AMERICAN HISTORY X (1998)

Political beliefs are often displayed proudly with film characters’ tattoos, enabling the audience to get a clear and visual understanding of where they stand with society’s most important issues, and whether to follow them with intrigue or caution. It shouldn’t take you too long to work out where Ed Norton’s hate-filled white supremacist Derek stands on some particularly hot topics, with the bold black swastika covering his heart showing he is firmly one side of the fence when it comes to race issues in America. Over the course of the film Derek is challenged on his mindset in a number of different ways, and is forced to question his beliefs, and whether it’s worth the excruciating pain of getting some of his ink erased.