D. W. Griffith the Master

Rating: 10/10 (29 December 1999)

The genius of Griffith is in full swing with this classic epic. Mr. Griffith laid the groundwork for cinema composition and structure. He was perhaps the first director to give the camera more movement and incorporate into the art form it is today. I realize that many of today's audiences would be offended by the subject matter but one must understand times were different. I believe the main point they were getting across was the ruthlessness of the carpetbaggers and other reconstrucionists imposing their will on a peoples' society and ideals. I don't believe Mr. Griffith was the terrible racist many think he was. This film should be based on its contribution to the technique and artistry of the cinema and not its political content.