i must have seen a different film!!

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Blistering performances.

The first film to truly capture the visual language of cinema to influence the masses with its dramatics created through revolutionary feats in editing, cinematography and the use of music. But at the same time blatantly racist to the extreme that even though every cue in the film is supposed to be taking one side any sensible modern person will take the other one and would hold only disgust to the makers behind the film.

As a white young man, I am stuck in between on whether or not I am a racist for contributing the Birth of the Nation with a perfect score. Again, as a white young man, I am still a racist, no matter what. However, the point of this statement as if it's a racist for loving this film. This review intended to break down the reasons why I rated a perfect score to justify the fact that it didn't increase my view of myself as a racist. D. W. Griffin demonstrated his clear intention to direct this film to support the promotion of the Ku Klux Klan and the white supremacy. As a further matter, he was known as a Civil Hero who fought for the Confederate had rationalized his motive to be the director. It portrayed his pride of KKK for their accomplishment to bring back the white supremacy after the Civil War. He, indeed, possessed a gifted talent in his abilities to create a powerful influence in both categories (history and cinemas). In an aspect of the films, this movie took the first step to open the gate for the success in Hollywood. In other words, it considered as one of the most innovative movies in the cinema's history. Before this, the movie length of longer than one hour was unheard. The Birth of the Nation is probably one of the longest films (+3 hours), even in today's cinemas. Also, it's unbelievable by the fact that it excelled in nearly all aspects of production, including excellent acting and editing, in 1915. The Birth of the Nation is a requirement to see for the history buffs. It's impossible to find someone who could act like Abraham Lincoln better than Joseph Henabery. I found myself lucky to watch Lincoln (2012) before I could watch this or it would bring me a disappointment. For the history buffs, moreover, the Birth of the Nation reflected the accurate timeline in between before the Civil War and after the birth of KKK. It also portrayed the honest perspective of the society during these periods. Black Americans weren't allowed to be in the movies. White Americans took the floor as they painted black on themselves. I feel it's one of the positive assets to justify the progressive society by proving the White Americans clearly couldn't act like the Black Americans since the Black Americans have own unique attributes. The film of the battles in Civil War was marvelous. It's a 1915 version of the war film in comparison with the Saving the Private Ryan (1998). I still remember my reaction when I first saw the Saving the Private Ryan. It blew my mind away. In the meantime, I couldn't imagine how people would react to the Birth of the Nation in 100 years ago. No wonder that it contained a powerful influence to push further apart the gap between the Black and White Americans. It affected my curiosity about how much did it factor to the racial segregation. Yes, again, the reason for stating my curiosity is to indicate the effects of dominance in persuasion from the Birth of the Nation. I wish I could go on and on, but this review intended to reveal my viewpoint as a white young man. I insisted on repeating referred as a white YOUNG man because I'm still uneducated in regards to racism. However, it played a significant part to my willingness to learn and become a better person.My perceptions of the Birth of the Nation are meaningful to me. It gave me the better understanding of the society during these periods. The explanation of the birth and evolution of KKK was perfect. It didn't lie about the motives that led the KKK to oppress the Black Americans. The impactful moment was when Black Americans were finally empowered to include the politics. The pathway seemed to be reaching a light at the end of the tunnel after a very long journey, but the birth of the KKK prolonged the pathway in the tunnel. Black Americans were held back in every aspect of privileges in the United States. At the end of the film, it showed the celebration of accomplishments of white supremacy. Cowardly and selfish were the main impression that I get. It led me to my realization that the racism, sexism, and all the -isms started by the fear among White Americans with the full privileges. The reality of the truth gave me the realistic depth of understanding what went on in the society during the periods of slavery, civil war, and the birth of KKK. Looking back, the sign of progressive society is active, but the vigorous motives, such as cowardly, fear, and selfish, had slackened the progress towards equality. I disagreed with the conversancy that this film should be banned or else because I wouldn't want to stick with my state of mind before I watch this. It's, no doubt, an ultimate masterpiece of KKK propaganda. However, in my eyes, it had become one of the masterpieces ever in the education history. It's a must recommendation for my circle of friends to watch.

