Project X Paper

American History X is a film about two brothers who are strongly influenced by the skinhead community. The little brother looks up to the older greatly and when the older is incarcerated, the younger tries to follow his brother's footsteps while his brother is in jail. The younger brother is shocked when his brother gets out of jail and has completely changed and wants to change his ways too. In American History X, Edward Norton uses the change in color and light to add a specific mood throughout the film.

Throughout the film there is often a change between color and lighting in many scenes. First, when there is a flashback, the film switches from color to black and white. For example, when the movie begins in a flashback from something that happens later in the movie, it is black and white. This makes it clear to the audience when it is a flask back and sets that certain mood of a flashback. Secondly, throughout most of the movie, whenever there is a flashback it is in the black and white picture, but certain flashbacks are in color. All of the flashbacks that deal with the negatives and violence of the older brother's life are in black and white, but the flashbacks that deal with the few good things from his life are in color. For example, the flashbacks where he realizes his ways were wrong and the flashback of the brother's childhoods are in color because they are positive and pure. This is to portray the negative mood of the flashbacks because black is often associated with bad and negative things, but the color shows life and gives a happier mood. Lastly, within all of the negative black and white flashbacks, the lighting is very dark. Such as the scene where the older brother commits the crime that got him incarcerated. In the scene he is on the street, and the street and street lights continuing are not visible due to the darkness. All that is visible is black space. This portrays a very dark and gloomy mood to the scene because it is such a violent and horrific scene. The lighting and coloring plays a large part in forming the mood of the scenes throughout the film.

American History X is a magnificent film, and consists of a well developed story line. Although there is a great story line, one of the most unique elements of the film is the use of color and lighting. American History X uses the change in color and lighting to portray the moods need for the shocking and disturbing scenes throughout the film.