Editing American History X

{{Short description|1998 American crime drama film by Tony Kaye}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = American History X
| image          = American History X poster.png
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Tony Kaye (director)|Tony Kaye]]
| producer       = John Morrissey
| writer         = [[David McKenna (writer)|David McKenna]]
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Edward Norton]]
* [[Edward Furlong]]
* [[Fairuza Balk]]
* [[Stacy Keach]]
* [[Elliott Gould]]
* [[Avery Brooks]]
* [[Beverly D'Angelo]]
<!-- Per poster billing block -->
}}
| music          = [[Anne Dudley]]
| cinematography = Tony Kaye
| editing        = {{Plainlist|
* [[Gerald B. Greenberg|Jerry Greenberg]]
* [[Alan Heim]]
}}
| production_companies = {{Plainlist|
* [[New Line Cinema]]
* The [[Lawrence Turman|Turman]]-Morrissey Company
}}
| distributor    = New Line Cinema
| released       = {{Film date|1998|10|30}}
| runtime        = 119 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $20 million<ref name="Mojo">{{cite web |title=American History X (1998) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americanhistoryx.htm |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=August 7, 2013 |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021183903/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americanhistoryx.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
| gross          = $23.9 million<ref name="Mojo"/>
}}

'''''American History X''''' is a 1998 American [[Crime film|crime]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Tony Kaye (director)|Tony Kaye]] (in his feature [[directorial debut]]) and written by [[David McKenna (writer)|David McKenna]]. The film stars [[Edward Norton]] and [[Edward Furlong]] as two brothers from [[Los Angeles]] who are involved in the [[white power skinhead]] and [[neo-Nazi]] movements. The older brother (Norton) serves three years in prison for [[voluntary manslaughter]], is rehabilitated during this time, and then tries to prevent his brother (Furlong) from being [[indoctrination|indoctrinated]] further. The supporting cast includes [[Fairuza Balk]], [[Stacy Keach]], [[Elliott Gould]], [[Avery Brooks]], [[Ethan Suplee]] and [[Beverly D'Angelo]].

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. ''American History X'' was Kaye's first directorial role in a feature film. Budgeted at $20 million, filming took place in 1997. Before the film's release, Kaye and New Line Cinema were in disagreements about the final cut of the film, which Norton had played a pivotal role in conceiving. The final version was longer than Kaye intended, which resulted in him publicly disowning the film, thus negatively affecting his directing career.

Distributed by New Line Cinema, the film was released in the United States on October 30, 1998 in limited theaters and received a wide theatrical release on November 20, 1998, grossing $23.9 million against a $20 million budget. ''American History X'' was critically praised, with Norton and Furlong's performances and the film's message drawing acclaim. Norton received an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]. The film has also been used for educational purposes in the United States and in other countries. A follow-up, ''African History Y'', with Kaye returning as director and starring [[Djimon Hounsou]], was in active development as of 2020.<ref name="FollowUp">{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/09/djimon-hounsou-african-history-y-movie-tony-kaye-1234583658/|title=Djimon Hounsou Joins Tony Kaye's ''African History Y''|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=2020-09-24|website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]|access-date=2020-09-25|archive-date=2020-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929171926/https://deadline.com/2020/09/djimon-hounsou-african-history-y-movie-tony-kaye-1234583658/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Plot==
 <!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summary should be between 400 to 700 words. 19-->
Danny Vinyard antagonizes his [[Jewish]] history teacher Murray by writing an essay on ''[[Mein Kampf]]''. As a result, [[African Americans|African-American]] principal and [[outreach]] worker Dr. Bob Sweeney gives an ultimatum to either study history directly under him through [[News|current event]]s, "American History X," or be expelled. Danny must write a paper on his older brother Derek, Sweeney's former student and [[neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] leader, whose prison release is scheduled that day.

Years earlier, Danny and Derek's [[firefighter]] father is shot and killed by a black drug dealer while extinguishing a fire at their home. Immediately afterwards, Derek erupts in a televised, racially-motivated tirade. High-profile neo-Nazi Cameron Alexander becomes his [[Mentorship|mentor]], and they form a violent [[White supremacy|white supremacist]] gang called the Disciples of Cameron (D.O.C.) in [[Venice, Los Angeles|Venice Beach]].

A skilled [[basketball]] player, Derek defeats several [[Crips]] members, winning control of the local ball courts. Later, he organizes an attack on an Asian-owned supermarket employing black people and immigrants.

Derek's mother Doris invites Murray, her then boyfriend, to dinner, where an argument about [[Rodney King]] and the [[1992 Los Angeles riots]] ensues. Derek assaults his sister Davina and openly berates Murray, causing Doris to banish Derek.

That night, several Crips members, whom Derek had defeated on the basketball court, attempt to steal his truck. When Danny alerts him, he kills two of them, one with a bullet and the other, by [[curb stomp]]ing him in front of Danny. He is arrested and sentenced to three years in the [[California Institution for Men]] for [[voluntary manslaughter]].