The Alpha Film edition was restored, but has no special features.The film claims the US became a disunion when black people were brought over here....ummm whose fault was that? The production follows the lives of the southern Cameron family living in Piedmont, South Carolina and the Stoneman family of Pennsylvania. Two of the men met while at a boarding school, afterwards becoming pen pals and eventually falling in love with each other's sister. When war breaks out they find themselves in battle against each other at Gettysburg. Later the Stonemans go south after the war and must join with the Klan to regain their "Aryan Birthright" against carpetbaggers, mulattoes, and Yankee blacks who dare to want equality and interracial marriage.Many of the stages were historical recreations and D.W. Griffith made sure you knew that with a sign. There was actually very little in dialogue. It would show you people talking, but you never knew what they said, rather the sign would explain the scene. The second half of the film was like watching my friend Sean Hannity, race baiting and outright lies. Only the Klan could have saved Piedmont from the incursion of the black man. Southern blacks fought with the Klan which contradicted their aims in the legislature where black law makers have their shoes off and feet on the desk, drinking from bottles. They passed laws to disenfranchise white people, make white people salute them, and legalized interracial marriage...about as factual as a Trump tweet.On the plus side Lillian Gish and Miriam Cooper were screen gems.The film is iconic including quotes from then President Wilson. Historically it re-energized the Klan membership because "truthiness" matters more than truth to some people.

Before you click no on the helpful button, you have to understand some things. Yes this film is racist. HOWEVER, a racist film does not instantly mean it is a bad film. In fact there are some great films out there that are racist but it uses the racism to help the story telling. This does that perfectly to the point where you see that this film HAD to be racist to get the message across. Now that we got that across, let's talk about more things I talk about that make me say this is, almost uncomparitively, the best film ever made. First thing to take in is the fact this film is 100 years old by this point. At the time, this was nothing like the world have ever seen before. Yes, films were a thing before, but none were more than a hour long and none were that good. This film was 3, barring 4, hours long. Not only that, but it captured things about basic film making to such a level that most people at the time, and a quiet majority of people today, are able to over look the problem mentioned earlier to see the art this film really was. At the time, this film made over a hundred million dollars in the first year of release. Adjusted for inflation, that means this film had made nearly 2.5 billion dollars at least. Until Gone With the Wind came out, this was by far the highest grossing film of history. I have seen this film five times and it gets better with every viewing. Every second is amazingly made, the over arching theme of the film, while gross and disgusting, at the time didn't offend as many people. Also the theme of the film really captured how some people felt at the time. But the film making of this is so well done and seen that the theme of the film is actually, in some cases, quite interesting. If you are somebody who just not stand the racism part of this movie, only watch the first part. Most people I have asked that had a problem told me that the first half was pretty good and tolerable, it was just the second part that bothered them. There was tons of effort and love put into this film on all cast members. This film was made on a budget of 100,000 dollars and you can see how well that money was spent. The costumes, the camera work, the music, and the lighting are all so well done and parts of it still hold up amazingly. I'm not somebody promoting the fact that this film revived the KKK, or the fact that this film is propaganda, I am being realistic and looking at the film itself and the impact it made. Gone With the Wind was inspired by this movie. That was the first film that finally broke Births record at the box office and what many people consider to be a modern day masterpiece. Yes, this film also revived the KKK. Which was honestly the worst part of this film. HOWEVER, that was not the films meaning. The film was about the directors feelings of the KKK and how he thought they were heroes. He had no intention of reviving them. So it's not even the films fault. Most people say this following statement: This is the first true movie that started everything. Birth of a Nation is what every film in the past hundred years owes its quality to. Good or bad. Like it or dislike it, Birth of a Nation is a film that is staying forever. This statement is completely true. Every single word of it. Honestly, even if you never see this movie or don't have the courage of seeing the second half, you need to over look the racism and accept that this film, for everything it did and for the time, this is the greatest film ever made. The next best movie ever made, and it's a close one, is Intolerance that came out the next year by the same director. I hope I brought some new light to the matter.