American History X [Platinum Edition]

Even the framework for the story is awkward: Danny, the younger brother, is writing up his family history as an assignment for Dr. Sweeny. The paper is part of what Sweeny calls "American History X." We are led to believe, then, that it´s to be Danny´s story. But it isn´t. It´s Derek´s story. Even though a completely unsympathetic Danny is writing it, we see things from Derek´s point of view. It´s oddly disconcerting. Finally, the ending can be anticipated a mile in advance; the only question is where and when. Much of the film has an air of uncompromising truth, but perhaps it´s best not to scrutinize the details.

Video:
New Line´s picture quality is usually always good, and this presentation is no exception. The colors are fairly smooth, natural, and well defined. In keeping with the overall mood of the story, the tones are kept subdued, never bright or showy. The screen size approximates the movie's original 1.85:1 theatrical-release ratio, nicely filling out the dimensions of a widescreen TV.

Audio:
The sound is reproduced via Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. Everything works as advertised, although the audio system doesn´t have a lot to do but convey dialogue most of the time.

Extras:
Included on the disc are three deleted scenes that look as though they might have worked well if kept in the film. It´s too bad there isn´t an easy way to program a DVD to include missing scenes seamlessly into the fabric of a story. After watching the film, one can easily see where they belong in the context of the plot, and imagination fills in the rest. New Line also offer extensive cast and crew biographies and filmographies, a scene index, and a trailer, but no language or subtitle choices apart from English.

Parting Thoughts:
"American History X" is a violent film on a momentous topic. The movie wears its sincerity on its sleeve, and its characters, actions, and ideas compel us to look further and become involved. It is not an adventure. It is not a thriller. It is entertaining, to be sure, and thought provoking, yet unsettling, too, and not entirely satisfying. Perhaps it´s just too pat and too predictable. Nevertheless, it is well-worth seeing and should keep viewers glued to their seats. Beyond one sitting, however, I make no guarantees.

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