American History X

American History X is an Academy Award nominated 1998 drama film directed by Tony Kaye. It features Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo, Jennifer Lien, Ethan Suplee, Fairuza Balk, Avery Brooks, Elliott Gould, Stacy Keach, Guy Torry, and William Russ. Norton was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.

The film tells the story of Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) of Venice Beach. An extremely bright and charismatic student, Derek is drawn into the Neo-Nazi underground after his father is killed by a black drug dealer while trying to put out a fire at a suspected drug den. Derek had already been influenced by his father's critical views on African American culture and affirmative action (his father refers to it as "affirmative black-tion") and also how he doesn't trust African-Americans as good firefighters like himself.

Eventually Derek becomes second-in-command of the Venice Beach Neo-Nazi gang, "The Disciples of Christ (D.O.C.)", which entices young whites to join by promising protection from predominantly minority gangs who are prominent in the area. The gang is masterminded by Cameron Alexander (Stacy Keach), an aging, manipulative neo-Nazi leader. Together they commit acts of intimidation such as damaging a store owned by a Korean-American for hiring illegal Mexican workers and playing basketball with a group of black players to win the court to prevent black basketball players from gaining foot and territory on the courts.