In prison, Derek joins the [[Aryan Brotherhood]] and befriends black inmate Lamont, who was assigned as his workmate in the prison laundry. Disillusioned by [[prison gang]] politics, Derek learns the Aryan Brotherhood is buying drugs from the [[Mexican Mafia]] and then selling to other white inmates. Derek realizes they are a criminal gang using [[neo-Nazism]] and [[white supremacy]] as a [[façade]], and he loses his belief even further when nobody from the D.O.C. visits him. He ultimately abandons the Aryan Brotherhood, who then beat and [[Prison rape in the United States|gang rape]] him in the [[communal shower]].

Derek is visited in the hospital wing by Sweeney, with whom he pleads for help to get out of prison. Sweeney rebukes him for wanting to avoid dealing with the consequences of his actions, revealing his own racist past and warning that Danny has joined the D.O.C. to follow in Derek's footsteps. After recovering and leaving the hospital wing, Derek publicly snubs the Aryan Brotherhood and Lamont warns that he will be murdered by African-American inmates as the Brotherhood no longer protects him. No attack ever comes, though, and, upon his release, Derek thanks Lamont for intervening on his behalf.

Returning home, Derek finds Danny sporting a D.O.C. [[tattoo]] and becoming a [[White power skinhead|skinhead]]. When Derek tries to persuade him to leave the gang, Danny feels betrayed. Derek's best friend Seth, also a D.O.C. member, frequently disrespects Derek's mother and sister while grooming Danny for the group; Cameron controls Seth and Danny closely.

At a D.O.C. compound party, Derek confronts Cameron for using and then abandoning him for three years. He declares his departure from the group and refusal to allow them to use Danny similarly. When mocked, Derek brutally beats Cameron. Seth and the others, including Derek's ex-girlfriend Stacey, attack Derek. Seth pulls a gun, but Derek disarms him and holds everyone at gunpoint before fleeing, tossing the gun into a nearby bin.

Danny finds Derek and angrily confronts him over his actions. Derek tells him about his experience in prison, which seems to prompt a change in him. They return home and remove [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] posters from their shared bedroom. The next morning, Danny completes his paper, reflecting on how Derek initially adopted racist views from their father, as shown in a flashback.

Derek walks Danny to school, stopping at a [[diner]]. Sweeney and a police officer inform him that Seth and Cameron were attacked the night before and are in an [[intensive care unit]]. He denies knowing anything or being involved in any way, but reluctantly agrees to inspect the people he denounced.

Danny is shot dead in a bathroom by a black student he had confronted the day before. Derek runs to the school, pushing past crowds and police officers to find Danny's bloodied corpse. He cradles Danny's body in hysterics, blaming himself for influencing his views and actions. In a [[narration|voiceover]], Danny reads the final lines of his paper for Dr. Sweeney, quoting the final stanza of [[Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address]].

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Edward Norton]] as Derek Vinyard
* [[Edward Furlong]] as Danny Vinyard
* [[Beverly D'Angelo]] as Doris Vinyard
* [[Jennifer Lien]] as Davina Vinyard
* [[Ethan Suplee]] as Seth Ryan
* [[Fairuza Balk]] as Stacey
* [[Avery Brooks]] as Dr. Bob Sweeney
* [[Elliott Gould]] as Murray
* [[Stacy Keach]] as Cameron Alexander
* [[William Russ]] as Dennis Vinyard
* [[Guy Torry]] as Lamont 
* [[Joe Cortese]] as Rasmussen
* Alex Sol as Mitch McCormick
* Jason Bose Smith as Little Henry 
* Antonio David Lyons as Lawrence
* [[Keram Malicki-Sánchez]] as Chris
* [[Giuseppe Andrews]] as Jason
* [[Christopher Masterson]] as Daryl Dawson
* [[Paul Le Mat]] as McMahon
}}

==Production==

=== Development ===
[[File:Michael De Luca 2012.jpg|alt=Michael De Luca, former president of productions at New Line Cinema|thumb|187x187px|[[Michael De Luca]], former production president at New Line Cinema]]
Screenwriter [[David McKenna (writer)|David McKenna]] wrote the screenplay for ''American History X'' and sold the rights to New Line Cinema when he was 26.<ref>Writers on Writing Series 2007: ''A Conversation with David McKenna'', [2007], First Light Video Publishing.</ref> The inspiration for the story came from the [[Punk rock|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".<ref name="ProductionNotes">{{Cite web|url=http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=373|title=American History X - Movie Production Notes - CinemaReview.com|website=www.cinemareview.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030520131326/http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=373|archive-date=2003-05-20|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref> In order to make the characters as realistic as possible, McKenna interviewed and observed the behavior of [[White power skinhead|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".<ref name="ProductionNotes" />

