The Birth of a Nation & The Civil War Films of D.W. Griffith

Rating:
Summary: Objectivity vs. Intolerance
Review: The Birth of a Nation has been the most hailed and critically criticized film in American history due to its intolerance to race and one-sided perspective and entertainment quality. Yes, it was indeed a controversial film when it was released, and still is as controversial as it was decades ago. How can one define this film in terms of historical significance? From an objective point of view, D.W. Griffith intricately put together an epic of a film from lithographs and political cartoons that grossly depicted and stereotyped African Americans, but helped to recreate the images of the leaders during the time, Abraham Lincoln, General Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and Thaddeus Stevens. The whole crux of the film was to present the opposing side of the Civil War -- the heroes in the film were the KKK and the Confederates. For what reason, besides being inspired by a play called "The Clansman", and personally, Griffith's father served in the Civil War on the Confederate side, this film was produced to provide shock value or to stir up or reflect what was happening during the part of the 20th century? Whatever the case, the United States was indeed going through a transformation both politically and socially under the hospices of president Woodrow Wilson. Birth of a Nation was released in 1915, over 50 years after the end of the Civil War, and what better time was it to commemorate the end of the war?

From a cinematic representation, the film authenticated the image of the Civil War. Griffith appeared to be dead on with the battle scenes and the costumes. Face value, one will think of the film as a disturbing racist representation and possibly a complete propaganda film for the KKK (as a result of the release of the film, the KKK rose and revived its membership). Yes, that is true to many that have either heard or watched the film, but sadly was it a means of free speech and lack of censorship? Griffith used a red color tinting effect on certain scenes where members of the KKK galloped like the seven horsemen of the apocalypse as well as the death of the soldiers on the field. It is an eery assessment, but an effective one. It presents an omninous representation as well as the horrible white makeup that the actors had to wear.

The Birth of a Nation is a film that should be viewed and discussed. It is especially a good learning tool that will help present the positive and negative perspectives that the Civil War generated. This film deserved three stars because of its intense portrayal of the Civil War and the repercussions that still affect human thought in the present day.

Rating:
Summary: Window into racist minds
Review: It is astonishing anyone could still watch this film and suggest Griffith might have been anything less than totally aware of the racist tone of the film. The title, "Birth of a Nation" is a play on words meant to allow viewers to pretent it is about American history, when in fact the title is a reference to the director's hope for the birth of a new Aryan Nation to sweep over the country.

This film is pure propoganda for the KKK. It was produced in a time when such a film could pass as real entertainment. So strong was Griffith's passion for the subject that he was driven to produce a work that redefined the movie industry.

It is important to view this film and understand it as a window into a very dangerous aspect of American culture and history. But for the people involved in the making of this film, there ought to be nothing but condemnation. They should not only be compared with Nazis, but understood as America's mirror image of Nazi Germany. There is no real difference.

Rating:
Summary: Disgusting, a movie of how Hate groups begin
Review: I first saw this film in an African American history class down in Florida. Back then I could not believe my eyes at how hateful, how spiteful, people could be. The movie would be shocking if I didn't already know how vile and evil groups like the KKK were and are today. Those that go around hating Blacks, or Asians, or any colour...they begin with what begins in this movie. Any form of racism, the idea of judging a person by outward appearance alone, is wrong. This movie on the other hand takes that idea and deifies it to such an extent...the thought that God Himself would say what had been going on in the south through the terrorist attacks of the KKK as being something good. Wrong. Pure wrong. Pure slime. Pure drivel.

However I'd like to compare and contrast this film with another film, Song of the South. I find it interesting that so many people have given that movie the thumbs down so to speak... and yet it seems that so many people champion this movie as some kind of worthy treasure. SoS might be simplistic in racial relations, SoS might be stereotypical in some respects. But if you want a firm and strong POV toward how racism can really work on the silver screen...watch this movie, this horrific movie, Birth of a Nation. If there was ever a film that would show proudly the mind numbing tactics of these "educated" whites over blacks, it would be this film. You want to know what true racism is? See this film and you will then see what fuels the white supremacist movements of this day and age. Might as well call this movie the "Bible" of how to hate.

