The Birth of a Nation (1915)
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
1915’s The Birth of a Nation is one of the hardest films I had to write a review for. In one sense, D.W. Griffith’s film revolutionized the art of filmmaking. Not a single soul took cinema seriously, and now this film changed the course of film. Various shooting and editing techniques were employed for the first time. This is viewed as cinema’s first epic. On the other hand, the source material and the content of the film is downright disgusting. The film paints the Confederacy in a positive light, and it sees the Ku Klux Klan as a white savior group. I make my reviews based on the film’s content, and it is hard to see anything positive here. It is a blatantly racist film that draws in and is proud about how evil it is. The film is very lucky it came out when it did in terms of filmmaking, or otherwise I would not dare give the film a passing score.
This movie is based off the novel “The Clansmen” by Thomas Dixon Jr. Dixon’s book was very controversial for many of the same reasons the film adaptation is. Dixon actually wrote the screenplay for the movie. He recruited Griffith to direct the film because he felt like they were similar people. They were both born in the South and they both thought Reconstruction was a failure. Dixon, from his point of view, believe the actions that took place in his book and film were actual realistic historical events. He looked at President Abraham Lincoln with sympathy and believed that he actually supported the South during the Civil War. That what makes the screenplay even more infuriating. The screenplay did incorporate some fiction within these historical events, so that was a first in terms of filmmaking history.
In terms of pure filmmaking, this changed the course of cinema’s history. Audiences loved the style and the vision behind the new epic. They have never seen anything like it before. They wanted more, hence the birth of modern film. Griffith and his cinematographer G.W. Bitzer created wide shots and tracking shots. Griffith incorporated new editing techniques such as crosscutting. This is the first film where you will hear orchestral music as a musical score. The birth of a theme! Pardon my pun. Other things new: the use of plot building up towards a climax and color tinting. Also, how the Civil War battle was staged. Griffith employed hundreds of extras but made it seem like there were thousands. So, various techniques that we take for granted today…this movie is to thank. Yes, there is reasons I laud the movie. This paragraph, which details the importance in film history, is the reason why the film does not receive a failing grade (which I know some people may disagree with.) Okay, the performances were actually pretty good, especially from Lillian Gish who played Elise, one of the film’s main characters. The battle of Bull Run is a well-staged battle.
Despite the many watchable moments, there are many unforgivable notions here. Black people were not hired to portray their own race. White people used blackface. Given the times, I realize why this happened. Still! I disliked how the black people were portrayed. Instead of humans, they were portrayed as nonintelligent sexual predators. I abhorred that. Reconstruction was an era that created the Ku Klux Klan. The film shows the group as a celebrated white savior group. Historians noted that because this film was made the way it was, it led to the rebirth of KKK. Yeah, that is definitely unforgivable. It was incredibly difficult to sit through this three-hour long film knowing what it is all about. The film did create a major uproar. Griffith followed up this film with Intolerance which is seen as an apology film.
Birth of a Nation is the most difficult film I had to assess. People may not agree with my reasonings, but that is okay. There is no denying the importance to film history. Without this, movies and television of the modern world probably would not as exist as we know it today. Camera, editing, and scoring techniques came to light. The film is also racist propaganda and that may be too kind. It left a bad taste in many people’s mouth, including my own. That said, I am finally glad I was able to see what this film is all about. Give the film a watch, but at your own risk.
My Grade: C-
1915’s The Birth of a Nation is one of the hardest films I had to write a review for. In one sense, D.W. Griffith’s film revolutionized the art of filmmaking. Not a single soul took cinema seriously, and now this film changed the course of film. Various shooting and editing techniques were employed for the first time. This is viewed as cinema’s first epic. On the other hand, the source material and the content of the film is downright disgusting. The film paints the Confederacy in a positive light, and it sees the Ku Klux Klan as a white savior group. I make my reviews based on the film’s content, and it is hard to see anything positive here. It is a blatantly racist film that draws in and is proud about how evil it is. The film is very lucky it came out when it did in terms of filmmaking, or otherwise I would not dare give the film a passing score.
This movie is based off the novel “The Clansmen” by Thomas Dixon Jr. Dixon’s book was very controversial for many of the same reasons the film adaptation is. Dixon actually wrote the screenplay for the movie. He recruited Griffith to direct the film because he felt like they were similar people. They were both born in the South and they both thought Reconstruction was a failure. Dixon, from his point of view, believe the actions that took place in his book and film were actual realistic historical events. He looked at President Abraham Lincoln with sympathy and believed that he actually supported the South during the Civil War. That what makes the screenplay even more infuriating. The screenplay did incorporate some fiction within these historical events, so that was a first in terms of filmmaking history.
In terms of pure filmmaking, this changed the course of cinema’s history. Audiences loved the style and the vision behind the new epic. They have never seen anything like it before. They wanted more, hence the birth of modern film. Griffith and his cinematographer G.W. Bitzer created wide shots and tracking shots. Griffith incorporated new editing techniques such as crosscutting. This is the first film where you will hear orchestral music as a musical score. The birth of a theme! Pardon my pun. Other things new: the use of plot building up towards a climax and color tinting. Also, how the Civil War battle was staged. Griffith employed hundreds of extras but made it seem like there were thousands. So, various techniques that we take for granted today…this movie is to thank. Yes, there is reasons I laud the movie. This paragraph, which details the importance in film history, is the reason why the film does not receive a failing grade (which I know some people may disagree with.) Okay, the performances were actually pretty good, especially from Lillian Gish who played Elise, one of the film’s main characters. The battle of Bull Run is a well-staged battle.
Despite the many watchable moments, there are many unforgivable notions here. Black people were not hired to portray their own race. White people used blackface. Given the times, I realize why this happened. Still! I disliked how the black people were portrayed. Instead of humans, they were portrayed as nonintelligent sexual predators. I abhorred that. Reconstruction was an era that created the Ku Klux Klan. The film shows the group as a celebrated white savior group. Historians noted that because this film was made the way it was, it led to the rebirth of KKK. Yeah, that is definitely unforgivable. It was incredibly difficult to sit through this three-hour long film knowing what it is all about. The film did create a major uproar. Griffith followed up this film with Intolerance which is seen as an apology film.
Birth of a Nation is the most difficult film I had to assess. People may not agree with my reasonings, but that is okay. There is no denying the importance to film history. Without this, movies and television of the modern world probably would not as exist as we know it today. Camera, editing, and scoring techniques came to light. The film is also racist propaganda and that may be too kind. It left a bad taste in many people’s mouth, including my own. That said, I am finally glad I was able to see what this film is all about. Give the film a watch, but at your own risk.
My Grade: C-
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