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".<ref name="ProductionNotes" /> In 1996, the producers first approached [[Dennis Hopper]] to direct the film.<ref name="Goldstein">{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-sep-13-ca-22149-story.html|title=Courting Trouble|last=Goldstein|first=Patrick|date=1998-09-13|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719003329/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-sep-13-ca-22149-story.html|archive-date=2020-07-19|access-date=2020-04-08}}</ref> Hopper turned down the offer, [[Larry Clark]] was approached to direct the film, but turned it down due to a scheduling conflict,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forenseek.app/remembering-american-history-x-interview-with-screenwriter-david-mckenna/|title=Remembering "American History X". Interview with Screenwriter David McKenna|website=forenseek.app|date=March 9, 2021|accessdate=2023-12-01}}</ref> [[Tony Kaye (director)|Tony Kaye]] was then approached to direct. Kaye, who had been De Luca's preferred choice from the beginning, accepted and made his [[List of directorial debuts|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.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|last=Higginbotham|first=Adam|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3665724/I-did-abominable-things.html|title=I did abominable things|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=2007-06-09|access-date=2020-04-07|issn=0307-1235|archive-date=2020-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407175718/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3665724/I-did-abominable-things.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 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".<ref name="ProductionNotes" />

=== Casting ===
[[Joaquin Phoenix]] was offered the role of Derek Vinyard, but he was not interested.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/blog/article/113577/great-roles-actors-have-turned-down.html |title=Great roles actors have turned down|work=Yahoo! Movies|access-date=August 7, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718133746/http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/blog/article/113577/great-roles-actors-have-turned-down.html|archive-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref> After holding [[Casting (performing arts)|casting]] calls, Kaye was unable to find a suitable actor for the lead role, but casting director Valerie McCaffrey suggested Edward Norton.<ref name="lafemme">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lafemme.org/valerie-mccaffrey-executive-achievement-award-2017/|title=Valerie McCaffrey- Executive Achievement Award 2017|website=LA Femme International Film Festival|date=24 September 2017 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114191810/http://www.lafemme.org/valerie-mccaffrey-executive-achievement-award-2017/|archive-date=2020-01-14|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref> Kaye initially objected, feeling that Norton lacked the "weight or presence", but he eventually conceded.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whatculture.com/film/6-directors-who-were-lumbered-with-actors-they-didn-t-even-want|title=6 Directors Who Were Lumbered With Actors They Didn't Even Want|last=Pooley|first=Jack|date=2018-08-31|website=WhatCulture.com|access-date=2020-04-07|archive-date=2019-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907190307/http://whatculture.com/film/6-directors-who-were-lumbered-with-actors-they-didn-t-even-want|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="theguardian">{{cite web|url=https://theguardian.com/film/2002/oct/25/artsfeatures.advertising|title=Film: Losing it - Tony Kaye falls out with Hollywood|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=October 25, 2002|access-date=March 31, 2020|archive-date=April 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411203455/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/oct/25/artsfeatures.advertising|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Goldstein" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=374|title=American History X - Movie Production Notes - CinemaReview.com|website=www.cinemareview.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030520131528/http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=374|archive-date=2003-05-20|access-date=2020-04-07}}</ref> Norton was initially reluctant about the project until [[Francis Ford Coppola]] convinced him.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a29669169/joe-rogan-ed-norton-francis-ford-coppola-youtube-video/ | title=Ed Norton Told Joe Rogan He Almost Passed on 'American History X' | date=November 2019 }}</ref> McCaffrey also cast [[Edward Furlong]] for the role of Danny Vinyard.<ref name="lafemme" /> To prepare for the role, Norton increased his calorie intake and spent hours in the gym to gain 25 pounds (11&nbsp;kg) of muscle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ifc.com/2015/05/15-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-american-history-x|title=15 Surprising Facts About American History X|website=IFC|access-date=2020-04-07|archive-date=2020-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130172625/http://www.ifc.com/2015/05/15-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-american-history-x|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Ferriss ">{{Cite news|url=https://tim.blog/edward-norton-on-the-tim-ferriss-show-transcript/|title=Edward Norton on The Tim Ferriss Show — Transcript|date=2016-05-02|website=The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss|access-date=2020-04-08|archive-date=2020-02-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208174437/https://tim.blog/edward-norton-on-the-tim-ferriss-show-transcript/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Filming ===
{{quote box
| align = right
| width = 260px
| quote = I was attracted to the complexity of the role. This character travels so far within the course of the film. By the end, he's completely humanized and the audience might even be sympathetic, or at least, empathetic towards him. Derek is very much a guy whose anger and rage have superseded his intelligence. They have paralyzed his boundless potential. I liked the transformation that he goes through as his intelligence reasserts itself over his anger.
| source = —Norton on his character<ref name="ProductionNotes" />
}}
[[Principal photography]] took place in Los Angeles and Venice Beach, lasting for several months and finishing in May 1997.<ref name="Goldstein" /><ref>{{cite web |title=American History X Filming Locations |url=http://www.movielocationsguide.com/American_History_X/filming_locations |publisher=Movie Locations Guide |access-date=August 28, 2013 |archive-date=November 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111041334/http://www.movielocationsguide.com/American_History_X/filming_locations |url-status=live }}</ref> Kaye served as [[cinematographer]] and [[camera operator]], and would often silently walk around the set, scouting for camera angles or visuals.<ref name="Goldstein" /> 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 (art historian)|John Richardson]].<ref name="Goldstein" /> 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|fax machine]], and during the [[Passover]] holidays, Kaye had boxes of [[Matzah|matzo]] delivered to the set.<ref name="Goldstein" /> He also discovered at the time a newsletter published by a British political group, the [[National Front (UK)|National Front]], which said he was a prominent Jew who supposedly controlled Britain's media.<ref name="Goldstein" />

