Review of The Birth of a Nation (1915) by Toronto D — 17 Nov 2009

What a paradox! The film that inspired ALL films is also a blatantly racist, KKK glorifying epic. You may be able to come to terms with the shock value of the racism, now that we live in the era of the first black president, and view this as a portrait of an ignorant time that is hopefully long gone. If you can handle it, you will be able to witness the actual invention of film.

The earliest filmmakers, Eisenstein, Ford, Lang all were influenced by Griffith's innovations in telling a story on the big screen. There is the reaction shot, the sexy leading lady closeup of Lillian Gish, the cutting back and forth between the damsel in distress and the approaching rescuers, the recreation of Lincoln's assassination. I read that many of these techniques were not actually invented for Birth of a Nation, but Griffith compiled them into a cohesive story, like a musician taking random notes and beats and uniting them to create a whole new style of music.

Griffith was deeply ashamed of the racism himself, so I think even he would hesitate to give this movie 100%.