General Discussion

LeftinOH

(5,650 posts)

9. It's easy to see this film- I found it at the local library.

Tue Jul 30, 2013, 09:54 AM

Jul 2013

It isn't "one of the greatest films ever made". It is watchable, but that doesn't make it 'great'. It's difficult to believe that anyone in the last several decades has found this rickety-looking silent film (now nearly 100 years old) anything other than a curiosity. There is some interesting camera work with shadows and light, but nobody would want to spend time watching 'Birth of a Nation' except film students, fans of early cinema, or historians.

The writer is giving this film more attention than it deserves. Go with Buster Keaton's "The General" instead. It's based on real events, it's sympathetic to the South -but it's funny and inoffensive.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

18 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The Birth of a Nation: a gripping masterpiece � and a stain on history [View all] dipsydoodle Jul 2013 OP

It's a standard JustAnotherGen Jul 2013 #1

I watched both Ichingcarpenter Jul 2013 #2

My other major JustAnotherGen Jul 2013 #3

I wasn't able to make it through the whole film theHandpuppet Jul 2013 #4

A Fascinating Time Piece... KharmaTrain Jul 2013 #5

You don't have to go back 100 years JustAnotherGen Jul 2013 #6

We Live In The Age Of Subtle Racism... KharmaTrain Jul 2013 #8

And JustAnotherGen Jul 2013 #10

Life Sucks When All You Deal With Are Negatives... KharmaTrain Jul 2013 #11

I have no choice JustAnotherGen Jul 2013 #13

A Very Good Friend of Mine... KharmaTrain Jul 2013 #14

du rec. xchrom Jul 2013 #7

It's easy to see this film- I found it at the local library. LeftinOH Jul 2013 #9

My parents took me to see a screening of the film at a local museum when I was about 10. Aristus Jul 2013 #12

It's important historically, but it is embarrassingly racist duffyduff Jul 2013 #15

Birth of a Nation should be considered along with Griffith's follow up film 'Intolerance' Bluenorthwest Jul 2013 #16

Now the Tea Party uses it as a recruiting tool. JaneyVee Jul 2013 #17

K & R Scurrilous Jul 2013 #18