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".<ref name="Goldstein" /> The actors had [[White pride|"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.<ref name="Goldstein" /> 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".<ref name="Ferriss" /> The [[Flashback (narrative)|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".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/american-history-x-mw0000045794|title=American History X - Anne Dudley {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=2020-04-08|archive-date=2017-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409060045/http://www.allmusic.com/album/american-history-x-mw0000045794|url-status=live}}</ref> She employed a full orchestra and a boys' choir, and decided against using [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] sounds. She said, "The neo-Nazi faction is personified in the music by a boys choir – what could be a more [[Aryan race|Aryan]] sound? ... A calming string orchestra instead provides a much more expressive and timeless palette".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.annedudley.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=64&node=75|title=Anne Dudley - composer for film & tv - American History X|website=www.annedudley.co.uk|access-date=2020-04-08|archive-date=2017-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525150616/http://www.annedudley.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=64&node=75|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{Track listing
| total_length = 47:00
| title_width = 100
| title1 = American History X
| length1 = 4:46
| title2 = The Assignment
| length2 = 2:36
| title3 = Venice Beach
| length3 = 1:28
| title4 = Playing to Win
| length4 = 3:49
| title5 = People Look at Me and See My Brother
| length5 = 1:41
| title6 = If I Had Testified
| length6 = 4:05
| title7 = A Stranger at My Table
| length7 = 3:31
| title8 = Putting Up a Flag
| length8 = 2:06
| title9 = Raiders
| length9 = 3:02
| title10 = Complications
| length10 = 1:38
| title11 = Starting to Remind Me of You
| length11 = 1:43
| title12 = The Right Questions
| length12 = 3:24
| title13 = The Path to Redemption
| length13 = 2:56
| title14 = "We Are Not Enemies"
| length14 = 2:05
| title15 = Two Brothers
| length15 = 2:31
| title16 = Storm Clouds Gathering
| length16 = 2:04
| title17 = Benedictus
| length17 = 3:35
}}

==Release==
Kaye's original cut of the finished film had a run time of 95 minutes, which was delivered on time and within budget.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/american-history-x-racism-edward-norton-pittsburgh-synagogue-attack-neo-nazis-20-anniversary-a8607316.html|title=20 years on, American History X has a greater urgency than ever|date=2018-10-30|website=The Independent|access-date=2020-04-08|archive-date=2020-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819095713/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/american-history-x-racism-edward-norton-pittsburgh-synagogue-attack-neo-nazis-20-anniversary-a8607316.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Although it generated a positive response from [[test screening]]s, New Line Cinema insisted on further edits to the film.<ref name="Goldstein" /> Kaye was mortified, saying "I'm fully aware that I'm a first-time director, but I need the same autonomy and respect that [[Stanley Kubrick]] gets".<ref name=":4" /> Soon afterwards, Norton was involved with editing alongside Kaye, which was a difficult experience for the pair. At one point, Kaye punched a wall which resulted in [[Surgical suture|stitches]] to his hand.<ref name="Goldstein" /><ref name=":5" />

In June 1998, the film studio test-screened a second cut of the film which included changes made by Norton. The studio tried to persuade Kaye to release Norton's cut, but he objected.<ref name="Goldstein" /> Although the differences between the two cuts are disputed, Kaye objected to an additional 18 minutes of footage, and they disagreed with the length of certain scenes such as a family argument, Norton's anti-immigration speech, and a flashback where Norton's father is criticizing a teacher.<ref name="Goldstein" /><ref name=":4" /> Subsequently, the studio compromised and gave Kaye an extra eight weeks to edit and submit a new cut of the film.<ref name=":4" />

During this period, Kaye took a number of combative actions. He spent $100,000 on cryptic advertisements in the Hollywood [[Trade magazine|press]] that quoted [[John Lennon]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]], and condemned the behavior of Norton and the studio.<ref name=":5" /> At one point, Kaye brought a [[priest]], a [[rabbi]] and a [[Bhikkhu|Buddhist monk]] to a meeting with producers while videotaping the entire encounter. When the company offered him an additional eight weeks to re-cut the film, Kaye said he had a "radical" new vision in mind, which he did not know when he would finish. He collaborated with [[Nobel Prize in Literature|Nobel Prize]]-winning poet [[Derek Walcott]] on new narration for the film.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Waxman |first=Sharon |date=1998-10-12 |title=AN UNHAPPY BEGINNING |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1998/10/12/an-unhappy-beginning/d226f376-11aa-4257-9c0d-61f05c483c2e/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

