Painful Opening of the Cinematic Curtains.

Rating: 3/10 (25 January 2000)

I first saw BIRTH OF A NATION in a film class and I found it very hard to stay awake. That was 8 years ago. My eyes stayed open this time to witness a film of monstrous racism and an epic feeling of sympathy for the Ku Klux Klan. Of course, I know all of the significance and importance of the movie and how director D.W. Griffith invented the language of modern cinema, at least as far as the silents go. I must say that the influence, techniques, and legendary status of the picture goes out the window because of some idiotic ideas and horribly racist scenes that made my stomach churn.

Its a shame the first ever feature length film has few moments that can only be appreciated unless you consider them within the context of time. Filmed in 1914, there are massive crowd scenes, re-enactments of critical moments during the civil war, and even the first known depiction of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln (done quite well by the way). Griffith's huge mistake was to show the KKK as heroes and to sympathize with the Confederacy ideals of a Southern republic.
Word has it that Griffith was raised by African-Americans and even loved them. He pays them no respect or even any credit for anything in this miserable play on race. That's really the problem. Innovative techniques aside, Griffith must have never realized the pain that is surely felt by African-Americans today who must study this film or even see it for its renowned "importance". BIRTH OF A NATION is for buffs only and believe me when I tell you this. I could not look past the white actors playing blacks as drinking, jumping, would-be rapists in dark-face.
And what is with the "mulatto" who tries to create a black empire only to be foiled by the "glorious" clan members ? Griffith shows great empathy for the clansmen who look a lot more ridiculous in their clown outfits than the actors in black-face. I don't mean to sound like a civil rights activist (I am a white guy from the suburbs), but BIRTH OF A NATION is a document not only of the racism that existed in the 1800's, but also of the early 1900's. The first ever film to tell a cohesive story, feature-length style, should be forgotten. Luckily, Griffith was able to redeem his social image as far as history has written it with some more imaginative films.

RATING: *