Viggo Mortensen in
A History of Violence (2005)

Viggo Mortensen in A History of ViolenceTom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is the owner of a small-town diner who is thrust into the spotlight after confronting two robbers in self-defense. His sudden notoriety opens up his carefully buried past, putting him and his family in grave danger.

The film is based on the graphic novel A History of Violence by John Wagner, with illustrations by Vince Locke. It was adapted for the screen by Josh Olson.

Film Review

The film is a beautifully crafted study of tension, lies, violence, and their affect on relationships. The violence is neither gratuitous nor glamorized, and the consequences are severe. Worth watching at least once.

Articles about A History of Violence

See all related articles »

Production Stills

Viggo Mortensen in A History of Violence
Viggo Mortensen in A History of Violence
Viggo Mortensen & Maria Bello in A History of Violence
Viggo Mortensen & Maria Bello in A History of Violence
Viggo Mortensen in A History of Violence
Viggo Mortensen & Maria Bello in A History of Violence
Viggo Mortensen & Ashton Holmes in A History of Violence
Viggo Mortensen in A History of Violence

Trailer & Video Clips

Trailer for A History of Violence, plus video clips and interviews. If you haven’t seen the movie, I recommend seeing it before watching the clips, as they contain spoilers and this film has a lot of unexpected twists.

Movie Posters and Covers

Most of these high resolution A History of Violence posters, media covers, and “For Your Consideration” ads are part of the collection at CineMaterial. Yes, they have more! Personal use only; it’s strictly forbidden to reproduce them as printed posters.

A History of Violence poster (USA)
A History of Violence poster (Japan)
A History of Violence CD cover
A History of Violence poster (USA)
A History of Violence poster (France)
A History of Violence poster (Czech Rep)
A History of Violence poster (Israel)
A History of Violence poster (Bulgaria)
A History of Violence poster (S Korea)
A History of Violence poster (Netherlands)
A History of Violence poster (Switzerland)
A History of Violence poster (USA)
A History of Violence - For Your Consideration (cast)
A History of Violence - For Your Consideration (Maria Bello & Viggo Mortensen)
A History of Violence - For Your Consideration (Maria Bello & Viggo Mortensen)
A History of Violence - For Your Consideration (director)
A History of Violence - For Your Consideration (director)
A History of Violence - For Your Consideration (Viggo Mortensen)

Official Wallpapers

A History of Violence wallpaper
A History of Violence wallpaper - Ed Harris
A History of Violence wallpaper - Viggo Mortensen
A History of Violence wallpaper - Viggo Mortensen & Maria Bello

Film Soundtrack

CD cover for A History of ViolenceA History of Violence is Howard Shore’s twelfth collaboration with director David Cronenberg. Tracks:

  1. Motel
  2. Tom
  3. Cheerleader
  4. Diner
  5. Hero (click to listen)
  6. Run
  7. Violence
  8. Porch
  9. Alone
  10. The Staircase
  11. The Road
  12. Nice Gate
  13. The Return
  14. Ending

Writing for the BBC, Morag Reavley notes:

If the soundtrack from A History of Violence reminds you a bit of the Lord of the Rings‘ music, its not surprising. Both scores are for films exploring the nature of good and evil, and both were penned by Howard Shore, Hollywood’s most Wagnerian composer.

After describing the OST, she concludes that “overall Shore’s music sounds deeply conventional, without the benefits convention confers.” Read the full review.