Birth of a Nation Blog

Film Blog 2- Birth of a Nation

            The D.W. Griffith directed film “Birth of a Nation,” is considered a classic by critics for a number of different reasons. This film, directed and produced in 1914, was one of the earliest feature length films in the United States. This film also used many different advanced camera techniques never before seen in any film, let alone of film of its length and design.

            Despite the fact that “Birth of a Nation” is a silent film, D.W. Griffith utilized a number of different innovative narrative techniques never before seen to draw the audience in on a much more captivated level. “Birth of a Nation” is considered to be the very first Blockbuster film in the United States, and prior to the release of “Birth of a Nation,” films had been less than an hour long, which is specifically why this film is considered to be one of the earliest of “feature length.”

            “Birth of a Nation” is likely the first film to be met with the level of criticism that it was. The film was originally entitled “The Clansman,” and it depicted southern, pre-civil war slavery in semi-positive, nonthreatening light, while simultaneously depicting the Ku Klux Klan as heroic. The film is later subject to much criticism for exacerbating the ideologies of slavery and racism. As an aside, however, this criticism had little effect of the box office success of the film. In one interview regarding the financial prosperity of “Birth of a Nation,” Lillian Gish, lead actress of the film remarked, “They lost track of the money it made.”

            Whether or not the aim of D.W. Griffith with “Birth of a Nation” was to outright perpetuate racism and prejudice is highly debatable. The ideologies portrayed in this film were shared by many at the time, and this portrayal may have been more of a depiction of common American understanding and behavior more than it was a hate film.

            Regardless of the intention of the film through its intolerant undertones, the film was met by an immense amount of criticism from a number of different groups including the NAACP. The NAACP tried to have the cease the showing of this film, and were successful in some cities. No matter the level of criticism, however, this film is widely renowned and successful for its impact on the film industry.

            In the spirit of a true artist, D.W. Griffith combated the criticism of his work not with words in a series of interviews, but a second film. In 1916, Griffith released a film entitled “Intolerance,” where it is understood that he is responding to the criticism surrounding “Birth of a Nation.” In this film, considered one of the greatest masterpieces in silent film, Griffith shows the effects of Intolerance from four simultaneous subplots within “Intolerance.” The interpretations of its message are vast, but Griffith is essentially illustrating the effects Intolerance can have from any direction, and that it’s foolish to be so one-sighted.

            “Birth of a Nation” was the first Blockbuster, one of the very first feature-length films, and produced a huge amount of money in the box office. This film was also perhaps the earliest source of controversy in the film industry, and paved the way for more directors to speak their minds and get their messages across in their films, regardless of the consequences. The technological advancements combined with the unprecedented magnitude and length of this film along with the introduction of “pushing the envelope” socially, are what make “Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith a classic.