20 90s Movie Scenes That Traumatized Us All

13. American History X - The Curb Stomp

Racist violence is one of the ugliest things that can occur in modern society, and rarely has it been depicted with such visceral brutality than in this infamous moment from American History X, a provocative drama that tells the story of a reformed Neo-Nazi. That moment is, of course, the curb stomp. 

In this scene, Neo-Nazi skinhead Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton in one of his very best performances) commits a stomach-churning act of retaliation against Lawrence (Antonio David Lyons), an African-American who's trying to steal Derek's truck in revenge for an earlier argument. Derek drags Lawrence out of the truck and forces him to the ground, telling him to bite the curb. An intimidated Lawrence complies, and Derek then kills him by stomping on his head. 

Horrible, horrible, horrible. Even the hardest viewers will watch through their fingers and squirm at that nasty sound effect as the man's neck is broken, and though American History X itself hasn't aged seamlessly, this moment remains as much of a punch in the gut as ever.