Rating:
Summary: What idiot crapped this out of the rectum between his ears
Review: Yeah...the klan will come and make amerikkka better. White people won't have to worry about blacks raping their "pure" women. And with such a high quality of inbreeding, the race will stay as enlightened as griffith. It's sad that people praise this film as some type of historic relic. It was merely propaganda used to scare white people (who already fear any culture different from their own)into thinking that black people would run wild once free. Why not make a film in 1915 about how brutal, savage and anti-christian slavery was and how mindless it is to think some should be free and others shouldn't. Just look at amerikkka today and you'll know the reason it is such an immoral place today is because it's leaders have been and will always be a godless people who worship money and inflict the severest forms of human suffering possible. There are 4 types of people in this world; good people, bad people, crazy people and people who try to appease the other 3 types. The people who made this are nuts and it's a shame that so few back in the early 1900's had any common sense. GOOD PEOPLE UNITE!

Rating:
Summary: What NATION?
Review: The "Birth of A Nation" is based on Dixon's "The Clansman", a novel and play that heroically portrays the Ku Klux Klan. The KKK describes itself, even today, as "the invisible empire" and "the invisible nation" protecting "white womanhood". The film is a glorified history of the "Birth of (the invisible) Nation"; the fictionalized history of the Ku Klux Klan. I rate the film highly because of how much it effected film history and American history.

The film was and is effective propaganda. Even today, White kids who see it a half-dozen times or more all the way through before they become teenagers would likely become racists for the rest of their lives. Many of the images have become part of America's collective imagination; especially the negative portrayals of Blacks. For example, without ever seeing the film, many Whites imagine southern legislatures during Reconstruction to have been as shown in "Birth of A Nation".

See the film on the good DVD with the orchestral music and what you'll see most of all is the POWER of film. When Dixon convinced Griffith to make the film, he hoped to revitalize the Klan. Dixon succeeded well beyond his wildest dreams; the KKK expanded from fewer than 50,000 to over 6,000,000. During the 1920's, 15-20% of the White male Protestant population joined the Klan. Except for New York and Chicago, politicians had to join the Klan to get elected to state and national office; for example, in 1925, nearly every Indiana legislator and nearly every state employee was a member of the Klan.


Rating:
Summary: A D.W. Griffith Joint
Review: Word. Dis film is da bomb yo. It's slammin' got plenny of comedie, actshun, and even some steemy seenes. If you lyke your movees long and HOT like Bad boyz II this is Da [...]!
Also I reckamend the movees 'Eight Mile' 'The South Park Movie' and 'Team America'
God Bless America!!!!! GO MARINES!

Rating:
Summary: important...but not very good.
Review: yeah, it's an important movie by an important director, so it's worth seeing for historical purposes, i guess. but it's not a very good movie, objectively speaking. the battle re-enactments are cheap and paltry; the camera work and editing is competent but not remotely artistic; the acting, even for a silent film, is laughably cornball. and for once the pc people are right: the movie is blatantly racist. it's basically propaganda for the ku klux klan. i don't know what "great message" the reviewer below found in the movie (he didn't bother to say), unless he thinks advocating a race war is a "great message". the end of the movie asks whites in the north and the south to band together to put down the evil black man. doesn't sound like a particularly "great message" to me, but i guess that just shows what a "hypocrite" i am (even though i can't stand spike lee's movies either).

if you are a film buff or want a glimpse of the kind of creepy propaganda confederate nostalgists were cranking out around 1916, take a gander at it. otherwise, skip it. if you want to see a great silent film, check out Carl Dreyer's "Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928). now THAT'S a masterpiece!!

Rating:
Summary: Great movie, great transfer
Review: Kino Videos's Birth of a Nation improves considerably on other versions I have seen. The film quality -- while showing its age -- is clear, bright, and is largely free of the digital artifacts that mar the budget offerings. The movie itself is, of course, a stirring treatment of the events surrounding the Civil War and has a great message. Extras are outstanding and include a number of fascinating shorts Griffith directed, also about the Civil War. In short, worth the extra outlay for this edition of a film that should be in every film buff's library.