Movie Analysis American History X - 1349 Words

The movie I decided to analyze for this course was American History X (1998), which stars Edward Norton. Though this movie isn’t widely known, it is one of the more interesting movies I have seen. It’s probably one of the best films that depict the Neo Nazi plague on American culture. The film takes place from the mid to late 1990’s during the Internet boom, and touches on subjects from affirmative action to Rodney King. One of the highlights of this movie that really relates to one of the key aspects of this course is the deterrence of capital punishment. Edward Norton’s portrayal as the grief stricken older brother who turns to racist ideologies and violence to cope with his fathers death, completely disregards the consequences of his†¦show more content†¦Even when Derek’s car was stolen, one may imply that he seemed to be more irate that a group of African Americans were committing the crime rather than just losing his car. Even though m ost of them got away with his car, he still took out all of his hateful rage for African Americans on the last thief that was left behind. His blind hatred for everyone who wasn’t a white Christian American made him oblivious to the carnage he undertook by himself or with his gang throughout the movie. I’ve watched numerous documentaries on gangs, such as the Ayran Brotherhood, and see many similarities between this fictional white supremacist gang represented in the movie. For example, a similarity I noticed is that these white supremacists not only promotes ridiculous propaganda to support their cause, but some also are surprisingly unapologetic for heinous crimes they committed against others. Denial and ignorance have taken hold of them so tightly (both in real life and shown in the movie) that their reasoning and justification for their mentalities and actions are just beyond disgraceful, while someone on top running the gang is manipulating their crooked minds fu rther purely for their own benefits. Even though eventually Derek reformed in prison, he was far from being remorseful of the crimes he committed as well as his racialShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie American History X 858 Words   |  4 Pagespersonal/familial level, or the institutional level. The film,American History X, tells the story of two brothers who are both involved with a Neo-Nazi gang in Venice Beach. The movie starts with the older brother Derrick getting out of jail for the murder of two black gang members. At the same time his brother is getting out of jail, the younger brother Danny is forced to write a paper about his brother s influence on him. The movie then unfolds as part of the paper that Danny is writing. ItRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie American History X 1586 Words   |  7 PagesIn the movie, â€Å"American History X†, the plot surrounds the life of two brothers who are involved with the D.O.C. a well-known white supremacist group in Venice Beach. Danny Vinyard is a high school student who admires his older brother, Derek, a former skinhead. Through the incarceration of his brother Derek, Danny becomes more affiliated with the skinheads and is mentioned at times as being the resemblance of his elder brother. The movie begins with flashbacks of Derek’s incarceration, and everythingRead MoreStereotypes, Conformity, And Discrimination1742 Words   |  7 PagesPrejudices and Discrimination in American History X Abstract Stereotyping, prejudice, conformity, and discrimination are well portrayed in the movie American History X. The negative attitude held by Derek towards to black people is greatly influenced and learned from his father who was a racist. Derek also transfers these prejudice attitudes towards his younger brother Danny as he grows up seeing the racism practiced in his family and his brother. Although these attitudes are based on propagandaRead MoreMovie Review : Falls Short Of Expectations 1407 Words   |  6 PagesWhen creating a movie about Neo-Nazis living in Los Angeles, one might expect there to be violence. Indeed, American History X; directed by Tony Kaye is a film just about that subject and absolutely gives the viewers watching it an immense amount of violence. There have been critics like Peter Travers; movie critic from Rolling Stone Magazine, for instants, who have gone on to praise the film and even calling it â€Å"An explosive, scorched-earth drama.† They explain how the film was powerful and importantRead MoreSpike Lee: Do the Right Thing Essay1011 Words   |  5 PagesJames Callahan COM 2010 4-22-11 Midterm Analysis Revise Cinematography helps Spike Lee to Do the Right Thing In Spike Lee’s film Do the Right Thing, we dive head first into a world of racial and social ills. The movie is set in the African American and Puerto Rican neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, on the hottest day of the year. We follow a young man named Mookie, who lives with his sister Jade, and works as a pizza delivery guy for a local pizzeria owed by Sal. Sal’s â€Å"WallRead MoreAnalysis Of Against The Wall1079 Words   |  5 PagesAgainst the Wall Analysis Today I watched the second movie titled Against the Wall. â€Å"In this film based on a true story, an idealistic young recruit, Michael Smith (Kyle MacLachlan), begins working in Attica Penitentiary and quickly learns how awfully the inmates are being treated. Soon a prison riot breaks out, and Smith and the other guards are taken hostage. The prisoners, led by Jamaal (Samuel L. Jackson), take control of the jail and demand better living conditions. Despite the tense environmentRead MoreWe Were Soldiers Analysis Essay1591 Words   |  7 PagesScott Johnson 04/14/09 HIST. 1700 Term Project Film Analysis/Review WE WERE SOLDIERS It’s a known fact that that the Vietnam War was fought by young American soldiers that bled and died next to one another in the jungles of Vietnam. With many wins and loses throughout the war there were over 58,000 American casualties by wars end. The movie, â€Å"We Were Soldiers† focuses on the role of the United State’s 7th Calvary Regiment in the Battle of Ia Drang, which was the first large-unit battleRead MoreA Movie Review on El Presidente1626 Words   |  7 PagesEl Presidente A. Title and year of release El Presidente (2012) B. Genre Action, Drama, War, History C. Audience Classification PG-13 D. Production team: Directed by | Mark Meily | Starring | Jorge Estregan as Emilio AguinaldoCristine Reyes   as Hilaria Del RosarioCesar Montano   as Andres Bonifacio | Studio | * CMB Films * Viva Films | | Scenema Concept International | E. Own Synopsis The story is told in flashbacks as Emilio Aguinaldo thanks the US governmentRead MoreEssay Rhetorical Visions in the Film, American History X3044 Words   |  13 PagesRhetorical Visions in the Film, American History X â€Å"Hate is baggage. Lifes too short to be pissed off all the time†. This is a quote from the film American History X. This film sends out a powerful message about hate groups such as skinheads and Neo-Nazis. The vision of this movie is to make others aware of the complex life of a skinhead. Through different symbolism we see how society views this group. We also are made aware of the continuous cycle of violence that continues to existRead MoreSociological Analysis of Racism American History X2317 Words   |  10 Pages Sociological Analysis of American History X: A Breakdown of the Stages of Racism Racism being a common concern for most sociologists is somewhat inevitable and a cause for a large proportion of the problems that occur in the society. American History X (1998) is a film that tells a rather heartrending tale of two brothers that got caught in a ghastly web of bitterness and hatred. Although racism is openly practiced, it isn’t entirely irreversible. The process of escaping from it, however, can