Where to watch American History X (1998)

Trivia & production notes

• Screenwriter David McKenna sold the screenplay to New Line Cinema at age 26, drawing inspiration from the punk-rock scene of his childhood where he witnessed violent behavior.
• To write authentic characters, McKenna interviewed and observed actual skinheads during the writing process.
• Director Tony Kaye made his feature film directorial debut on American History X after Dennis Hopper and Larry Clark both turned down the project.
• Kaye signed his directing contract in front of a rabbi at a synagogue, believing it would bring good fortune to the project.
• Joaquin Phoenix turned down the lead role of Derek Vinyard before Edward Norton was suggested by casting director Valerie McCaffrey.
• Director Tony Kaye initially objected to casting Edward Norton, feeling he lacked the necessary weight and presence for the role.
• Edward Norton took a pay cut of over $500,000 from his usual $1 million fee to star in the film, and only committed after Francis Ford Coppola persuaded him.
• Norton gained 25 pounds of muscle by increasing his calorie intake and spending hours in the gym to prepare for his role.
• Director Tony Kaye served as both cinematographer and camera operator during filming, arriving on set in a Lincoln Town Car with a license plate reading 'JEWISH' and carrying four cell phones and a fax machine.
• The film's flashback scenes were shot and edited in black-and-white while present-day scenes were in color to distinguish the different time periods.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article American History X, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Rewritten for StreamShack; errors are ours — tell us about them.