American History X & Blow (2pc) (2pk Btb)

Starring:Giuseppe Andrews, Fairuza Balk, Avery Brooks, Joseph Cortese, Beverly D'Angelo, Jonathan Fowler Jr., Edward Furlong, Elliott Gould, Stacy Keach, Jennifer Lien, Antonio David Lyons, Keram Malicki-SÃ¡nchez, Edward Norton, William Russ, Jason Bose Smith, Alex Sol, Ethan Suplee, Guy Torry, Michelle Christine White
Studio: New Line Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it should; Norton is so fully immersed in his role as a neo-Nazi skinhead that his character's eloquent defense of racism is disturbingly persuasive--at least on the surface. Looking lean and mean with a swastika tattoo and a mind full of hate, Derek Vinyard (Norton) has inherited racism from his father, and that learning has been intensified through his service to Cameron (Stacy Keach), a grown-up thug playing tyrant and teacher to a growing band of disenfranchised teens from Venice Beach, California, all hungry for an ideology that fuels their brooding alienation. The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and American History X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkward sentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon

Amazon.com

The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and American History X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkward sentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Edward Norton's Academy Award nominated role as a White Supremist who sees the error of his ways while jailed for murder. Unfortunately, he leaves prison to find his brother (Edward Furlong) heading down the same path.

Customer Reviews:

Painfully searing and thought provoking.......2007-06-27

I really can't remember a more emotionally charged movie. American X will make you feel angry, frightened, uncomfortable, shocked, sad, and hopefully introspective. It plunges deep into the heart of racism and ultimately exposes the ignorance that fuels it.

Edward Norton is scary. He received an oscar nomination as he became fully immersed in this role as Derek, an angry white supremist.

One of the scenes I found most profound was a glimpse of his upbringing. He is having a conversation with his father, explaining his admiration and respect for his school teacher, who happens to be a black man with two Phds. His dad drops subtle little hints and discriminatory remarks to discredit the man, and his son takes it to heart.

That's really the point of this whole movie, that nobody is born with hatred. Sadly, sometimes it is learned.

This movie is filled with intense moments where the rage and racism are much more blatant. Derek's hatred for all minorities keeps growing, even though he doesn't bother to get to know any of them. Until he goes to prison, and his work partner shows him the error of his ways.

Although this plot development is predictable and Derek's complete change of heart unfortunately seemed a little forced, this still is an exceptional movie. There are so many human frailties exposed and subjective topics examined. It is an obvious message film with high aspirations.

What king of response it triggers depends on you.

Wow... Just Wow.......2007-06-22

A good friend of mine suggested this film, and I really didnt know what to expect going in, but after this film was over, I sat in stunned silence. I knew that racism was horrible, but I found through this film that it does not come without a terrible price..the loss of love, friends, family...and the realization that everything that you believed to be true isnt always the way things are. Edward Norton's performance takes the viewer through this journey, and its not a pretty one. He goes from an bright young man, to a vengeful bigot, to a remorseful excon with a brothers life in jeopardy, and you feel as though you are looking in on someones life in the course of 2 hrs. All of the acting in this film is first rate, and the ending wasnt quite as predictable as others might have you believe...it is quite shocking, as is much of the film. It causes quite a debate on the way people view others whos skin color is not the same. As Dr. King said, judge me not on the color of my skin, but on the content of my character. I live with racism, because I am a black man living in America...it exists, but if we educate ourselves like the main character in AHX, it wont stay around for much longer.

Makes you think!.......2007-06-10

I was skeptical when I first heard about this movie, as I was originally mis-informed as to what it was really about! I am definetly glad I finally sat down and watched this film.

After seeing this film, it has quickly become one of my favorite films that I have ever seen. As others have said, Edward Norton plays his role so well, you may actually find yourself partly agreeing with what he says. The message of the film is very well done, and the ending is one of the most shocking I have seen.

Excellent acting, directing, and story-telling. This is a film to own, and a film that has become a classic within the world of movie-making!

garbage.......2007-05-23

A waste of a fine performance by Norton. The film is an idealistic mess. Trite and melodramatic. I like the ending, because it completely skewers audience expectations, but beyond that, the film feels as if it has been patched together at the last minute. Segments don't entirely match, and most of the acting is uneven. The story is straight out of a tv movie.
If you are one of those typical film students who wears a trenchcoat, has a goatee and won't shut up about Clerks and Fight Club, this will probably be your favorite movie.

