Terribly Well Done

Rating: Null/10 (24 January 2000)

I had the privilege of seeing this film recently in it's original film format. The artistry of this movie is incredible. As I watched it, I thought about how many shots could be done more effectively by today's means. Not too many, I'll tell you that. The use of tinting is a wonderful pre-cursor to Technicolor. What an innovative film-maker Griffith was. We owe a lot to this pioneer for "The Birth of a Nation" and his other early works. Motion pictures may not be what they are today had it not been for him.
That said for the technical end, many choose to instead dwell on the social and political aspects of this film. While there is no denying that this is an incredibly racist film, the fact that the message is so evident is what makes this a great movie. The goal of a good director is to simply convey their vision to the screen. That Griffith's vision is so looked down upon to this day solidifies this movie's strength. I for one was a little bit glad to see such a message on the screen. What better way for a 19-year-old Midwesterner in 2000 to know the actual mindset of the Civil War South and to see how the ramifications of that ideology were still felt as late as 1915? Were D.W. Griffith's view of African-Americans wrong? Absolutely, but I also think that this film's importance in film technology and it's ability to show that a Civil War mentality still was evident in the 1900s (there are most likely those who feel the same in 2000) far outweighs any controversy over censorship, etc. As the saying on free speech goes, `I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it.'
I for one commend AFI for picking this film for their Top 100. It must have been a tough decision, with the debate surrounding this picture. Yet, as film as an art form was still in it's cradle, "Birth of a Nation" lifted it out and taught it to walk, showing the world what impacts this medium could have socially when done well in technical manner.