Racist? Yes. Awesome and important? Even more so.

Rating: 8/10 (15 February 2006)

Directed by D.W. Griffith, and often credited as the first real movie ever made, Birth of a Nation is an amazing blend of action, romance, glory, and sorrow. It starts off right before the Civil War, introducing the characters: the Camerons (South) and the Stonemans (North). Their families are associated with each other in many ways. The sons from each family are "chums," the eldest son of the Camerons, Colonel Cameron, is in love with the eldest daughter of the Stonemans, etc. As the war rages on, their differences get the better of them, and become (for the most part) enemies. After the South loses (spoiler), the carpetbaggers enter the scene with their black puppets, making large black armies and basically black supremacy. In response to this comes the Ku Klux Klan, led by no other than Colonel Cameron. Yeah, Birth of a Nation is racist. It depicts free blacks as manipulative, power-and-woman-hungry, and subordinated ones as happy but dumb-as-rocks. Despite all this, it is a great movie. Even though it is silent, it makes one feel many powerful emotions. You're taken for a roller-coaster of a ride as you see friends die together, valiant charges, and love-stricken couples. Despite being silent (and three hours and seven minutes long), there was not a second I was bored during my viewing of it. A must-see for all those interested in film, and a recommendation for everyone else.
P.S. Anyone seen Apocalypse Now? If so, you know the "Ride of the Valkyrie" scene, wherein the helicopters raid the village blasting this piece? That's inspired by this movie, by a scene where the Klan saves the town from rioting Northerners, all while playing "Ride of the Valkyrie" in the background.