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 Director
: Tony Kaye
Starring
: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Stacey Keach, Beverley
D'Angelo, Fairuza Balk & Elliot Gould.
Picture
1.85:1, DD 5.1, Dual-Layer, Snap Case
Running
Time : 119 mins
The
story:
United by hate, divided by truth.
Haunted
by memories of his murdered father Derek Vinyard (Edward
Norton) is the charismatic young leader of a group of white
Nazi worshipping, supremacists intent on bringing freedom
to the hard working, patriotic, white men of America. One
night his younger brother, Danny (Edward Furlong - Terminator
2) Catches three black youth's trying to steal Derek's
car. Fuelled by hate and anger Derek kills two of the boys
and is promptly caught and jailed for murder. Derek learns
the hard way that life in prison is a whole new world and
must adjust both his views and his attitude in order to
survive. On the outside Danny tries hard to follow in Derek's
footsteps, slowly, but surely filling himself with the same
prejudices and hatred and entwining his life in that of
the guru of the nazi supremacists (Stacey Keach). Once Derek
is released he realises that he must confront his old ways
in a bid to better himself and save his brother from making
the same mistakes.
The
summary:
To say this film is about racism and bigotry is to do it
a great injustice. Its more than that in a superb multi
faceted way. Its so brilliantly captures Derek Vinyard's
struggle to come to terms with his father's premature death
by allowing his hatred and blame to influence his racist
teachings. Used as a puppet for the maniacally militant
Cameron and his group of modern day nazi's, Derek believes
so vehemotely in what he is trying to achieve. But what
seems so very clear at the beginning begins to fray at the
edges until Derek sees that what he is doing is ultimately
wrong and really does not make his life any better. It is
this capacity for good and faith in what he can do to make
his family's life better that lifts this film up and makes
you listen. Derek's real quest is not to rid his neighbourhood
of "the enemy" but to redeem himself by saving
his brother from going down the same tired road that he
did.
As
a well written and well executed piece of film making this
is one of the best drama's that I have encountered in a
long while. Factor in the superb acting of Edward Norton
and you have a serious contender for one of the best films
of the nineties. This is a must for any collection.
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