''American History X'' was due to premiere at the 1998 [[Toronto International Film Festival]], but Kaye requested that organizer [[Piers Handling]] withdraw the film.<ref name="theguardian" /> On July 28, 1998, after the eight week deadline, Kaye had nothing new to show and the studio announced that it would release Norton's cut. Kaye attempted to remove his name from the film credits, applying for various [[pseudonym]]s, including "[[Humpty Dumpty]]", a request that the [[Directors Guild of America]] (DGA) refused. Kaye subsequently filed a $200 million lawsuit against DGA and New Line Cinema, although the case was dismissed in 2000.<ref name=":4" /><ref name="theguardian" /><ref name="Variety" /> Kaye disowned the film, describing the released version, which was 24 minutes longer than his own cut, as a "total abuse of creativity" and "crammed with shots of everyone crying in each other's arms".<ref name="Goldstein" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=American History X and Tony Kaye, Hollywood Maverick|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/american-history-x-and-tony-kaye-hollywood-maverick/|last=Lambie|first=Ryan|date=2016-09-05|website=[[Den of Geek]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527040232/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/american-history-x-and-tony-kaye-hollywood-maverick/|archive-date=2020-05-27|access-date=2020-05-19}}</ref> Kaye's behavior caused Hollywood to view him as unemployable, and he did not watch the film until June 2007.<ref name=":4" /> He later admitted that "My ego got in the way. That was entirely my fault. [...] Whenever I can, I take the opportunity to apologize".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Director Kaye recovers from 'X' debacle with 'Lake of Fire'|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2007-10-26-0710240855-story.html|last=Elder|first=Robert K.|website=chicagotribune.com|date=26 October 2007 |access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2020-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909192512/https://www.chicagotribune.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> He did not direct another film until 2006's [[Lake of Fire (film)|''Lake of Fire'']].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lake of Fire|url=https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/lake-of-fire/Content?oid=1339409|last=Hoff|first=Al|date=2007-11-29|website=Pittsburgh City Paper|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507143502/http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/lake-of-fire/Content?oid=1339409|archive-date=2016-05-07|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref>

===Home media===
The film was released by [[New Line Home Entertainment|New Line Home Video]] on [[DVD]] on April 6, 1999, on [[laserdisc]] on April 13, and on [[VHS]] on August 24 of the same year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/4155/American-History-X-(1998).html|title=American History X DVD Release Date April 6, 1999|website=DVDs Release Dates|access-date=2020-04-09|archive-date=2017-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707183753/http://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/4155/American-History-X-(1998).html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=American History X [VHS]|isbn=0780625129}}</ref> The film was later released on [[Blu-ray]] on April 7, 2009, including seven minutes of deleted scenes and a theatrical trailer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/American-History-X-Blu-ray/3445/|title=American History X Blu-ray|website=[[Blu-ray|Blu-ray.com]]|access-date=10 February 2017|archive-date=11 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211160304/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/American-History-X-Blu-ray/3445/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Box office===
''American History X'' premiered in Los Angeles on October 28, 1998, and on the same week in New York. It received a wider release in the United States on October 30.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/60631|title=American History X (1998)|website=American Film Institute|access-date=March 31, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910000447/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/60631|url-status=live}}</ref> The film grossed $156,076 in 17 theaters during its opening weekend. The film went on to gross $6,719,864 from 513 theaters in the United States, for a worldwide total of $23,875,127.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3208873473/weekend/|title=American History X|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=2020-04-08|archive-date=2019-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910000448/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americanhistoryx.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Critical response===
[[File:Ed Norton 1997.jpg|thumb|Edward Norton (pictured in 1997) received widespread critical acclaim for his performance, and was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]].|alt=Norton earned critical praise for his performance (pictured in 2009).|251x251px]]
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''American History X'' has an approval rating of 84% based on 89 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "''American History X'' doesn't contend with its subject matter as fully as it could, but Edward Norton's performance gives this hard-hitting drama crucial weight."<ref>{{cite web |title=American History X |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_history_x/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211052948/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_history_x/ |archive-date=February 11, 2020 |access-date=April 16, 2024 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=Fandango Media}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted score of 62 out of 100 based on 32 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.<ref>{{cite web |title=American History X Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/american-history-x |work=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=CBS |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=March 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330095352/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/american-history-x |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film a grade "A" on scale of A to F.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= AMERICAN HISTORY X (1998) A |work= [[CinemaScore]] |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 2018-12-20 }}</ref>

