Racism part of sad heritage

Rating: Null/10 (3 August 2000)

Beauty and splendor grace the first part of this film, from the powerful reconstruction of the civil war to Lincoln's assassination. I love how Griffith lingers on his images, many of them are like well composed paintings. Even taking time on Lillian Gish's face.
Then the film moves into a section rather uncomfortable to watch: Reconstruction not how it was, but as a white supremacist would want us to think: Blacks taking over the South and being rather impolite about it.
BIRTH OF A NATION is an important historic work because the disease of racism isn't North or South: it is America. Everyone should see this film, understand the context of when it was made, learn its contribution to film as an art form, but also see it as a hateful piece of propaganda.
Hiding this film in the cellar with your crazy uncle is not the solution.. Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.