I have a feeling that I red somewhere that this film is based on a real story. Unfortunately, I can not quite remember where I've seen this. Can somebody help me? there is a discussion about "American history X" on a Russian Board and I'd like to have the facts to oppose to people who think this story is some sort of propaganda.

Dear Vika: Here is URL to a review of that movie, which sounds like junk to me.
http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1800018632

based on a real story.
...
some sort of propaganda.

The two are certainly not mutually exclusive. Hollywood's track record in the "based on a true story" category is not exactly one of being obsessively concerned with the facts and the choice of stories can, in itself, be driven by a desire to get across a certain point of view.

wwh,

the movie is not junk. at least, *i don't think so

here's a more full-blown review by Roger Ebert; he mentions nothing about factuality.
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1998/10/103004.html

edit: everything you wanted to know about AHX:
http://www.bomis.com/rings/americanhistoryx/10

Dear Vika: I cheerfully acknowledge being an excessively conservative old grouch. It ;is ;my
carefully considered opinion that 99.9% of American movies are revolting garbage.
The last movie I really enjoyed was Walt Disney's Fantasia.

I cheerfully acknowledge being an excessively conservative old grouch.

That's what I love about you, Dr Bill.

I agree with Humphrey Bogart, when he said that if somebody had a message, they
should call Western Union.
Dear AS: I regret that there is so little about me that is lovable.

I would sooner accept Bill's opinion about a movie he had not seen than embrace the fluffy opinions of Roger Ebert about a movie that he has seen and reviewed for the Sun-Times. The guy is uncanny. Never, I repeat, never, has he given a thumbs down to a movie that panders to the fuzzy thinking of the nouveauleft.

And Bill. It is precisely your unloveable traits that we find so loveable...???...or something like that.

Ah, but milum. Dr. Bill's analysis is based totally on ignorance and prejudice. With Ebert, at least you have a baseline to work from. You might give Ebert a full 180, with Dr. Bill you are spinning an unmarked dreidl.

One of the last movies I took my wife and kids to started off with a homosexual rape.
And it had been recommened to me by a Jesuit priest social worker at VA Hospital.
Needless to say we immediately left and got our money back, but the evening was ruined.

The title of the movie was Brubaker.

No comment on AHX or Brubaker. Never heard of Brubaker, but I saw several 5 and 10 minute slices of AHX and it seemed depressing, but generally pretty good to me - though it took me a while to figure out that part of it was about transformation. One of my favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption, had not graphic rape scenes, but violent preludes to homosexual rape.


k

And what mind-altering drugs were you using at the time?

I've not seen it since I was quite young, but many adults have expressed their opinion that it's great when you are in the throes of one "drug" or another.

I think I will grab myself a margarita and rent the movie.

thank you, twsum

the second link is most helpful. unfortunately, the critics agree with my opponents that the movie has numerous flaws. I was wrong - this is not a "based on a real story" thing.

but I still think that Dr. Bill is too (0.9%) strict. i would say that as much as 1% of American movies are worth seeing

a margarita

Whatever floats your boat, TEd. Last time I saw it I made what I think is a better choice and correctly identified the segment done by Walt Kelly in the process.

I saw American History X. It is kind of unpleasant at times, but of course no film about neo-nazi skinheads is going to be all peaches and cream. One murder scene is particularly nasty. I was impressed with how much the star, Edward Norton, transformed himself for the role. He usually plays a sort of nice-young-man character, and yet in AHX he is really menacing.