Not a favorite, but a landmark

Rating: 6/10 (10 November 2009)

D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915) is a solid film, but to me it doesen't translate as great. I believe this film is sub par for many reasons, granted this film was made in 1915 and grossed over 10 million dollars, but it seems that the beauty and art of other early silents is lost in The Birth of a Nation. Unlike Sunrise or other silents, The Birth of a Nation lacks the powerful cinematography and the undeniable romantic story. Griffith seems to struggle with the lack of sound, there are many subtitles inserted throughout. He also over zealously uses a soundtrack throughout the movie, something that seems unnecessary. Perhaps I am spoiled by the artistic creations of Murnau, but Griffith and The Birth of a Nation do not get me too exited. The stationary cameras, and the quick edits paired with non-complimentary sound gets boring in a 3 hour film. That is not to say that The Birth of a Nation was not an influential film. To create a 3 hour epic in 1915 was unheard of, people flocked to the theaters to see this film, it created controversy and it grossed over 10 million dollars. Overall I wasn't so impressed with this film, but it is an obvious landmark for movie making history.