Discuss American History X
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Brilliant film
posted by movie_naziSTAFFMOD on May 10, 2021 at 4:34 PM
I must have seen this film a dozen times and I watched it today for the first time in years and it still gets me. At first, after seeing it after so many years, I started to get a bit perturbed from what I was conceiving as an overuse of the slow mo shots but after the film's conclusion I decided that they did lend to the emotional content. It helped accentuate those emotional scenes. The film is an education of how easily intelligent people can get brainwashed and when you see things from outside the bubble you begin to see what a dumbass you were. "What was I thinking?" is always the most common question one asks one's self after experiencing such tomfoolery. I also find it odd that the director and the writer barely did anything else. That's Hollywood for ya. Not enough 'splosions or super heroes, I guess.
American History X (1998) - 10 outta 10 stars
Reply by MongoLloyd
on May 10, 2021 at 6:53 PM
I remember reading that the director shot an absolutely insane amount of footage for this film, like WAY above the norm.
I saw his last film, "Detachment," and remember liking it.
As for intelligent people getting brainwashed, yeah, under the right conditions it happens all the time. I had a few very smart friends who got sucked into a cult very similar to Scientology. One of them tried to draw me into it but after doing 20 seconds of research I had a no f.ucking way siren blasting in my head. He hasn't spoken to me in 20 years because I pleaded with him to not do it.
I think really, it comes down to the idea that people believe what they need to believe.
Reply by movie_nazi
on May 10, 2021 at 7:27 PM
I also heard that Kaye and Norton had a falling out because Norton took it upon himself to re-edit the film, supposedly to showcase more scenes with him, and Kaye was furious. Kinda sounds like BS to me because I just don't see how an actor would have access to edit the film all willy nilly but it does fit into the description of Norton's personality. I heard that role he did for Birdman, where he plays an arrogant actor who sniffs his own farts, is not off the mark from him for real. In other words, he barely had to act in that role.
Reply by MongoLloyd
on May 10, 2021 at 8:11 PM
Yeah, I can't picture him having that kind of access or control. It's even rare for directors to have final cut. Since he's not even credited as a producer, I don't know how that could ever happen.
Reply by movie_nazi
on May 12, 2021 at 8:18 PM
I found a few articles on it.
Director Tony Kaye disowns his own film
The Troubled Production Of 'American History X'
Reply by MongoLloyd
on May 13, 2021 at 11:30 AM
I seem to recall hearing about all this conflict back when the movie was finally released. Apparently Kaye delivered the edit on time, and at 90 minutes, but of course the suits had to step in an f.uck it up, allowing Norton to do a re-edit with Kaye. I have to wonder if there's a director's cut out there somewhere.
Reply by tmdb53400018
on May 15, 2021 at 12:04 PM
This movie just has this hardcore aesthetic that I really dig. When the mother told Ed Norton's character something to the effect of, "I'm sorry you came out of my body," I practically got goosebumps. Hardcore.
I dislike subliminals.
Reply by movie_nazi
on May 15, 2021 at 3:18 PM
Oh yeah. The movie has a lot of those visceral moments that gut punch ya.