American History X #

Review. #

I saw this movie number of times when I was a kid. But only recently, I have noticed that some scenes are shot in black and white, which is philosophical in many ways.
In a chow hall (canteen), after stellar bench press perfomance, white car head immediately recognizes him and welcomes him to the pack.
And this is the point, he was introduced to white pack not because he was of his racial views, simply he showed heart by bench pressing in front of black guys car. Which certainly could have caused his immediate death. Later on, seeing one of the white inmates taking drugs from spanish group member selling drugs to another white inmates, he says: “He didn’t believe in shit. None of them did”. At this very moment he is dissapointed and some altercations start to happen.
Right before the rape, Derek is playing basketball with the black guys and his coworker (black guy) from laundry room.

Guys from white click, dissapproving:

A few moments later, guys who took him in, take him out.

James Berardinelli writes in his review:“The chief weakness in American History X is that we’re presented with only one truly three-dimensional character. … .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.”

Tony Kaye (director): “Had I have been permitted to complete my work the film would have been great.My vision of the film never made it to the screen because edward norton.The actor was permitted by the producers to edit and alter the film increasing the role of his own performance.”

Well, despite the controversy, movie is more than watchable.

Verdict. #

Most certainly, movie has capacity to disturb. Derek displays an idealist who truly believed in his ideas. But the world has proven many times it is just black or white, this or that.

Screenshots. #

References. #

1. rogerebert.com [Roger Ebert] 2. ReelViews [James Berardinelli]