Perfect example of both the best and worst in cinema history....

Rating: 6/10 (12 January 2009)

The Birth Of A Nation is a silent film directed by D.W. Griffith that is well known for being one of the earliest feature length epics. As great as the film is in it's technical aspects, it unfortunately is even more famous for something much less admirable. Viewers beware! This movie is extremely racist. It depicts the African-American race in a horridly derogatory manner and regards the Ku Klux Klan as a heroic group that helped save the South during the Reformation years. With the controversial storyline aside, this movie is very well-made. The special effects and cinematography are masterful considering this movie pre-dated Gone With The Wind by an astonishing 24 years!! This is supported by elaborate sets and acting by early film pioneers Lillian Gish and Mae Marsh. And, to make up for being a silent movie, the soundtrack is much better than expected. If the controversial issues can be overlooked (which is not easy, believe me) this should be considered one of the greatest Civil War epic films of all time.