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- In the film, a thriving neo-Nazi movement recruits charismatic leaders, scapegoats immigrants, exploits the unprecedented connectivity ushered in by the internet age, and capitalises on long-festering racial grievances in white families – all of which combust into open racial warfare.
www.bbc.com › culture › articleDid American History X foreshadow the resurgence of white ...
Nov 3, 2023 · In 1998, a brutal, controversial indie film portrayed a bleak vision of race relations in the US that appears to have predicted a growing 21st-Century movement, writes Tom Joudrey.
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What happened in American History X?
- The Main Characters Were Based on Real People
- Joaquin Phoenix Turned Down The Lead Role
- Edward Norton's Intense Preparation
- The Director Nearly Quit Due to Script Changes
- The Director Disowned The Film
- The Director Sued His Movie
- A Punk Band Also Sued The Movie
- Danny's Term Paper Has A Hint of Hope
- The Movie Has A Scene in The Big Lebowski Diner
- The Original Ending Was Bleaker
The two odious Neo-Nazis in the film were based on real-life people. Derek Vinyard (Norton) is based on real-life former skinhead Frank Meeink. After a three-year prison sentence, Meeink disowned the racist movement and began publicly speaking against such organizations. Meanwhile, Cameron Alexander (Stacy Keach) was based on Tom Metzger, the leade...
Edward Norton turned down a role in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan to star inAmerican History X. Before he was cast in the lead role of Derek Vinyard, Joaquin Phoenixwas approached. However, Phoenix declined due to his discomfort with the film's visceral subject matter. For the other key roles, Marlon Brandowas in consideration for Cameron ...
Along with costar Edward Furlong, Edward Norton shaved his head to play Derek Vinyard. He also increased his caloric intake and gained up to 30 pounds of muscle to bulk up his physique to appear more intimidating. RELATED: 15 Movies You Only Remember That One Scene From Although director Tony Kaye balked at the idea of casting Norton at first, he u...
Before Tony Kay was hired by New Line Cinema to direct American History X as his feature debut, the project was offered to Easy Rider director Dennis Hopperto helm it. When Hopper declined, Kaye got the job. Once production commenced, several script changes made by stars Norton and Furlong took place in a way that undermined director. Kaye was so d...
The aforementioned directorial dispute got even nastier when Norton re-edited the film and elongated the runtime by 24-minutesover the initial workprint. Conflicting reports say Norton gave himself more screentime, while others claim he merely salvaged the film. Either way, Kaye became so incensed that he tried to have his name removed from the fil...
As a result of the rancorous rift between New Line Cinema and Tony Kaye, the director filed a lawsuit seeking roughly $200 million from the studio and the DGA for damages. According to the book Cinematic Century, Kaye filed the suit over the use of his name on the film. New Line producer Michael De Luca attempted to smooth things over before the sk...
The disgruntled director wasn't the only entity to file a lawsuit against New Line over the making of American History X. The punk band Anti-Heroes also filed a suit for having a skinhead character in the film wear a tattoo of their band. The members of Anti-Heroes wanted zero association with such hateful racist characters, however fictional, and ...
The dramatic crux of the movie deals with Derek's personal redemption and his dogged attempt to prevent his brother Danny from being brainwashed by Cameron's hateful ideology. Although Derek is too late to ultimately save his brother, Danny's term paper hints he too was on a righteous path before his untimely death. RELATED: The 10 Most Controversi...
For the scene in which Derek and Danny share breakfast before attending school, it was shot in the same diner featured in the Coen Brothers' classic stoner comedy The Big Lebowski. The latter used the diner for one of its many iconic scenes, specifically the one where Walter (John Goodman) accidentally deduces the truth about Bunny's (fake) toeand ...
One of the major changes Norton made to the movie was the final scene. In the original screenplay, the ending would have found Derek staring at himself in a mirror before he begins to shave his head. The implication is that, no matter how socially conscious he is and no matter how much he thinks he's changed, Derek cannot escape the cycle of violen...
- Jake Dee
Two decades ago, American History X brought to life the ugly realities of white supremacy. Never before had moviegoers seen the horrifying minutiae of Neo-Nazi skinhead culture ––...
Oct 30, 2023 · American History X gives multiple explanations for the origin of Derek's racist beliefs and neo-Nazi associations. The first explanation comes during the police meeting investigating the skinhead Venice Beach Gang where Dr. Sweeney is consulting the police on Derek's history.
- Stephen M. Colbert
- Sr. Features Writer
Dec 10, 2023 · American History X's original ending would have implied that Derek was trapped in a life of hatred, which would have been unfair after the progress he had made. The original ending would have undermined the film's message that racism ruins lives and that there is hope for change and redemption.
- Matt John
Oct 31, 2023 · Featuring powerful performances by Edward Norton to a scene stealing turn by Edward Furlong, the film approached a controversial subject without compromise or cutting corners, and the end result...
Mar 5, 2015 · His antics, controversial and incendiary, have placed him on Hollywood’s list of the ex-communicated, and it’s hard to tell when or if he’ll be scratched from it. The trouble with Tony didn’t...