XXXX..........2007-04-03

The fear of foreign races or people, and it evolving into an actual phobia, an intense and irrational dread, in other terms, racism, has been around since primitive man began forming tribes, millions of years ago. American History X examines racism in the context of present day neo-Nazism, and similar to the German Nazis of the 30's and 40's all foreigners are blamed for everything wrong with the State. The solution to unemployment, a high cost of living, rocketing welfare and rising crime is to jettison all immigrants, foreigners, from the country so that the original people, the white's in America or the Aryan race in 30's Germany can flourish as they are truly destined to do. This notion is one of the foundational tenets of fascism, and added to this, violence and war is the only method to achieve a `pure' flourishing State.

American History X is a strong film presenting the arguments for the Right and the Left where, for the most part, the propositions on both sides have valid points, however, it is impossible to argue a subject as complex as immigration, rising crime and the cost of living by blaming these situations on a particular race of people. In fact, the argument is absurd because there are always exceptions, and as this important film points out with force and powerful emotion, racism is about hate, fear and personal anger, projected on a generality because it is convenient, a scapegoat for a lack of control and responsibility.

Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) is an intelligent young man but somewhere along the line began to hate Black American's, Asian American's et al, and under the tutelage of an older and influential White Supremist, (Stacy Keach), becomes the leader of a `skinhead' gang in Venice Beach, trashing foreign owned grocery stores to finally be jailed for the brutal murder of two teenaged Black Americans because they attempted to steal his car. Derek is strong, passionate, and terribly angry and now, a cold blooded killer and his younger brother, Danny, (Edward Furlong) idolises him.

Edward Furlong as Danny was perfect casting as he has a sensitive and forlorn, lost gaze, almost innocent because he loves his brother so much, and when his brother is released from prison with a different point of view, at first goes a little crazy, but will go along because he worships and loves him. Of course this makes the ending that much more forbidding and terribly moving. Furlong is a talented actor and is restrained in this picture, resulting in his performance being totally believable.

A film about such a controversial subject matter cannot avoid presenting a message for the viewer. In the case of American History X, racism is not an innate condition but a learned one, passed on from generation to generation.

American History X is not a good film but a truly great one and should be viewed by all concerned about our society and the hate and fear it contains...

Paul Mooney: Know Your History - Jesus Is Black and So Was Cleopatra

Average customer rating:

Excellent Comedic Experience! Paul Mooney is TIMELESS!!!
This is Hilarious!
Great for Laughs and the honest truth
1st Amendment Brilliance!
Paul is Paul

Paul Mooney: Know Your History - Jesus Is Black and So Was Cleopatra
Starring: Paul Mooney , David Alan Grier , Lori Petty , and Sandra Bernhard
Director: Jonathan X
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | African American Cinema | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000KGGZV2
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Description

Few comedians can stir up controversy like the legendary Paul Mooney -- writer for Richard Pryor, creator of In Living Color's Homey the Clown and featured guest on Chappelle's Show. With his characteristic brutal honesty, Mooney passionately and hysterically charges into the electrified currents of racial tension. In this magnificent standup performance at Hollywood's Laugh Factory, Mooney earns a standing ovation with his relentless no-holds-barred observations on black history, stereotypes and prejudices, living in White America, celebrity divas and much, much more!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Comedic Experience! Paul Mooney is TIMELESS!!!.......2007-05-20

This is Hillarious!!!! Paul Mooney is in his classic form and definitely doesnt dissapoint in this funny film!!

And yes Jesus was of Black African descent and so was Cleopatra. She was mixed but definitely of DIRECT Black African descent.

Know your history!!

This is Hilarious!.......2007-04-25

Paul Mooney is the best. Know your History is nothing short of amazing! He talks about racial issues and is dead on.

Great for Laughs and the honest truth.......2007-04-13

Paul Mooney. Very funny and at the same time will tell it like it is. I enjoyed this DVD. He not only did a little stand up, but you were able to hear other comedians (Sandra Burnheard, David Allen Grier to name a few)give you their experience working with Mooney himself.

I do know this....if you are easily offended and do not want to get into religion and the politics....this DVD is not for you. He's going to speak his mind and whether you agree w/ what he's saying or not, you have to admit a lot of it makes sense in the logical world.

Don't take my word for it, but this was a good buy (hella cheap for the goodness on this DVD) and watch it with an open mind and TALK after the DVD is over. That's the goal to getting every one together....communication.

