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"American History X"

A superb film, recommended to me by Hedfix. Combats the area ever present in our lives, race-hate. Some excellent and interesting discussions throughout and this is coupled with some horrific and gruesome scenes, all adding to the films splendour. A very good ending, and the film contains a message to all the human race, no matter their skin colour. Anyone watch it? If you haven't, then I highly recommend it.

And get raped by a bunch of white Nazis...

Mate summed up why this movie is stupid yesterday

"So the moral is if you're a racist, all you need to do is fold blankets with a black dude and you'll change your views?"

Very_Metal wrote:
> >
> AHX is a great movie, the slow-mo and black and white does a great
> job of stylising and almost romanticising the nazi movement, in the
> same way that wartime propaganda did, good filmaking!
>
>

Now I do agree with Goatboy, at least on that point.

What is 'Romper Stomper' then?

The black and white scenes were used to distinguish what had happened before with what was happening now. That's all. (and possibly so it could pass the censors, as they don't like blood being shown in full colour - the end of taxi driver was drained of colour too.)

The dramatic music during the basketball scene was so out of place with how the viewer felt that I think it made everyone go "what the hell is going on here???" Superb. But I won't ever watch it again.

Very_Metal wrote:
> AHX is a great movie, the slow-mo and black and white does a great
> job of stylising and almost romanticising the nazi movement, in the
> same way that wartime propaganda did, good filmaking!
--

Er...wartime propaganda was in black and white because it was shot in the 1940's, there wasn't any slow motion.
Honestly, if you're going to pillage my post, at least try and apply rudimentary thought.

MoJoJoJo wrote:

> Shower scene is nasty. Just nasty.

not as bad as the greenhouse scene in "Scum" though... *cringe*


AHX is a great movie, the slow-mo and black and white does a great job of stylising and almost romanticising the nazi movement, in the same way that wartime propaganda did, good filmaking!

it did seem to be a little uncertain whether it was about Ed nortons character or his brother though...

I loathe this film. Edward Norton is good etc etc, but Tony Kaye is playing with dangerous subject matter.
Yes there's a message here, "nazism is bad/racism is evil" etc, but you wouldn't get that from watching it unless characters had to repeat the moral over and over.
A subject matter such as neo-nazism should be told straight forward, brutal and unrelenting. Romper Stomper did it 100% well, but American History X fell down.

It was highly stylised and had the usual Hollywood accoutrements of emotive soundtrack swelling at key moments etc. Wrong, don't use music to soften/heighten emotion, let the action speak for itself unless you are Steven Spielberg.
And the violence was fetishised. Shot in glorious black and white, in slow motion with close ups of toned bodies and grimacing faces all wrapped up with stirring music.

I don't want to think nazis are glamorous, I don't want to see arty black and white shots of angry skins beating on people.
You want to show violence? Do it for real, don't use camera techniques, shutter speeds and glorious soundtracks.

Watch Romper Stomper if you must watch a film about neo-nazism.
Or watch Shoa. Granted, there isn't a pumped and toned Edward Norton to drool over but hey, life's like that sometimes

Lil Ginge wrote:
> he wasnt a happy bunny about doing Italiano jobio 2 was he

-----------

Yeah, he only did it because he was under contract to do a certain amount of films with Paramount. He's an odd one, that Norton.

Cyclone wrote:

>
> I reccomend heartily, and I love/hate those kinda endings.....

yea you dont know whether u love or hate em

I agree. Excellent film, but the kerb/shower bits were most unpleasant to say the least.

I reccomend heartily, and I love/hate those kinda endings.....