The Birth of a Nation

The rightful king and forerunner of all narrative Hollywood tentpoles (never mind Gone with the Wind or Ben Hur), which in the span of 190 minutes both engagingly and unhesitatingly demonstrates and anticipates how classical narratives should and will guide and constantly hold the viewer's attention. In particular, the work with mise-en-scène and the cross-editing are perfect, and the final hour, when the story evenly builds up on three interconnected fronts, is a pure example of the director's ageless genius. It is undoubtedly the greatest and most inspiring work of the first twenty years of cinema, and as such it simply deserves a full rating. (02/19/2017)

A lot has been written about how controversial this film is. Yes, it's racist. What can do about it today? Nothing. You don't have to advertise it. But I would like to point out its cinematic qualities. The way some of the battles are depicted, executed, and of course filmed here is absolutely incredible. The camera here isn't just static and moves, which was quite innovative. But it's not just that. For its time, it's incredibly epic. Just a few years after Méliès, we see exterior scenes with beautifully wide shots, as well as excellent close-ups. Sometimes partial camera shading is used for better focus on a scene. The film is often edited in a way that adds dynamism to it. Certainly, it's not quick-cut editing like we have today, but for its time, it was truly genius. The way President Lincoln's assassination is depicted is absolutely breathtaking; it immerses you completely in the events of the film. Griffith and his cinematographer chose excellent camera angles that further enhanced the atmosphere. Moreover, those dynamic scenes with the camera on the carriage are really impressive for their time. Yes, it’s racist, but it’s still a cinematic gem. (01/17/2014)