The Birth of a Nation

Dir: D. W. Griffith
1915

In terms of the cinematographic techniques employed within the film it is ground breaking and truly brilliant, but the plot and the film's suggestion that 'America's troubles originate with the importation of black Africans into America' (P. Gilroy) and the overall affirmation of white supremacy is clearly vulgar. However, a contemporary and revisionist interpretation of The Birth of a Nation is bound to conclude that the message of this film is lacking in both morality and taste. In light of such considerations, it would be all too easy to dismiss The Birth of a Nation as anachronistic, obsolete and thoroughly contemptible, factors that unfortunately cannot be justified by the film's pioneering and innovative use of the medium of film. 

3/5