The Birth of a Nation

Rating: 7/10 (22 February 2009)

I had heard about this film mainly because it featured the Ku Klux Klan, but I didn't know much else, so being in the book of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I was obviously going to see it when I got the opportunity. The first half of the film focuses on the Civil War, showing the slavery of black people, and the eventual abolition of it, and the equal rights movement seeing that they can join the war. The first part ends with the death of President Abraham Lincoln, murdered at a play by John Wilkes Booth. The second half of the film sees racism grow in the Reconstruction era, and the forming of the most infamous cult group in history, the Ku Klux Klan, who only care about ridding the world of blacks, and burn some crucifixes. The story is told mostly by focusing on families affected by the events, but the footage of Lincoln's assassination, and the riding of the KKK is much more prominent. Back in 1915 the film was of course considered controversial, and today, the impact of the film has not diminished, and even though it is a little shaky, black and white, silent, and three hours and twelve minutes long, it is certainly worth it. Very good!