"Az én Mein Kampfom" - ezzel a dolgozattal sokkolja tanárait Danny Vinyard, aki egyébként kiváló tanuló. Talán ez az iromány adta a végső lökést, hogy bálványozott bátya, Derek, aki apjuk meggyilkolása óta csak a gyűlölet filozófiája és gyakorlata szerint él, egy hihetetlenül kegyetlen faji gyilkosságot kövessen el, amely "példaértékű" lesz a neonácik, skinhead bandák és a hatóságok előtt is. A rácsok mögött Derek fokozatosan ráébred az erőszak kétarcúságára. Felismeri az örök igazságot: a gyűlölet mindig visszaszáll arra, akitől ered.
Három év múlva a bajba jutott fiú visszatérésére vár környezete: a skinheadek hős vezérüket, anyja családfőnek számító gyermekét, Danny szeretett testvérét akarja visszakapni.
Még magán hordva a "börtönszagot", Dereknek nem sok ideje marad, hogy élvezze a szabadságot, múltjától szégyenkezve és iszonyodva versenyt fut az idővel, hogy megmentse öccsét és az egyre inkább az erőszak kietlen világába sodródó családját...

 

Uno.hu

 

 

 

 

 

 

White, middle-aged racist Derek is the leader of a neo-nazi group. After brutaly murdering two black men he is sent to prison for 3 years: he is only charged with manslaughter as his brother, the only witness does not testify. When in prison, Derek is slowly changed and forced into accepting black people (at one point he is attacked and raped by the white men in the prison). When he is released from prison his beliefs and views have changed and he attempts to save his brother from making his mistakes. During the film, the younger brother Danny is writing a school report on his life but is murdered at school by a black boy before giving it in. --Sasha Q, Resident American History X Scholar

Derek, the older brother of the secondary character, Danny, is a powerful figure in the local neo-nazi community. After Danny and his friends win a game against the blacks at a local basketball court, 2 armed black teens attempt to steal Derek's truck. Derek shoots one before he can get a shot off, and brutally kills the other against the curb, and is sentenced to 3 years. Danny tries to follow in his footsteps while Derek is incarcerated. Throughout the movie Danny's principal attempts to help and guide Danny and Derek. Derek returns from prison a changed man. Derek tries to save Danny from making the same mistakes he did. It seems that Derek has managed to save Danny and his family. However, at the end of the movie Danny is gunned down in the bathroom on the day his report is due by a black student he had angered previously. --Jon, Resident American History X Scholar

A brutal eye opener! Derek Vinyard , fustrated at the death of his father at the hands of black men he believes should not have been in "his" country , avenges that death by forming the D.O.C - a racist group with no aim as we are to find out. After shooting dead one man and killing another with the help of a curb , he is incarcerated for 3 years. During this time he is viciously raped and befriended by a BLACK inmate. In the outside world however , Danny , Dereks younger brother is following in his footsteps. Following orders from Cam (D.O.C big daddy!!!) , Danny is lead to believe that Black is scum and there is no place for them in society.He is failing at school so his headmaster who also taught Derek a few years earlier emplores him to write an essay on how Dereks actions have affected his life. And so the story unfolds...first person narrative , gripping stuff , geat film - watch it!!! --John Fenlon, Resident American History X Scholar

Derek and Danny are two misled youths. Derek is arrested and incarcerated for the brutal murder of 3 black men who tried to steal his truck. In jail, Derek realizes the error of his white supremicist ways and comes home determined to rescue Danny. However, Derek gets through to Danny too late. --Samantha Green, Resident American History X Scholar

it's a movie about a neo-nazi trying to figure out really what his ideals are and realizing he needs to change them. After realizing this, in jail, he leaves his crew and tries to help his younger brother realize also. --Ania, Resident American History X Scholar

Derek, the leader or a Neo-Nazi gang went to jail for BRUTALLY killing a black gang members. Now he is out and must stop his little brother from following in his footsteps. This movie is a powerful drama about ignorant racism and how gangs use propaganda to lure unsecure people to their cause. This film uses a brillient idea of all events in the past being done in black and white. This, along with strong performances by Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, and Avery Brooks. --Grey Culver, Resident American History X Scholar

A film about the path two skinhead brothers take and the price they pay for their ignorance. --Ryan Bauslaugh, Resident American History X Scholar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

