Tony Kaye
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Filmography
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Connections, in both directions
(Long before the current crisis in public education, films like “Up the Down Staircase” and “Conrack” were more about brave attempts than about inspiring successes.)
With echoes of earlier teacher-in-crisis-mode dramas, especially Robert Mulligan’s 1967 classic Up the Down Staircase, the overwhelmed staff at this urban high school are in hunker-down mode, waiting for the storm to pass.
…a graphic curb stomping reminiscent of American History X…
Apart from an American History X curb stomp and the biting off of someone’s tongue, The Bride! is not a horror film.
Director Tony Kaye ’s (“American History X”) tough movie owes a lot to Paddy Chayefsky ’s script for 1971’s “The Hospital” — which is perhaps too complimentary a comparison.
But “Imperium” refuses to lean into that, it lacks the courage to make viewers feel that seduction for themselves and tap into the righteous indignation that makes films like “American History X” and “La Haine” feel so dangerous.
Which is not to say that Daniel Ragussis’ film—his first feature—is the modern-day cop-movie equivalent of American History X, by any means.
Unlike “The Believer,” “Romper Stomper,” or “American History X,” “Imperium” — directed and scripted by first-timer Daniel Ragussis — is not principally concerned with exploring the political or psychological dysfunction that drives young men to join violent hate-groups.
To this end, first time director Daniel Ragussis’ second feature doesn’t care much for standard espionage thrills, or an anti-hero’s larger than life narration as seen in another film covering white supremacy, American History X. Rather, Imperium dramatically explores the internal machinations of a pockmarked system built by several highly intelligent, yet deeply flawed characters.
However, if you enjoyed American History X or The Infiltrator , it?s…
Think American History X meets The Departed, featuring another impassioned performance from one of the greatest young actors of our time, Daniel Radcliffe.
Mike Leigh's Meantime (1983) offered a more cohesive attempt to describe what produces an English skinhead in London's East End; the designated turf of American History X is Los Angeles's Venice Beach.
In fact, Detachment makes Blackboard Jungle look like a trip to Disneyland.
We catch up with him in a school that makes the setting of Blackboard Jungle look like Kukla, Fran and Ollie, where a distinguished cast is largely wasted as various cynical faculty members.
Kaye once shot more film for a 30-second Volvo commercial than Woody Allen had used in making “Hannah and Her Sisters.”
In the interest of full disclosure, I must grant that I was filling in certain elements along the way, recalling the cartel reprisals of Savages and Edward Norton’s depictions of prison in American History X and 25th Hour.
If audiences are looking for something like that, they should go stream Mississippi Burning or American History X.
As Guy Torry’s character tells Edward Norton’s in American History X when the latter arrives in the prison laundry room, “you’re the n**ger in here.”
It’s a premise we’ve seen many, many times before in films like Stand and Deliver and Dangerous Minds.
We’ve even seen the principal get involved when it comes to getting those low test scores up in Lean on Me.
Some of the most thought-provoking, socially relevant movies I’ve seen were aggressive and advanced potentially dangerous thought processes like Oliver Stone’s “Talk Radio” or Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X”.
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
Directed by Cathy Yan
influenced by American History X (1998)
Characters
J,” and, like Derek Vinyard when he goes to prison in American History X , now the bad guy she was partnered with is no longer protecting her from all the other bad dudes she pissed off.
Adrien Brody brings his offbeat brand of weary, roguish intensity to the role of substitute teacher Henry Barthes, a damaged empath whose commitment to a dispirited student body is admirable, while his bond to an underage prostitute (Sami Gayle) he tries to save carries worrisome shades of "Taxi Driver."
The slim plot consists of Henry’s decision to save a young prostitute (newcomer Sami Gayle) from the mean streets, much like Robert DeNiro did with Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver.
But the film would be better if Kaye hadn't included a Taxi Driver subplot in which Brody rescues a teen hooker in fishnets (Sami Gayle).
Edward Norton was already well-known when he made American History X, but then credibility points (and an Oscar nomination) never hurt anyone.
In rare cases that irony is underlined, as in Drugstore Cowboy (1989), in which the title character (Matt Dillon) stops using drugs and seems suddenly smaller and more vulnerable–and easy prey for the freaks he had previously dominated.
He's as convincing as a teacher as Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson" and he's the perfect lynchpin for what's a rather complex subject matter.
Even more absurdly than the Ryan Gosling junkie-teacher vehicle Half Nelson , Detachment is all about the cute teacher's crises and his babbling about "this sea of pain we're all in," and even before its jaw-dropping tragic climax at the worst cupcake sale ever.
The Believer (2001)
Directed by Henry Bean
influenced by American History X (1998)
Themes Characters
But, the religious angle aside, there's little to distinguish The Believer from the likes of American History X and Romper Stomper.
And like Edward Norton�s brownshirt in the less ambitious American History X, he�s as formidable verbally as he is physically.
As Danny, Ryan Gosling (“Remember The Titans”) gives an intense performance easily comparable to Tim Roth's in “Made In Britain” and Edward Norton's in “American History X.”
Like its controversial predecessors, the Australian "Romper Stomper," a film that thrust Russell Crowe into the limelight, and "American History X," which solidified Edward Norton's career, "The Believer" deals with neo-Nazism and anti-Semitic issues.
In "The Believer," he reminds us of Edward Norton in " American History X ," another movie about a bright, twisted kid who is attracted to the transgressive sickness of racism.
Several times, while watching "The Believer," another skinhead flick, "American History X," came to mind.
It was the 1995 Adrian Tomine story “Pink Frosting,” from his Optic Nerve comic, that I first learned about “kissing the curb,” a shocking act of violence brought to visual life, thanks to Edward Norton, in 1998’s American History X.
In only a handful of scenes, Lucy Liu (2007's " Code Name: The Cleaner ") brings such a gritty, mournful quality to Dr. Parker that one fully understands and sympathizes with her instantly.