5 thoughts on “How Silent Fans Feel About D.W. Griffith”
You forgot America (1924), which is pure “meh,” save for Lionel Barrymore as the hamtastic villain.
But yeah. I saw Birth years ago and was thoroughly disgusted. It almost makes Gone with the Wind look racially enlightened. Apparently, there were rumors of a potential remake in the 1950s, but protests shut that down, thank God.
If you think about it, Gone With the Wind kind of was a remake of The Birth of a Nation–that is, they share some awfully similar things, but with the “freed slaves” aspect significantly dumbed down. I greatly admire the filmmaking aspect of The Birth–those battle scenes are incredible–but I’ll admit it, I can rarely watch the second half of the film.
Just a sentimental treatment of War Between the States. It’s black-and-white: freed slaves bad, Ku Klux Klan good. Technology used to perpetuate evil. That’s the problem, because visually it’s a very well=made vovie.
Haha! That is hilarious! I find Griffith an intriguing director but Birth of a Nation….was a film I could not help cringing at. At the beginning it was all right….even Lincoln’s assassination was depicted well, in my opinion…then it got sordid with the racism. I like your blog; I find it enjoyable to read. I nominated you for an award, if you don’t mind.
Silent-ology 
You forgot America (1924), which is pure “meh,” save for Lionel Barrymore as the hamtastic villain.
But yeah. I saw Birth years ago and was thoroughly disgusted. It almost makes Gone with the Wind look racially enlightened. Apparently, there were rumors of a potential remake in the 1950s, but protests shut that down, thank God.
If you think about it, Gone With the Wind kind of was a remake of The Birth of a Nation–that is, they share some awfully similar things, but with the “freed slaves” aspect significantly dumbed down. I greatly admire the filmmaking aspect of The Birth–those battle scenes are incredible–but I’ll admit it, I can rarely watch the second half of the film.
Just a sentimental treatment of War Between the States. It’s black-and-white: freed slaves bad, Ku Klux Klan good. Technology used to perpetuate evil. That’s the problem, because visually it’s a very well=made vovie.
Haha! That is hilarious! I find Griffith an intriguing director but Birth of a Nation….was a film I could not help cringing at. At the beginning it was all right….even Lincoln’s assassination was depicted well, in my opinion…then it got sordid with the racism. I like your blog; I find it enjoyable to read. I nominated you for an award, if you don’t mind.
Why thank you, don’t mind that at all!
🙂