[[Gene Siskel]] of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', gave ''American History X'' four out of four stars, describing it as "a shockingly powerful screed against racism that also manages to be so well performed and directed that it is entertaining as well", adding it was "also effective at demonstrating how hate is taught from one generation to another". He said Norton was an "immediate front-runner" for an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Siskel |first=Gene |author-link=Gene Siskel |title=A Shocking Film About Racial Hate |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/10/30/a-shocking-film-about-racial-hate/ |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=October 30, 1998 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813234457/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-10-30/entertainment/9810300279_1_john-carpenter-s-vampires-thomas-ian-griffith-star |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Todd McCarthy]], writing for ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', gave the film a positive review stating "This jolting, superbly acted film will draw serious-minded upscale viewers interested in cutting-edge fare". He particularly praised Norton's performance, saying "His Derek mesmerizes even as he repels, and the actor fully exposes the human being behind the tough poses and attitudinizing".<ref name="Variety">{{cite web |date= October 22, 1998 |last= McCarthy |first= Todd |author-link= Todd McCarthy |title= American History X |url= https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/american-history-x-1117487806/ |work= [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |quote= "It is possible that some otherwise well-disposed critics may restrain their praise, even unwittingly, in knee-jerk sympathy with director Kaye, who disowns this cut and lost his bid to take his name off the picture." |url-status= live |access-date= May 4, 2020 |archive-date= April 7, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200407154539/https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/american-history-x-1117487806/ }}</ref> [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote "Though its story elements are all too easily reduced to a simple outline, ''American History X'' has enough fiery acting and provocative bombast to make its impact felt. For one thing, its willingness to take on ugly political realities gives it a substantial [[wikt:raison d'être|raison d'être]]. For another, it has been directed with a mixture of handsome photo-realism and visceral punch".<ref>{{cite web |last=Maslin |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Maslin |title='American History X': The Darkest Chambers of a Nation's Soul |url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/film/102898history-film-review.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 28, 1998 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=March 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331124122/http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/102898history-film-review.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Film critic [[Roger Ebert]] gave the film three out of four stars, but was critical of the underdeveloped areas, stating "the movie never convincingly charts Derek's path to race hatred".<ref name=Ebert>{{cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |title=American History X |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/american-history-x-1998 |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=October 30, 1998 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=August 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829074253/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/american-history-x-1998 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ebert concluded "This is a good and powerful film. If I am dissatisfied, it is because it contains the promise of being more than it is".<ref name ="Ebert"/> [[Owen Gleiberman]] of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' called the film "riveting", and praised the narrative structure despite "thinness of the script".<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=American History X|url=https://ew.com/article/1998/10/30/american-history-x/|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=2020-05-03|archive-date=2017-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208012925/http://ew.com/article/1998/10/30/american-history-x/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Mick LaSalle]] of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' expressed disappointment with the picture. LaSalle felt that while it succeeded in portraying Derek's descent into neo-Nazism, it failed to portray his renouncement of his past beliefs, "We had to watch him think his way in. We should see him think his way out". LaSalle also noted that "In some places the dialogue is surprisingly stilted. Far worse, the ending is a misfire". However, he complimented Norton's performance.<ref>{{cite web |last=LaSalle |first=Mick |author-link=Mick LaSalle |title=Neo-Nazi With a Conscience / Norton shines, but 'History' disappoints |url=http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Neo-Nazi-With-a-Conscience-Norton-shines-but-2982180.php |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=October 30, 1998 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=June 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140618064905/http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Neo-Nazi-With-a-Conscience-Norton-shines-but-2982180.php |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Stephen Hunter]], writing for ''[[The Washington Post]]'', was highly critical of the film and gave it a negative review, calling it "an old melodramatic formula hidden under pretentious TV-commercial-slick photography".<ref>{{cite news |last=Hunter |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Hunter |title='American History X' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/americanhistoryxhunter.htm |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=October 30, 1998 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306042814/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/americanhistoryxhunter.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Michael O'Sullivan wrote "There are moments when Anne Dudley's string-laden score overpowers the stark simplicity of the film's message and other times when the moral of brotherly love is hammered a bit heavily", but conceded "the blunt and brutal ''American History X'' is ultimately only as imperfect as we ourselves are".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/americanhistoryxosullivan.htm|title='History X': Makes the Grade|last=O'Sullivan|first=Michael|date=1998-10-30|website=www.washingtonpost.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907092237/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/americanhistoryxosullivan.htm|archive-date=2019-09-07|access-date=2020-04-08}}</ref>

