We already know about the infamous battle between New Line, Tony Kaye, and Edward Norton on “American History X,” one fraught with post-production mayhem. This was Kaye’s feature directorial debut, and yet his insistence on preserving the 95-minute cut ultimately failed.
Kaye went to the media to publicly disown the film. At one point, he asked the DGA to change his credited name to “Humpty Dumpty,” which leads us to Kaye’s recently premiered behind-the-scenes documentary that gets to the nitty-gritty of this whole sordid affair.
“Humpty Dumpty X,” directed by Kaye, is a document filmed by the director himself, with his side of the story laid out in detail. Kaye even goes undercover, filming and exposing the people he was battling over the final cut, including then-New Line chief Michael De Luca.
Marlon Brando even shows up in a handful of conversations with Kaye, trying to convince the filmmaker to give in and abide by the powers that be. One can only imagine Brando thinking of the similar hardships he endured while making his own directorial debut, “One-Eyed Jacks,” which was itself truncated by studio intervention.
Kaye came from a background in commercials and had a reputation as a music video genius. The sky was the limit for him, but “American History X” flopped at the box office, and the behind-the-scenes drama painted him as impossible to work with. Then word came out that the theatrical cut audiences saw had been substantially re-edited by Norton.
Needless to say, Kaye was consequently blacklisted by the industry. He’s made a few films since then, though most have gone largely unseen, often due to chaotic productions. Trouble has always seemed to follow Kaye. “Detachment,” released in 2011 and starring Adrien Brody, was barely seen upon release, earning just $70,000 during its very limited six-week theatrical run. That is, until it gradually developed a cult following. Its 7.7 IMDb rating and over 113,000 votes hint at the promise of a filmmaker who burned too many bridges.
As it happens, “American History X” is now regarded by many as a great film, one that has stood the test of time. Kaye has made only three narrative features in nearly thirty years: “American History X,” “Detachment,” and 2024’s “The Trainer,” which, unsurprisingly, never secured distribution. Below is the trailer for “Humpty Dumpty X.”
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