Review of The Birth of a Nation (1915) by Jacob B — 03 Feb 2015
When watched today, Birth of a Nation's blatant racism will shock and disgust beyond belief. When it was released it caused a skyrocketing of KKK membership and sparked numerous angry protests both in its favour and begging for it to be banned.
Yet however disgusting it is, Birth of a Nation is the single most technically innovative cinematic achievement ever made. Virtually every movie in existence owes something to it. Its many revolutionary innovations include the use of film and editing to create narrative, subtitles, night photography, tinting, panning, close-ups, parallel editing, and many many others. It was the first film that allowed you to relate to characters on a personal level, and the first to really harness the power of emotional manipulation of its audience.
Anyone who values film at all needs to see Birth of a Nation because of its utmost importance and revolutionary place in cinema history.
This review of The Birth of a Nation (1915) was written by Jacob B on 03 Feb 2015.
The Birth of a Nation has generally received mixed reviews.
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