Racism has been around since the beginning of time. Basically if you had a skin tone darker than the shade of white, you were inferior. Times have now changed, but there are remnants of this subject everywhere, even in film. The movie Birth of a Nation is considered one of the greatest films of all time, even with these themes. AMC’s Filmsite even has it listed within the 100 Greatest Films of All Time. Another movie with the some of the same themes is Blazing Saddles. Blazing Saddles does not have…

Problems with Birth of a Nation Birth of a Nation, a film written and directed by D. W. Griffith, that follows the lives of two different families during the Civil War and the hardships that they had faced. This film was very controversial for its time, and even during the current time period, with the issues of race being brought up during the majority of the film. This film was written during the 1920’s when pop culture was ever changing with the issues of race and gender. Birth of a Nation, was somewhat…

The reality of the world and the truth of it is questioned everyday, especially when something goes wrong. This is shown in the Truman show, when Truman finally starts to question the reality of the world and the truth of the people that surrounds him. So we need to ask to following questions to understand what the film is essentially about. Firstly, do we agree with the statement- We accept the reality of the world which we are presented? Secondly, what messages is the director trying to give us…

How Birth of a Nation reinforced Antebellum Stereotypes about African-Americans In the early 1900s, the movie industry in America developed the atmosphere filled with racial and political medium, which later became a propaganda tool for selling of brute caricature. Many will recognize the films titled Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith, which was very historical since its technological innovation embraced or portrayed all the anti-Black caricatures, and other brutes. Sing Griffin was a Kentuckian…

The Birth of a Nation, arguably one of the most ambiguous names in the history of cinema, is only about to get more complex and chaotic. The Birth of a Nation was originally the title of D.W. Griffith’s 1915 racist propaganda film about the rise of the Ku Klux Klan who “saved” the South from being dictated by blacks during the Reconstruction era when the North tried to rebuild the South after the Civil War. Now, that title poises a new movie written, directed, produced, and starring actor Nate Parker…

humiliating minstrel stereotypes which was first brought to film in 1915 by D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation. ‘Blackface' minstrelsy is a disturbing legacy that began as a tradition in the early 1800s on stage, with white actors using burnt corks to darken their skin and "allowing them to portray African-American slaves, usually as lazy, child-like providers of comic relief" (4). This eventually evolved into Vaudeville-style parody shows consisting of songs, dances and comic skits. This tradition represented…

The work of D.W. Griffith in the film Birth of a Nation was the blueprint for what we see in many of today’s films that we take for granted. He truly pioneered the use of line of sight and point of view many times in the first half of the movie. This was effective in developing back stories of the main characters and setting up some small but important plot lines like the future love story of the southern Cornel and his northern friend’s sister. This was done well with the showing of his hording…

Give a description of a scene that incorporates a more modern language of filmmaking via shots, lighting, editing. “Birth of a Nation” has a lot of scenes the movie itself is 3 hours long however in one specific scene D.W. Griffith manages to incorporate many modern filmmaking techniques. The scene in which Flora goes to retrieve water and is abruptly met by Gus incorporates many modern techniques. In this scene we see the use of close up shots to focus on character reactions from both Gus and…

Film, Birth Of a Nation Birth of a Nation was a film that broke several artistic boundaries in the film industry yet was seen as the most racist film of any generation. This has caused it to be a film under heavy debate since its release in 1915. One can never look past the racist depictions that this film portrays in it. However, to truly understand the film and explore its importance in the study of minorities in film, one must look at this film from all perspectives. D.W. Griffith…

important time for the history of cinema. With the implementation of appealing movie stars and extravagant sets, Hollywood had found a new formula for success in the form of blockbuster films. The Birth of a Nation, directed by D.W Griffith, being one of the first feature-length films of its time, was heralded for both its technical advancements and aesthetic appeal. Despite being criticized for its racist legacy, The Birth of a Nation, set what would become the new standard for Hollywood blockbuster films…