1st Amendment Brilliance! .......2007-04-08

Here, one of this countries greatest unsung comedian/writer/socially and politically conscious commentators, shows us the vast perspective that is uniquely Paul Mooney. Bold, unapologetic,wickedly humorous and intellegently delivered, this is the definitive Mooney which shows the comedic genious at his candid best. Don't be alarmed, this is not simple militantcy, but brazen, in your face, un-compromising honesty and humor! Whether you agree with the views of Paul Mooney or not, this particular dvd showcases the pioneering talent that is typical of today's black comic,un-flinching and harsh, but oh so funny as hell. Make no mistake about it, this is not your grandfather's comedy....and Paul Mooney along with his friend Richard Pryor, helped to open the very doors that made this possible. For those of you searching for that 1 dvd typical of Paul at his unapologetic best, this is the one.

Paul is Paul.......2007-04-06

If you know who he is then you know what he does. This was funny as hell.

How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (And Enjoy It)

Average customer rating:

How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (And Enjoy It)
Starring: Mario Van Peebles , Gil Scott-Heron , Melvin Van Peebles , Emanuel Azenberg , and St. Claire Bourne
Director: Joe Angio
Manufacturer: Homevision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000O7864Q
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Description

Part icon, part iconoclast, Melvin Van Peebles is a filmmaker with a history that's as fascinating as any of his motion pictures. This award winning documentary (full of rare achival footage and unforgettable backstage stories from Spike Lee, Mario Van Peebles, Gil Scott-Heron and others) is a carefully-crafted tale of how a young black kid from Chicago ended up making one of the most controversial movies in American history, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, the film that sparked the Blaxploitation era in Hollywood. But the story hardly ends there. Director Joe Angio playfully traces Van Peebles' path from atom-bomb-ferrying Air Force pilot to French novelist to proto-rap singer to Wall Street options trader-- a remarkable journey that helps to explain where Sweet Sweetback actually got his song.

Average customer rating:

ABOVE HIS CLASS

Arthur Ashe - Citizen of the World
Starring: Malcolm X , Sidney Glass , Billie Jean King , Bob Davis (VIII) , and Ray Moore (VIII)
Director: Julie Anderson
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

African American Heritage | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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4 Little Girls

ASIN: B0009WIE48
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Description

A celebration of the life of this great tennis player - the first black player to capture a Grand Slam title when he won the U.S. Open - advocate of human rights, civil rights and more. ' 'Family viewing in the best sense.' ' (Detroit Free Press) ' 'A fine tribute to an exemplary sports legend.' ' (New York Times)

Customer Reviews:

ABOVE HIS CLASS.......2002-08-01

Arthur Ashe is known to most of us as a great African American tennis player who broke down racial barriers in a game considered for the wealthy.Ashe was far more than an athlete or a symbol of racial equality. In tribute to Arthur Ashe, HBO presents this thrilling documentary of a man who went beyond the game and symbolism to become a world wide force of change.

Who was this soft-spoken young man? A native of Virginia, Ashe intimately knew the world of segregation. His parents knew of a better world for him and thus insured that his talent as a tennis player was developed. Our film takes us to the places and people who impacted upon the young Ashe's life. They instilled in him the sense of hard work, being a good sportsman but most of all being the ambassador for Blacks whose presence in the sport of tennis was negligible.

Follow Ashe in his early years as he makes it through the ranks of Junior tennis ever aware of the burden of responsibility for his people. Arthur developed a deep maturity and sense of style far beyond his years. During the turbulent sixties he was criticised for not being outspoken against racism. Ashe refused to allow anyone to dictate the terms of his actions and went along his own tract. His controversial tournament in South Africa, his boycott of Wimbledon, his untiring efforts to help young people and his crusade against aids shows a revolutionary young man.

I was surprised by the imapct of this film on my perception of Ashe. He comes across as a caring spirit who moves beyond the game of tennis. He believes that there is more to his life than just a game and believes in giving back to the community. You can't help but be moved over his courageous spirit in going through two heart attacks and then being diagnosed with aids. For some athletes such news would be a sad ending. For Ashe it was a catalyst for him to do more and the world has appreciated his efforts.