United States, 1998
U.S. Release Date: 10/30/39 (limited)
Running Length: 1:57
MPAA Classification: R (Profanity, violence, sex)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Cast: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo, Avery Brooks, Stacy Keach, Fairuza Balk, Jennifer Lien, Elliot Gould, Guy Torry, Ethan Suplee, William Russ
Director: Tony Kaye
Producer: John Morrissey
Screenplay: David McKenna
Cinematography: Tony Kaye
Music: Anne Dudley
U.S. Distributor: New Line Cinema

Racism. It's almost impossible to turn on a news program, read a paper or magazine article, or engage in a political discussion without that word coming up at one time or another. White Rage has many forms - from the hoods of the KKK to the shaved heads and swastikas of today's apostles of Hitler - but only one terrible voice. This particular social problem is not limited to the United States. It is a worldwide phenomenon, with antecedents in every "civilized" country. To date, one of the most powerful films about modern-day race hatred has been the Australian offering, Romper Stomper. It's virtually impossible to watch that film and not leave the theater deeply affected. Although it treads similar paths, American History X does not offer the same overwhelming experience, but it has the capacity to disturb. Despite a tendency to become preachy, this film, the directorial debut of Tony Kaye, is no mere piece of propaganda. It recognizes that, when it comes to racial and ethnic hatred, no one has the answers and there are no safe harbors. And American History X does not easily dismiss the rhetoric of pro-white groups. Decoupled from their actions, some of their less-volatile arguments, borne of insecurity and frustration, sound plausible. The problem is, such doctrine frequently takes kernels of truth and distorts them into grotesque lies.

In the world of the skinhead neo-Nazi, slogans replace thought, fueling a mindless hatred that is startling in its intensity. Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) is one of the most fervent members of the Venice Beach White Supremacist movement. An avowed hater of everyone who is not a white Protestant, he has risen to the top of a ragged group of hate-mongers. Derek is the disciple of Cameron (Stacy Keach), who stays behind the scenes to keep his record clean. Derek's followers include his younger brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), who worships him; his girlfriend, Stacey (Fairuza Balk), who thoughtlessly parrots his words; and a fat man named Seth (Ethan Suplee), who finds strength in a group that he lacks on his own. Derek's mother, Doris (Beverly D'Angelo), and sister, Davin (Jennifer Lien), are frightened of and for him. Then, on one fateful night, Derek uses deadly force to stop a pair of black youths from stealing his car. He ends up in prison for three years, and, while on the inside, learns some hard truths about life from a fellow inmate (Guy Torry) and from the principal of his old high school (Avery Brooks), who takes a special interest in him. But, when Derek emerges with a desire to change attitudes, he finds that words are not enough.

American History X is in no way a comprehensive look at racism, hatred, or inner city violence. Instead, it examines the various ways these elements tear at the fabric of a family. The film emphasizes that actions have consequences, and that attaining redemption isn't as easy as saying "I'm sorry." The price for a change of heart can be, and often is, brutal. The final sequence in the film is shocking not because it's unexpected, but because it illustrates this truth.

The chief weakness in American History X is that we're presented with only one truly three-dimensional character. As portrayed by Edward Norton (who gained 30 pounds for the role) in one of the year's best performances, Derek is a fully-developed individual. We see the subtle elements that prime Derek for racist attitudes, follow the events that push him over the edge, then watch the trajectory of his life as his hatred spirals out of control before being reined in. Unfortunately, no one else in the movie comes close to being as real as Derek. Most of the other characters are thinly-sketched stereotypes (the principal, the liberal sister, the weary mother) or caricatures (the skinheads). Actors like Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo, Fairuza Balk, and Avery Brooks do the best they can with lean material, but it falls on Norton's shoulders to carry the film. Ultimately, American History X succeeds in large part because of him.

The director is Tony Kaye, who has made no secret of his displeasure with the way New Line Cinema chose to edit the film (he made a very public threat to have his name removed from the credits). Some have speculated that Kaye's actions are a publicity stunt; regardless, he is still listed as both director and cinematographer. Kaye imbues American History X with a relentlessly ominous tone, especially during the final half hour, when we're expecting something grim to occur. Not all of Kaye's moves work - it seems unnecessarily showy for all of the "past" sequences to be in black-and-white, while the "current" ones are in color - but, on balance, Kaye displays ability in the motion picture arena (he is already highly praised for his direction of TV commercials). American History X may be flawed, but it's not easily forgotten.

1998 James Berardinelli