American History X |  | Director: Tony Kaye
Actors: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo, Avery Brooks, Jennifer Lien
Studio: New Line Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $12.98
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Rating:  671 reviews
Sales Rank: 1621
Format: AC-3, Anamorphic, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Running Time: 119 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.5 x 0.5
MPN: MC-A1344
ISBN: 0780625625
UPC: 789892013441
EAN: 9786305313687
ASIN: 6305313687
Theatrical Release Date: October 30, 1998
Release Date: April 6, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Here's a dramatic display of important events in the history of Black Americans, from the arrival of the first African slaves in Jamestown in 1619, to the appointment of Condoleeza Rice as Secretary of State. It's 8 1/2 inches high and over 14 feet long.
Amazon.com
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
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 671
 Bland, Simplistic and Preaching Movie on Racism July 13, 2010
Loyd E. Eskildson (Phoenix, AZ.)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
"American History X" was very predictable from the first scene. There are several gang fights throughout with Blacks, Mexicans and Skinheads spewing raging rants on hate. It comes across as simplistic and somehow disingenuous story of a California neo-Nazi (Edward Norton). He is tough because he has to be - Gangs are taking over the neighborhood so he becomes the alpha dog of his white-skinned pack. Everyone wants to be tough, including his little brother, and it gets tiring to watch.
Norton's character kills three Blacks caught robbing his car one night and is sent to prison for three years. He comes out a reformed man who has seen the futility of crime, killing and fighting. He wants to atone for his sins and save his younger brother before it is too late. The drama is overwrought and the movie becomes predictable as we see another neighborhood crisis cause needless killings and pain.
"American History X" is borderline bad, the script is just pathetic. Edward Norton does his best to hold this sad, tired story together.
 Attention Grabber July 8, 2010
MarketGal
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have started watching this movie twice when shown on TV but had to leave for appointments so I could not watch the whole movie. The movie immediately grabbed my atttention so I eventually ordered the movie so I could watch the entire thing. I do now consider this a movie that is one on my top list to watch and own.
 Very good, but no truly new perspectives May 31, 2010
Irfan A. Alvi (Towson, MD USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is generally a very good movie which explores the issue of race relations, primarily revolving around the story of a neo-Nazi group in California. The acting is good overall, the plot is gripping, many of the images are (appropriately) horrifying, and Ed Norton is impressively buff.
The main point the movie illustrates is that, because reality is rich and complex, one can readily sift and bend the evidence in order to construct all sorts of ideologies, including generally racist and specifically neo-Nazi ideologies. A person with a lot of brainpower, but lacking checks and balances, can do this fairly creatively and rigorously, and such a person possessed with rhetorical skill can sell the ideology to more credulous people, especially if they're at an impressionable age or if they're facing tough times and would like to shift blame away from themselves and toward others. If you have any doubt about this, try the experiment of spending a few days forcefully arguing for an ideology which you abhor; you might be surprised by the extent to which you begin to convince even yourself! A related point is that falling in the grip of an ideology fosters a tribal mindset, which can lead to conflict between cultures, nations, classes, religious groups, political parties, "special interests," clans, gangs, and of course races (though race is more a cultural than biological concept). Such conflict can escalate to perpetuated violence ("An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" - Gandhi). Again, all of this is illustrated well by the movie.
My one complaint is that the movie doesn't really show how the main neo-Nazi character breaks free of his ideology and, moreover, his younger brother breaks free almost literally overnight, which strikes me as fairly implausible. Because of this flaw, and because the movie didn't really cover any new ground or offer new perspectives for me (I've thought about this stuff for nearly all of my life), I've deducted one star, but I can still recommend this movie to anyone interested in a vivid depiction of these issues.
the facts! May 30, 2010
C. Long (Little Valley, NY)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This movie reveals how alot of things are going down these days, and how we are loseing this country. It is an awesome movie and tells it like it is. the ending was not what was expected, but made a very good point...Weiß Stärke!
Important topic and a well made film. May 26, 2010
Polexia
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I think this movie is important for two reasons: 1. It shows a side of white supremacy and white power organisations we don't hear all that much about (i.e. skinheads) 2. It shows how extreme it can be and how far hate can go. As well as how far some people go in defending their hateful thoughts.
I think Racism is an important topic in general. Racism that is present in the general population, but also racism on extreme levles. American History x Shows us just how extreme racism can be. It also gains a huge pluss in my book for portraying a white supremacy-skinhead org. in a relaistic manner. If you notice the red shoe laces of some of the skinheads, the boots and the red suspenders.
I've never really liked Ed Norton as an actor. I think he is fairly bland at best, but in this movie he does a far better job than in any other film I have seen him in. I like how the film draws in both of the brothers, how they interact, how they choose to tell their side of the story and how they view each other. I have heard/read that one of the critiques of the film is that Nortons character Derek and his storyline is unrealistic. I would like to address that. First of all there are people who join org such as the one portrayed in the movie that wake up at some point and realise that they don't want to be involved any more. For what ever reason. I think one of the more imporant factors is that this film Derek himself points of the consequence of his desition to leave: It is not accepted and he will be a target.
Secondly it should not be forgotten that this is a movie and the point is to tell a story and I think the cast and crew has managed to tell this story very well.
This movie is def worth seeing. It is brutal on some point which ads to the importance and realistic tone of the movie.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 671
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