American History X special Edition

The Bollox

does anyone know if there has been a special edition (two disc) version of the brilliant film, American History X? I am just asking because I have seen the single disc version and there are no special features, I would especially like to see (hear) a commentary track.

monkeyfudge

I've always wanted to see what the director had in mind for the film. He was shut out of the final edit and so completely disowned the film.

ShayHT

Pretty sure the only one available, is the orignal one that came out unfortunately.

Earthhorse

I've often wondered how he intended to end it too. Any script of the film you find online has the ending as seen in the theatrical release. It would be cool to know what he had in mind.

Karl Hungus

I think it's a shame that Tony Kaye kicked up such a fuss about not getting his cut of the film. He basically got himself blacklisted by the studio, when he could just as easily have lobbied for a Director's Cut on DVD.

Supposedly Edward Norton actually went in after Kaye had left the project, and edited so that he got a lot more screen time.

As for what was originally in mind, I know that it was shot that the final scene of the film was Derek shaving his head.

J.R.HARTLEY

what do you mean derek shaving his head, was he going back to the violent lifestyle to avenge his young brother?

Karl Hungus

J.R.HARTLEY wrote:

what do you mean derek shaving his head, was he going back to the violent lifestyle to avenge his young brother?

I do believe that's what was being alluded to, yes.

monkeyfudge

Maybe he was going to take up being a Hare Krishna.

The Bollox

J.R.HARTLEY wrote:

what do you mean derek shaving his head, was he going back to the violent lifestyle to avenge his young brother?

that is an ending I would have loved to have seen, although the one on the DVD is great too

J.R.HARTLEY

Karl Hungus wrote:

I do believe that's what was being alluded to, yes.

i can see why the studio ditched it then,i'm not condoning studio interference mind you, they probably wanted to put out a positive end rather than maybe a more realistic if not unfortunate one.

Karl Hungus

J.R.HARTLEY wrote:

i can see why the studio ditched it then,i'm not condoning studio interference mind you, they probably wanted to put out a positive end rather than maybe a more realistic if not unfortunate one.

I can't see how the current ending is in any way positive.

But you know, I think this is probably one of the only films that didn't come out a complete butchers because of studio interference. American History X remains a phenominal film altogether, and I actually like the ending because it really puts a lot of emphasis on Danny.

Not to say I wouldn't love to see a Director's Cut, that is.

lostexpectation

the essay ending voice over is bit cringy

Karl Hungus

lostexpectation wrote:

the essay ending voice over is bit cringy

I'll have to take a look at the ending again, because I don't think it's very fresh in my mind.

djkeogh

The very end I think is a scene of a sunset with Danny reading quotes from the essay he had written. It was a nice ending but I do like the sound of the other ending mentioned above. I can understand why Tony Kaye was upset as the ending there now is completely different in tone to what he intended.

The film is still amazing.

TerrorFirmer

Karl Hungus wrote:

As for what was originally in mind, I know that it was shot that the final scene of the film was Derek shaving his head.

I have to say thats an image with huge potential and could have been a superb ending. As 100% opposite to the direction Kaye wanted it to go as could possibly be.

J.R.HARTLEY

Karl Hungus wrote:

I'll have to take a look at the ending again, because I don't think it's very fresh in my mind.

what i mean by positive is not that the kid is dead but that ed norton has turned his life around, the truth in the story is that his past life will come around to haunt him, but as we leave it, with the reformed ed norton, it's a positive end that he left the hate behind and moved on, i think the murder is a device to show us that wee can never really escape from what we've done,
i reckon they pushed this out instead of the more strak truth that the director wanted where he relapsed into his previous life.

crybaby

the head shaving ending was in a very early draft of the script (which Tony Kaye didnt write by the way) but it got chopped out during development so it never got shot so we'll never know what Kaye wanted unless he mentioned it in any interviews he ever did. anyway I think Kaye acted like a naive child through the whole process having not made a feature film before and has thus got himself pretty much blacklisted from all studios and has barely made anything since then.

still a very good film and yes the ending has always seemed strange to me mainly because it seems to reinforce the beliefs of the Nazis, I mean who the hell murders someone over getting smoke blown into their face?

J.R.HARTLEY

unfortunately thee are parts of america and everywhere where racial tensions and hatred are so intense that the slightest excuse is stupidly taken as an excuse to dispense "gang justice"