Amazon.com

Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it should; Norton is so fully immersed in his role as a neo-Nazi skinhead that his character's eloquent defense of racism is disturbingly persuasive--at least on the surface. Looking lean and mean with a swastika tattoo and a mind full of hate, Derek Vinyard (Norton) has inherited racism from his father, and that learning has been intensified through his service to Cameron (Stacy Keach), a grown-up thug playing tyrant and teacher to a growing band of disenfranchised teens from Venice Beach, California, all hungry for an ideology that fuels their brooding alienation. The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and American History X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkward sentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon

A briskly paced hybrid of Boogie Nights and Goodfellas, Blow chronicles the three-decade rise and fall of George Jung (Johnny Depp), a normal American kid who makes a personal vow against poverty, builds a marijuana empire in the '60s, multiplies his fortune with the Colombian Medellmn cocaine cartel, and blows it all with a series of police busts culminating in one final, long-term jail sentence. "Your dad's a loser," says this absentee father to his estranged but beloved daughter, and he's right: Blow is the story of a nice guy who made wrong choices all his life, almost single-handedly created the American cocaine trade, and got exactly what he deserved. As directed by Ted Demme, the film is vibrantly entertaining, painstakingly authentic... and utterly aimless in terms of overall purpose. We can't sympathize with Jung's meteoric rise to wealth and the wild life, and Demme isn't suggesting that we should idolize a drug dealer. So what, exactly, is the point of Blow? Simply, it seems, to present Jung's story as the epitome of the coke-driven glory days, and to suggest, ever so subtly, that Jung isn't such a bad guy, after all. Anyone curious about his lifestyle will find this film amazing, and there's plenty of humor mixed with the constant threat of violence and paranoid anxiety. Demme has also populated the film with a fantastic supporting cast (although Penilope Cruz grows tiresome as Jung's hedonistic wife), and this is certainly a compelling look at the other side of Traffic. Still, one wishes that Blow had a more viable reason for being; like a wild party, it leaves you with a hangover and a vague feeling of regret. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

GREAT MOVIES!.......2005-03-25

Both these movies are in my top 5 of favorites. American History X shocked me when I first saw it but I love it. Its a great movie with good acting and a great story. Blow is just amazing as well, Johnny Depp does an awesome job in it as Boston George, its a sad story but its great. Man goes from millions to a cell.

Charlie Rose with Edward Norton; Hunter S. Thompson (October 30, 1998)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Edward Norton; Hunter S. Thompson (October 30, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Charlie Rose with Hunter S. Thompson; Isabella Rossellini (June 13, 1997)
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Gonzo
The Joke's Over: Bruised Memories: Gonzo, Hunter S. Thompson, and Me

ASIN: B000IU33FG
Release Date: 2006-09-18

Description

First, actor Edward Norton discusses his new movie, American History X, which has drawn controversy because of its raw treatment of racism in the United States. Finally, Hunter S. Thompson discusses his innovation of New Journalism and his resurrected novel The Rum Diary about rough journalists living in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Average customer rating:

Matchstick Men/American History X
Starring: Warner 2pak
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

Painfully searing and thought provoking
Wow... Just Wow
Makes you think!
garbage
XXXX...

American History X [Region 2]
Starring: Edward Norton , Edward Furlong , Beverly D'Angelo , Avery Brooks , and Jennifer Lien
Director: Tony Kaye
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00004RCKX

Amazon.com

Edward Norton was nominated for a 1998 Best Actor Oscar for his role as Derek Vinyard, a thoughtful kid turned neo-Nazi after his father is slain. Edward Furlong plays his younger brother, Danny, determined to follow in his brother's footsteps. The easy routes the film seems prepared to take never materialize. It continually makes Derek's transformation both in and out of his racist beliefs believable and persuasive. Stacy Keach is given the head vampire role of the local skinhead chapter, Cameron, and he's the closest this film comes to an overt overstatement. Norton, however, is fantastic, embodying a person who roller-coasters through hatred like he can't wait to ride again. His diatribes are not unlike what can be heard on any given conservative radio station on any given day, but he doesn't spew them as cant or screed. Only when his violent emotions take charge, negating any sense or stand, is the underlying fallacy and nature of his beliefs made plain. This film was undermined by the film's own director, Tony Kaye, who made such a braying ass of himself and his work that it distorted the public's view of what is an interesting social and psychological lesson in the war between ideas and ideologues, reason and racism. --Keith Simanton

Customer Reviews:

Painfully searing and thought provoking.......2007-06-27

Wow... Just Wow.......2007-06-22

Makes you think!.......2007-06-10

garbage.......2007-05-23

XXXX..........2007-04-03

{4 DVD Crime Pack} Romper Stomper (Russell Crowe) / Triple Cross (Billy Dee Williams) / Riot (Luke Perry) / Gang in Blue (Mario Van Peebles)

Average customer rating:

{4 DVD Crime Pack} Romper Stomper (Russell Crowe) / Triple Cross (Billy Dee Williams) / Riot (Luke Perry) / Gang in Blue (Mario Van Peebles)

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Digitally Remastered For Superior Picture Quality
Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound
Chapter Stops
scene selections
interactive menus

ASIN: B000H6EHRY

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