American History X

Okie

One of my favourite films.

Just watched it again last night, with a few others who hadn't seen it before. All agreed it was fantastic, but a few said that it was very racist, only showing one side of the argument!?!

Anybody else think this or have any thoughts on the movie itself?

I just enjoyed it and thought the story was put across very well.

Fysh

Not entirely sure how this could be construed as racist given that it's about the social problems that emerge on both sides due to racism...after a couple of views the point feels a bit laboured, but it's still a very good film.

Actually, thinking about it...how did people interpret it as racist? The only way I can think of is if the gangland hits are viewed as a legitimate response to the treatment at the hands of the white supremacists. Which is just plain stupid.

goo

The kid killing Danny

is the only thing I can imagine that would make it seem racist. Considering that

Danny seems to have changed his mind/life by the end

, your friends are just wrong (laughing).

I always took the film as very anti-white, to be honest, because when you think about it,

they're mostly shown as gullible, weak bigots, pretty much.

I also used to love the film, I still like it, but I kind of grew up with it and, as such, it has a little less power over me. Still, it's very good.

I always laughed when, in the last ten minutes or something, Ed Norton was wearing that fairly transparent white jumper with all the Nazi tattoos as clear as day on his chest.

Fysh

Interesting take on it....I didn't interpret it as anti-white so much as anti-racism, from the perspective that white racism in turn stimulated black racism, leading to a very daft situation where two ethnic groups are attacking each other for being different and leading ultimately self-destructive lifestyles which end up with rather more parallels than any of those involved would like to think about.

To put it a different way:

Is there really that much difference between a bunch of white trash dumb enough to follow some white supremacist git on his mission against them durn furriners, and a bunch of ghetto-born gangstas imbued with a pathological hatred of whitey? Both lead violent lives, both end up in positions where trying to walk away from their past may well get them killed, both groups build current hatred on past hatred rather than trying to move forward....

.

At least, that's how I interpreted it.

The whole rather over-done idea of Norton's rejection of his nazi cohorts post rape and subsequent protection only because of his black friend intervening behind the scenes (as well as the kid brother being shot in the closing scenes) suggests the theme of progress only coming from people being willing to see past their own bigotry before the costs become too great.

.

If it's anti-white, it's only because in America at least, more race-based crimes have been at the hands of white people than any other ethnic group.

krom kruak

Originally posted by Fysh
If it's anti-white, it's only because in America at least, more race-based crimes have been at the hands of white people than any other ethnic group.

bull$hit!!!!

most race crime in america is committed against whites except that its anti european media censors all mention of it.

see these links for proof:

http://www.amren.com/color.pdf
http://www.amren.com/colrcrim.html
http://www.martinlutherking.org/rapperlyrics.html
http://christianparty.net/blackcrimes.htm

ObeyGiant

Whoa.
Personally, I'm not so sure a bunch of links to white-power websites constitutes any significant proof.
Go back to stormfront.

Pugsley

Really enjoyed the film, great build up the whole film to the ending.

Skud

i think Fysh got it spot on tbh. the only thing is

It's meant to be circular in the fact that the actions of your crimes/murders eventually end up happening to you. It is meant to be a criticism on modern life in the way as, Fysh said, ppl can't see past their hatred but also how easily it is to follow the group. Not to mention the equality stuff. Not only that but it highlights peoples stubborness and that is why it criticises society so bad. You do these actions to other people but you don't like them when it happens to you. People won't change and that's why it ends with a sense of doom

True story afaik

Gillie

A super film!
Great actors. Great story. I don't think ppl need to get too hung up on whether its racist or whether it shows whitey in a stupid light!

Just sit back and enjoy a great movie IMO!:)

Agent Smith

a exelent film. nortan plays the part brilliantly!

begbie

Its an excellent movie. One of my favourites.

watsrealwatsnot

Def. a great film. One of Nortons best, if not his best. The script is amazing and the smile on Nortons face after he stamps on the back of the guys head is the most memorable part of the film.

seamus

Originally posted by goo
I always took the film as very anti-white, to be honest, because when you think about it,

they're mostly shown as gullible, weak bigots, pretty much.

I think that mostly has to do with the viewpoint of the film.

That is, most white people we see in the film *are* white supremacists, who can be considered gullible, weak bigots. It shows very few 'normal' white people, and I think the film is very careful to make that clear