The Birth of a Nation

I'm trying to watch this movie, but it's kinda difficult due to the fact that it's silent. Has anyone seen it who could give me a general feel to the movie? If not, does anyone know of any good movies made from the beginning to the end of World War One? This is for a history project and I need to do an editorial in a newspaper article and I wanted to do it on The Birth of a Nation because everyone says it's great and we're doing something on propaganda, and I thought it would tie in well...It's due on Tuesday, 04.16.02. Can anyone pleeeeeeease help? Many thanks! -bows-

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You don't have to be sober to weigh spinach.

Maybe the sequel to the movie, Intolerance...Is it any easier or better? Maybe both? o_O
You can also IM me on my AIM sn, Falafel Fart. It might make things easier

I own both Birth of a Nation and Intolerance on DVD. They are a tough slog to sit through to be true but persevere. Griffith is very preachy and his themes mean very little to us today but his conclusions are very exciting - they are still a great example of using editing to create suspense.

Birth is easier than Intolerance which is very confusing. However Intolerance's ending is great, especially the modern stories finish - it's a cliche now but it still holds your attention.

You need an editorial. I'm guessing you're supposed to be a writer around the time Birth of a Nation was released and to comment on the propoganda that surrounded the film. Well, heres a few items. The film is very much anti-war propoganda which was successful at the time because the American public didn't want to join the war in Europe. Friends kill each other. Mothers lose their sons. Standard anti-war material.

More importantly was the anti-black propoganda in the film. The Klu Klux Klan were almost dead and buried before this film's release but they were resurrected by their heroic performance in Birth. Watch the end of Birth of a Nation and tell me you don't get a thrill when Ride of the Valkyries plays and the KKK storm the Black stronghold and I'll call you a liar. It's an enormously effective propoganda piece for the aryan community.

I'll help you out some more if you ask a few questions. But I'd prefer if you watched the movies yourself.

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I couldn't believe that she knew my name. Some of my best friends didn't know my name.

Okee, thanks. That was very helpful. I'll finish it. I'm still watching it.