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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

A Short Synopsis Of American History X

By Mariana Powers

You likely don't need a lengthy explanation of what this article is actually about. The content here will serve to properly introduce you to one of the most impressive films of all of the 1990s, "American History X". You should learn a few different things about this film to fully appreciate it as it was meant to be appreciated, and most of this prevalent information will be contained within the upcoming paragraphs.

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.

That is precisely what happens to the main character, Derek Vinyard. Through the scenes that get the film moving, you are introduced to Danny Vinyard who is Derek's younger brother and still in high school. He is asked to write a paper on his brother by his history teacher after a paper that he has written and submitted has landed him in some hot water with the officials of the school.

You also learn that Derek, his immediate family and his close friends all share a extremist skinhead view on the world. That world, indicates that black people are the problem that society has to put up with and for all intents and purposes should be eradicated. This began when Derek was a small boy and watched his father gunned down by a black drug dealer. He was taken under the wing of a white supremacist that encouraged him to stand up for himself. So Derek formed his own gang of white kids that would never be afraid of blacks in their community again.

You learn that Derek is in jail, and see a visual depiction of what landed him there. Some black people were attempting to break into his car, when he was alerted of it and he raced outside, gun drawn. He began firing at them all, killing one and wounding another. One managed to escape. The fate of the wounded would mark one of the most graphic scenes ever depicted on film, which was Derek forcing the man to put his teeth onto the street curb and Derek stomping on the back of his head.

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 movie ends with Danny being shot in the bathroom at school by a black kid. Edward Norton (Derek) and Edward Furlong (Danny) bring this powerful story to light. "American History X" is a depiction in the difference between being right and believing that you are right. It is a statement of how far some people are willing to go to prove one way or another.

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