Review of The Birth of a Nation (1915) by Alex G — 26 Aug 2012

Divided into two parts, the first part of the film concerns the path of the Civil War and then into the second part, which follows Reconstruction when the blacks are freed and gain their rights. Controversy begins when the blacks are portrayed by whites in minstrel-style blackface and shown as all being angry, drunk, murdering, lecherous sexual deviants who aim to kill all whites and take over the south.

The "heroes" here are the KKK, formed to hold off blacks and keep the caucasian race in power. Extremely one-sided in its views, the film gives some great performances by its cast, but the lack of visual dialogue makes it near-impossible to follow most everything anyone is saying.

Still, an important part of early filmmaking considered an early blockbuster.