doing the same counter-productive behavior that gets us nowhere, can't we change it? I believe so. The human spirit can do remarkable things.
Because of the very graphic content, I would not recommend this to anyone under the age of 13.
NOTE:I strongly recommend you check out 'Bill Chambers fantastic review of this movie, entitled "History" Worth Repeating, along with one written by 'RainGdss whose review echoes my sentiments.
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