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American History X
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American History X (1998) More at IMDbPro »

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American History X (1998) -- A former neo-nazi skinhead tries to prevent his younger brother from going down the same wrong path that he did.

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 5% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Tony Kaye
Writer (WGA):
David McKenna (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for American History X on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 October 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
His father taught him to hate. His friends taught him rage. His enemies gave him hope. more
Plot:
A former neo-nazi skinhead tries to prevent his younger brother from going down the same wrong path that he did. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(40 articles)
Former Skinhead Battles Racism With Hockey
 (From Huffington Post. 19 June 2009, 1:35 PM, PDT)

Meth Mouth: Tom Siebel's Brash Anti-Crystal Campaign
 (From Fast Company. 11 May 2009, 6:00 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Intelligent Drama more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for graphic brutal violence including rape, pervasive language, strong sexuality and nudity.
Runtime:
119 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Seth wears a shirt during the basketball game featuring the number 88. This is a naziskin code for HH, or "Heil Hitler," H being the 8th letter of the alphabet. It also refers to a set of 88 precepts written by the neo-nazi leader David Lane. The 88 precepts are rules and concepts that all White Supremacists lived by. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When Derek tells Cameron he and his brother are out, the reflection of the cameraman is clearly visible. more
Quotes:
Cameron: You made the fat kid a little nervous. He thinks the joint messed with your mind.
Derek Vinyard: It did.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006) more
Soundtrack:
Battle Hymn of the Republic more

FAQ

Any recommendations for other movies similar to "American History X"?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
What did Derek do that landed him in prison?
more
76 out of 136 people found the following comment useful:-
Intelligent Drama, 28 September 2004
9/10
Author: gingerkris (gingerkris@yahoo.co.uk) from London, England

Strong performances by Edward Norton & Edward Furlong really make this film for me. The direction by Tony Kaye with his mixture of black & white history contrasting with colourful reality is magic to absorb and shows this film up to be what it is – a true American Classic, ironically by a British director. The film itself is about two brothers, Derek the elder and Danny the younger adoring sibling. Derek has been in jail for three years after killing a black youth who tried to rob the family; the nature & brutality of the crime still shocks me to this day. AHX tracks Derek's history through the first formation of racist sentiment laid down by the father. These feeling of hate are embedded when later his father is killed in the line of duty. Derek becomes involved in the local Nazi movement, his intellect turned by youthful rage into hate crimes and the rational that comes with Neo Nazi propaganda. The Nazi-tattoo sporting, egotistical, philosophical younger Derek is a steam train waiting to crash, his propulsion to stardom is eventually embodied when he takes the life of the young thief, the scene is very apt as he calmly lies down and knows he will be a hero to his friends. Without wanting to spoil the film Derek encounters change in the prison, he meets a black man whom he works with and faces his own demons inside, I will leave it there for those who want to be moved by his transformation. Anyway, he comes out a new man and only wants to be that new person, which means leaving the old crowd, leaving the Anti-Jewish sepal he's been living with so long. The problem lies with his brother who has become a little Derek, getting drunk and being influenced like he was. Derek's cross to bear is that he can't change his life without his brother coming with him and being on the right side of humanity. I think that this film is less about race and more about our ability to change as individuals, the fact that we can become what and who we want is a gift. Derek becomes the man he always wanted to be, he only wants the same for his brother. Kaye's use of black & white creates an atmospheric drama that builds tension and has you feeling like a stung out piece of drum leather by mid movie. I love the way that Kaye subtly uses quotes and intellectualises the Nazi Stance, only to watch it being broken down by the same man (Derek / Norton). Norton is a joy to watch as is Gould and Furlong. To sum up American History X is a powerful intelligent drama, which provides plenty of discussion after the movie. This film should be on every high school curriculum…

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for American History X (1998)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Great movie! But two scenes that drive me nuts... ejbenton-1
This movie felt like A Spike Lee Movie Chiscokid88-1
the real power of this movie biggyjaay
Great film but one aspect seems unrealisitc kazbd
Prison skin head merlin289
Derek's actions in prison don't make sense to me dblondel
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