Friday, April 9, 2010

AMERICAN HISTORY X


The reason i loved watching this movie was because it was filled with irony... it is frightening as well as scary...the only movie till now that i have watched which actually deals with the concept of race relations between “the white protestants and the rest of the world”... i do not believe it is the director's fault if he has portrayed the kids in the U.S as those immune to gang violence, drugs, racial discrimination and so on... we are living in an ever changing society these things are bound to happen anywhere to anyone who gets mixed up with the wrong crowd...

The main protagonist is Derek Vinyard ( Edward Norton in a blistering performance ; looking menacing as a Nazi skinhead or rather white supremacist with a Swastika and well toned physique to boot!!!) who commits murder in the heat of the moment... although he could have chosen a more beautiful girl friend :-) ...when he returns after a period of three years he finds that his own kid brother Danny ( Edward Furlong ; the kid from Terminator 2)  is following his footsteps... the director has employed a clever technique by showcasing the past in black and white while showing the present in the usual colour... the two main ironies that the director effectively presents us is that even though he murdered African Americans he was guided during his stint in prison by a member of the coloured race....the most powerful scenes according to me are that the seeds of destruction were planted in Derek's mind by his very own father who unfortunately gets killed... even the attack on Derek in prison was brutally portrayed...but then that's life in U.S Prisons sadly... another irony i noticed was that KKK was initially started by the whites... so is it justifiable that they have the right to attack other races???

the movie is highly debatable, it is a controversial and sensitive issue... splendid background score and camera work...assured direction...a powerful climax...the most shocking thing was that how could Edward Norton lose the Best Actor to Roberto Benigni for Life is Beautiful???....this is a must watch for everyone...

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