===Accolades===
[[Edward Norton]] was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] for his role as Derek Vinyard, but lost to [[Roberto Benigni]] for ''[[Life Is Beautiful]]''. Norton's loss was included on [[Empire (film magazine)|''Empire'']]'s list of "22 Incredibly Shocking Oscars Injustices".<ref>{{cite web |last=De Semlyen |first=Phil |title=22 Incredibly Shocking Oscars Injustices |url=https://www.empireonline.com/features/22-incredibly-shocking-oscars-injustices/ |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=February 27, 2014 |access-date=August 11, 2014 |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812214858/http://www.empireonline.com/features/22-incredibly-shocking-oscars-injustices/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Recipient(s)
! Result
|-
| [[71st Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]<ref name="Oscars1999">{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/71st-winners.html |title=The 71st Academy Awards (1999) Nominees and Winners |access-date=19 November 2011 |work=Oscars.org}}</ref>
| [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| [[Edward Norton]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="5"| Awards Circuit Community Awards
| Best Motion Picture
| John Morrissey
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Actor in a Leading Role
| Edward Norton
| {{won}}
|-
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role
| [[Edward Furlong]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Original Screenplay
| [[David McKenna (writer)|David McKenna]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Film Editing
| [[Gerald B. Greenberg]] and [[Alan Heim]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 1998|Chicago Film Critics Association Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chicagofilmcritics.org/awards-blog/archives |title=1988-2013 Award Winner Archives |website=[[Chicago Film Critics Association]] |date=January 2013 |access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref>
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| rowspan="2"| Edward Norton
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film|Chlotrudis Awards]]
| Best Actor
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Motion Picture Sound Editors#Golden Reel Awards|Golden Reel Awards]]<ref name="Golden Reel Awards">{{cite web |last=J. Olson |first=Eric |title=Sound editors shout Golden Reel noms |url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/sound-editors-shout-golden-reel-noms-1117491570/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=February 22, 1999 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=January 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129021445/http://variety.com/1999/film/news/sound-editors-shout-golden-reel-noms-1117491570/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| [[Golden Reel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Underscore|Best Sound Editing – Music (Foreign & Domestic)]]
| [[Richard Ford (music editor)|Richard Ford]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Online Film Critics Society Awards 1998|Online Film Critics Society Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ofcs.org/awards/1998-awards-2nd-annual/ |title=1998 Awards (2nd Annual) |website=[[Online Film Critics Society]] |date=3 January 2012 |access-date=November 21, 2021}}</ref>
| [[Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| Edward Norton
| {{nom}}
|-
| Political Film Society Awards<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polfilms.com/previous.html|title=Political Film Society award list|access-date=2010-12-01|archive-date=August 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110818035134/http://www.polfilms.com/previous.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| colspan="2"| [[Political Film Society Award for Peace|Peace]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[3rd Golden Satellite Awards|Satellite Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards1999.shtml |title=International Press Academy website – 1999 3rd Annual SATELLITE Awards|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201175700/http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards1999.shtml|archive-date=1 February 2008}}</ref>
| [[Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| Edward Norton
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| [[Beverly D'Angelo]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]]
| David McKenna
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[25th Saturn Awards|Saturn Awards]]<ref name="Saturn Awards">{{cite web |last=J. Olson |first=Eric |title=Out of this world |url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/out-of-this-world-1117492073/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=March 8, 1999 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305004652/http://variety.com/1999/film/news/out-of-this-world-1117492073/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| [[Saturn Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| rowspan="3"| Edward Norton
| {{nom}}
|-
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sefca.net/winners#/1998 |title=1998 SEFA Awards |website=sefca.net |access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>
| Best Actor
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Taormina Film Fest|Taormina International Film Festival]]<ref name="Taormina International Film Festival">{{cite web |last=Rooney |first=David |title=U.S. pix help revive Italy's Taormina fest |url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/u-s-pix-help-revive-italy-s-taormina-fest-1117744457/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=August 3, 1999 |access-date=August 13, 2014 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305062234/https://variety.com/1999/film/news/u-s-pix-help-revive-italy-s-taormina-fest-1117744457/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Best Actor
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Turkish Film Critics Association|Turkish Film Critics Association Awards]]
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Film
| {{draw|14th Place}}
|-
| [[20th Youth in Film Awards|Young Artist Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms20.htm |title=The 20th Annual Youth in Film Awards |publisher=Young Artist Awards |accessdate=2017-03-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128203408/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms20.htm |archivedate=2016-11-28 }}</ref>
| Best Performance in a Feature Film: Supporting Young Actor
| Edward Furlong
| {{nom}}
|}

=== Legacy ===
In 1999, [[Amnesty International USA]] used ''American History X'' for an educational campaign, screening the film in colleges and in nationwide events for raising awareness on human rights.<ref name="ProductionNotes" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://krant.telegraaf.nl/krant/naslag/filmrecensies/film.990512americanhistory.html|title=Film: 'American History X'|website=krant.telegraaf.nl|access-date=2020-04-09|archive-date=2020-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909192515/https://krant.telegraaf.nl/krant/naslag/filmrecensies/film.990512americanhistory.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Zara Toussaint, of Amnesty International in France, organized screenings in her country followed by debates. "The reactions [to the film] were varied. Some people thought that this was only an extreme case, that this kind of group was very marginal and that there could be no equivalent in France", she said.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.humanite.fr/node/237909|title=Racisme et cinéma La plus grande des démocraties ?|last=Homer|first=Sébastien|date=2000-12-02|website=L'Humanité|language=fr|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909192512/https://www.humanite.fr/node/237909|archive-date=2020-09-09|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref> In response to the French screening, Sébastien Homer of ''[[L'Humanité]]'' wrote, "[[Police brutality|Police violence]], the Rodney King affair, unsanitary prisons, ill-treatment, rejection of [[asylum seeker]]s, the United States has still not assimilated what human rights, freedom, equality meant".<ref name=":7" /> In September 1999, ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine ranked the film 311th in a list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.empireonline.com/500/35.asp|title=Empire's 500 Greatest Movies of All Time|date=March 24, 2012|access-date=March 24, 2012|publisher=Empire Magazine|archive-date=October 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019215354/http://www.empireonline.com/500/35.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2008, Norton's performance was ranked by ''[[Total Film]]'' as the 72nd greatest film performance of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/features/150-greatest-movie-performances-of-all-time-3/72-edward-norton-derek-vinyard-american-history-x-1998|title=150 Greatest Movie Performances of All Time |author= Total Film |date=December 11, 2008|work=[[Total Film]]|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141022005954/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/150-greatest-movie-performances-of-all-time-3/72-edward-norton-derek-vinyard-american-history-x-1998 |archive-date= 2014-10-22|access-date= 2020-04-09 }}</ref> Although director Kaye did not watch the film until 2007, he has acknowledged that it has become "quite a little classic in its own befuddled way".<ref name=":4" /> In 2012, he said that he was "very proud of what we all achieved".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Humpty Dumpty: An Interview with Tony Kaye|url=https://www.mandatory.com/fun/185251-humpty-dumpty-an-interview-with-tony-kaye|last=Topel|first=Fred|date=2012-03-22|website=Mandatory|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926114848/http://www.mandatory.com/fun/185251-humpty-dumpty-an-interview-with-tony-kaye|archive-date=2018-09-26|access-date=2020-05-03}}</ref>

