American History X is a 1998 American crime drama film directed by Tony Kaye in his feature directorial debut, and written by David McKenna. Starring Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Fairuza Balk, Stacy Keach, Elliott Gould, Avery Brooks, and Beverly D'Angelo, the film follows Derek (Norton), and Danny Vinyard (Furlong), two European-American, skinhead brothers from Los Angeles who are involved in the White supremacist movement. After Derek serves three years in prison for killing two gang members, he is released on parole as a changed man, and tries to prevent Danny from being indoctrinated further.
McKenna wrote the script based on his own childhood and experiences of growing up in San Diego. He sold the script to New Line Cinema, which was impressed by the writing. Steve Tisch and Lawrence Turman served as executive producers on the film. Principal photography began in Los Angeles on March 17, 1997, and concluded on May 21. Prior to the film's release, Kaye and New Line Cinema were in disagreements over the final cut of the film, which Norton had played a pivotal role in editing. The final version was 40 minutes longer than Kaye's 95-minute cut, which resulted in him publicly disowning the film through dozens of trade paper advertisements, thus negatively affecting his directing career.
American History X was theatrically released in limited screenings in the United States on October 30, 1998, before expanding to wide release on November 20. The film received critical acclaim, with Norton's performance earning widespread praise. It was a modest success at the box office, grossing $23.8 million against its $20 million production budget. Norton won the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama at the 3rd Satellite Awards, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 71st Academy Awards, and the Saturn Award for Best Actor at the 25th Saturn Awards.
A follow-up, African History Y, with Kaye returning as director, as well as co-writer and co-producer, and starring Djimon Hounsou, was in development as of 2020.
Plot
In 1997, White student Danny Vinyard, 17, antagonizes his Jewish history teacher, Mr. Murray, by writing an essay on Mein Kampf. Black School principal and outreach worker Dr. Bob Sweeney gives Danny an ultimatum to either study history directly under him through current events, branded as "American History X", or be expelled. Danny must write a paper on his older brother, Derek, Sweeney's former student and neo-Nazi gang leader, about to be released from prison. Later in the school restroom, when a Black youth bullies another White student, Danny confronts the bully by blowing cigarette smoke in his face, and the bully leaves.
Years earlier, Danny and Derek's firefighter father, Dennis Vinyard, is shot and killed by a Black drug dealer while extinguishing a fire at a crack house in Compton, Greater Los Angeles. Immediately afterwards, Derek erupts in a televised, racially motivated tirade. Neo-Nazi Cameron Alexander becomes his mentor, and they form a violent White supremacist gang called the Disciples of Christ (D.O.C.). Derek's charismatic argumentation of White supremacist views quickly expand the D.O.C., and the gang attacks a local supermarket employing illegal immigrants. Later, Derek challenges and defeats Crips in a basketball game for territorial rights to a basketball court in his Venice Beach neighborhood.
In 1994, Derek's mother, Doris, invites Murray, her boyfriend, to dinner, where Derek escalates an argument about Rodney King and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Derek assaults his sister Davina and insults Murray for being Jewish, causing Doris to banish Derek. That night, the Crips who Derek had antagonized on the basketball court attempt to steal his truck. Alerted by Danny to the theft in progress, Derek fatally shoots one and curb stomps the other in front of Danny. Derek is arrested and sentenced to three years in prison for voluntary manslaughter.
In prison, Derek joins the Aryan Brotherhood, and despite initial resistance, he befriends Black inmate Lamont, his co-worker in the prison laundry. Abandoned by the D.O.C. and disillusioned by prison gang politics and drug-dealing, Derek subsequently leaves the Aryan Brotherhood, realizing it is a criminal gang using White supremacy as a facade. In retaliation, the Brotherhood beat and gang rape him in the communal shower.
Sweeney visits the hospitalized Derek, who pleads for help to leave prison. Rebuking Derek for needing to deal with the consequences of his actions, Sweeney reveals his own racist past and informs Derek that the D.O.C. is indoctrinating Danny. After leaving the hospital, Derek publicly snubs the Aryan Brotherhood; Lamont warns Derek that he has exposed himself to murder by other inmates for his past affiliation. Derek is never harmed due to Lamont's intervention; before leaving prison, Derek thanks Lamont.
Returning home to find a D.O.C.-tattooed skinhead Danny, Derek tries to persuade him to leave the group. At a D.O.C. party, Derek confronts Cameron for using and then abandoning him for three years. Declaring his departure from the group, Derek forbids them to use Danny. When mocked, Derek brutally beats Cameron. D.O.C. member Seth, Derek's ex-girlfriend Stacey, and others attack Derek. Seth pulls a gun, but Derek disarms him and holds everyone at gunpoint before fleeing, tossing the gun into a nearby dumpster.
