10 Movies That Changed Because Of A Director’s Bad Behaviour
4. American History X
Released in 1999, American History X is a moving and involving story of one family’s descent into white supremacy and the troubled, volatile brothers at its centre. It’s a tragic and brutal watch, and one which lingers with the viewer long after the credits roll.
Critics and audiences were kind to the film upon release, and decades after its release, it remains one of the best regarded filmic expressions of how prejudice finds breeding ground in broken homes and disadvantaged communities.
So it might be a surprise to discover that the director wanted nothing to do with the finished film.
First time filmmaker Tony Kaye offered the studio a tight ninety five minute cut of the film. They insisted he add more sequences to draw out the runtime and hired star Edward Norton to “help” Kaye re-edit the film.
An intense blow out with said star soon saw Kaye need stitches from punching a wall, and the director was unofficially replaced by Norton on the finished version of this intense drama.
Don’t worry, though. Kaye has since conceded that the finished film is great, and apologized for letting his ego get the better of him.