For its 20th anniversary, [[Christopher Hooton]] writing for ''[[The Independent]]'' opined that the film "feels more essential now that it ever has".<ref name=":5" /> Clayton Schuster of [[Vice Media|''Vice'']] drew comparisons between the film and both the [[Racial views of Donald Trump|racial rhetoric]] of [[Donald Trump]] and real life atrocities; the murders of nine African-Americans in a [[Charleston church shooting|Charleston church]] in 2015, a [[Unite the Right rally|far-right march]] in [[Charlottesville, Virginia]] in 2017, and a year later, a mass shooting in a [[Pittsburgh synagogue shooting|Pittsburgh synagogue]]. He argues that these violent acts are no different to the hate represented in the movie, adding, "White supremacy has existed for centuries. It's lurked on the fringes of American power since the birth of this nation". He added "there is at least one notable difference ... The movie portrays skinheads as visually different ... They're suited up in boots with red laces, heads gleaming from a fresh shave, and tatted with [[Nazi symbolism|Nazi insignia]] and racist slogans. White supremacists today have largely adopted a policy of fitting into society rather than standing out".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/american-history-x-premiered-20-years-ago-but-its-more-relevant-than-ever/|title='American History X' Premiered 20 Years Ago, But It's More Relevant Than Ever|last=Schuster|first=Clayton|date=2018-10-31|website=Vice|access-date=2020-04-09|archive-date=2020-04-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200429223446/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/43ekvq/american-history-x-premiered-20-years-ago-but-its-more-relevant-than-ever|url-status=live}}</ref> Writing for ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' magazine in 2018, Justin Kirkland stated that he believed that "Perhaps the reason that ''American History X'' still feels so relevant two decades after its release is because we haven't done enough for it not to be ... I'm afraid we're going to be writing about ''American History X'' forever. I'm afraid of what will happen if we don't".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a24410731/american-history-x-20th-anniversary/|title='American History X' Remains Tragically Relevant 20 Years Later|last=Kirkl|first=Justin|date=2018-10-30|website=Esquire|access-date=2020-04-09|archive-date=2018-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226044847/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a24410731/american-history-x-20th-anniversary/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
* ''[[Betrayed (1988 film)|Betrayed]]''
* ''[[The Believer (2001 film)|The Believer]]''
* ''[[Imperium (2016 film)|Imperium]]''
* ''[[This Is England]]''
* ''[[Romper Stomper]]''
* ''[[BlacKkKlansman]]''
* ''[[NSU German History X]]''
* [[List of hood films]]
* [[Radical right (United States)]]
* [[Racism in the United States]]
* [[American militia movement]]

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist}}

'''Further reading'''
* {{cite book | last=Frauley | first=Jon | year=2010 | chapter=Subculture and ''American History X'' | title=Criminology, Deviance, and the Silver Screen: The Fictional Reality and the Criminological Imagination | publisher=Palgrave Macmillan | isbn=978-0-230-61516-8 }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Roth |first1=Luanne |title=Beyond Communitas: Cinematic food events and the negotiation of power, belonging, and exclusion. |journal=Western Folklore |date=Fall 2005 |volume=64 |issue=3/4 |page=163 |publisher=Western States Folklore Society |location=OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson) |issn=0043-373X |oclc=5910334 |quote=The father's (William Russ) face turns sour and he sarcastically responds about "affirmative blacktion," "Now you gotta trade in great books for black books?"}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Prorokova |first1=Tatiana |title=Film review : Racism in American History X. |journal=Peace Review |date=18 November 2015 |volume=27 |issue=4 |page=538 |doi=10.1080/10402659.2015.1094355 |publisher=Taylor & Francis Group |location=Philadelphia |s2cid=146296320 |issn=1469-9982 |oclc=709961507}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|American History X}}
* {{IMDb title|0120586}}
* {{Mojo title|americanhistoryx}}
* {{Official Website|https://web.archive.org/web/19981212025605/http://www.historyx.com/}} (archived)

{{Tony Kaye}}
{{Portal bar|California|Film|United States|1990s|Greater Los Angeles}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Good article}}

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