Finding Derek, Danny angrily confronts him over his actions. Derek relates his experiences in prison, prompting a change in Danny. Returning home, they remove neo-Nazi posters from their shared bedroom. The next morning, Danny completes his paper for American History X, reflecting on how Derek adopted racist views from their father, as shown in flashback. As Derek walks Danny to school, they encounter Sweeney and a police officer who inform them that Seth and Cameron were attacked the night before and are in an intensive care unit. Derek denies any involvement but ostensibly agrees to see what he can find out.
In the restroom before class, Danny encounters the Black student he confronted the day before, who pulls a gun and kills him. Derek runs to the school, pushing past crowds and police officers. Cradling Danny's bloodied corpse in hysterics, he blames himself for influencing Danny's views and actions. In a voiceover, Danny reads the final lines of his paper for Dr. Sweeney, quoting the final lines of Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address.
Cast
Production
Development
Screenwriter David McKenna wrote the screenplay for American History X and sold the rights to New Line Cinema when he was 26.Writers on Writing Series 2007: A Conversation with David McKenna, , First Light Video Publishing. The inspiration for the story came from the punk-rock scene of McKenna's childhood, where he often witnessed violent behavior. "I saw a lot of bigotry growing up, and it made me think about writing something about the world of hate-mongers. The point I tried to make in the script is that a person is not born a racist. It is learned through environment and the people that surround you. The question that intrigued me is: why do people hate and how does one go about changing that? My premise was that hate starts in the family". In order to make the characters as realistic as possible, McKenna interviewed and observed the behavior of skinheads during the writing process. He said "I had seen documentaries that just didn't ring true to me, and I wanted to write an accurate portrayal of how good kids from good families can get so terribly lost".
Producer John Morrissey, who read the script three years prior, was impressed by the script's intense characters and dialogue. Michael De Luca, then-production president of New Line Cinema, said "I was intrigued by its intensity, conviction and brutal honesty. There was a brilliant character study woven into the screenplay, and I knew we had something special if we did it correctly". In 1996, the producers first approached Dennis Hopper to direct the film. Hopper turned down the offer, Larry Clark was approached to direct the film, but turned it down due to a scheduling conflict, Tony Kaye was then approached to direct. Kaye, who had been De Luca's preferred choice from the beginning, accepted and made his directorial debut in a feature film on American History X. He took the contract to a synagogue, "I signed it in front of the rabbi. I thought it would make it good", Kaye said. After the film was released, De Luca stated "It's everything I had hoped for. The performances are explosive and frightening, and the film dramatically demonstrates both the subtle and overt roots of racism while also showing the possibility for redemption".
Casting Joaquin Phoenix was offered the role of Derek Vinyard, but he was not interested. After holding casting calls, Kaye was unable to find a suitable actor for the lead role, but casting director Valerie McCaffrey suggested Edward Norton. Kaye initially objected, feeling that Norton lacked the "weight or presence", but he eventually conceded. According to executive producer Steve Tisch, Norton's passion for the project was "contagious", and he even agreed to a pay cut of more than $500,000 from his usual $1 million fee, to be cast in the lead. Norton was initially reluctant about the project until Francis Ford Coppola convinced him. McCaffrey also cast Edward Furlong for the role of Danny Vinyard. To prepare for the role, Norton increased his calorie intake and spent hours in the gym to gain 25 pounds (11 kg) of muscle.
Filming
Principal photography took place in Los Angeles and Venice Beach, lasting for several months and finishing in May 1997. Kaye served as cinematographer and camera operator, and would often silently walk around the set, scouting for camera angles or visuals. During filming, Kaye established a casual environment for the cast and crew. He welcomed visitors on set, including singer Courtney Love, Norton's girlfriend at the time, and British historian John Richardson. Kaye would arrive for work in a Lincoln Town Car with a chauffeur, and a license plate that read "JEWISH". He carried four cell phones and a fax machine, and during the Passover holidays, Kaye had boxes of matzo delivered to the set. He also discovered at the time a newsletter published by a British political group, the National Front, which said he was a prominent Jew who supposedly controlled Britain's media.
Both Furlong and Ethan Suplee found taking on their roles that had hateful views to be uncomfortable. Furlong said "It's pretty intense, having to say this incredibly hateful stuff". The actors had "white power" tattoos painted on their arms, which Suplee forgot to remove one day after filming, and was confronted by a man in a convenience store. Norton recalls "Doing that film created the strangest distortion of perception on me ... the degree to which that film and the magic of camera and art and black and white photography ... made a lot of people think that I was a larger and tougher person than I am". The flashback scenes were edited to be in black-and-white, whereas the present-day scenes were edited to be in color.
Music Kaye hired British composer Anne Dudley to score the film, and wanted the music to be "big and elegiac". She employed a full orchestra and a boys' choir, and decided against using hip-hop sounds. She said, "The neo-Nazi faction is personified in the music by a boys choir – what could be a more Aryan sound? ... A calming string orchestra instead provides a much more expressive and timeless palette".
Release