Music Reviews

Anne Dudley

American History X Soundtrack

Angel

Really strange. The critically-acclaimed film, which I haven’t seen, tells the story of a Nazi skinhead who comes to grips with the evil inside him after going to prison and being raped, etc. It’s a pretty ugly film from what I understand, with excellent performances, but I still don’t want to see it. It sounds like some sort of twist on A Clockwork Orange, which is fine, I’m sure the film is very well-acted and directed, I just don’t need to see a movie to know about skinheads, Nazi or pro-American.

I’m copping this attitude because the music is all ethereal “angelic” choral numbers without any hardcore or anything remotely like what the Nazi skins in, say, Orlando, listened to and helped sculpt their philosophies. I suppose it elevates the character’s struggle and must make the film more “powerful,” but I don’t see the message in the music. This is mostly a boy’s choir, and it’s so alien to what the film might be about that I just didn’t get into it. Is there something going on between white skins and boy’s choirs? Angel Records, 304 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010


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