Thursday, September 2, 2010

A Brief Synopsis Of The Film American History X

By Milagros Witt

Reading into this particular article could mean only one thing: that you're looking to learn a little more about one of the most impressive films of the 1990s, "American History X". You see, there is a good bit that you might care to learn or understand about this impressive film, and most of these will be discussed within this content.

It is often speculated that this movie was derived and based on real events, though there is nothing to suggest this or mentioned of it in the film. The reason for this is that this film is believable in that it is very candid and very raw. There is little that is left to the imagination in this film, and well acted characters have to learn hard lessons the hard way.

The movie starts rolling by introducing you to Danny Vinyard, who is still in high school. After getting in some trouble over having written a history paper on a white supremacist, he is told to write a paper on his brother Derek. Derek is Danny's older brother and he is, for all intents and purposes, the main character of the piece.

Shortly there later, you learn about Derek's position in the community. He represents a very strong gang of white supremacists, and he is their fearless leader. This really takes root very early in Derek's life, when he sees his father attempting to put out a fire to save lives, and he is gunned down by a black drug dealer right in front of Derek. A man takes Derek under his wing, and guides him in the knowledge and path of white supremacy. So Derek formed his gang, and they were all too eager to be under his leadership.

You also learn why Derek is in jail, through the retelling of his brother Danny in a narrative. Three black men attempt to break into Derek's car and he is alerted and heads outside with a pistol drawn. He gets two out of the three with shots, killing one and wounding another. What follows is one of the most graphic sequences ever depicted on film, in which he forces the wounded man to place his teeth on the curb and Derek stomps on the back of his head, killing him.

Derek is forced to confront his hating ways in prison, when he realizes that he is the minority and there is no protection for him. He, through a lengthy series of circumstances, befriends a black man that he is on laundry duty with. Derek vows that he would do anything to take it all back and start over again far away from what he now represents. He learns that his younger brother is headed in the same direction, and he will not allow this to happen.

He is released and meets up with his girlfriend at a welcome home party. He asks her to move with her, but she refuses. He is also forced to face the man that taught him to be a white supremacist and tells him that this is no way to live. He and his brother leave, and Danny is able to finish the paper which you hear as the narration for the ending of the film.

The story ends with Danny being shot to death by a black kid in the bathroom at school. Powerful acting from Edward Norton (Derek Vinyard) and Edward Furlong (Danny Vinyard) bring this story to the screen and give it the perfect acting that such an impressive movie requires. American History X might be hard to watch at times, but it is a grand reflection on how people could be so confident in what they believe to be right. - 40726

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