I watched Birth of a Nation for the first time in my life in a class I'm taking called "History of Film" and I gotta say it is really good despite it's racism and stereotypes of races.

It's funny to see the KKK completely glamorfied and made to look like this secret band of vigilantes, I guess this is how all KKK members see it in their eyes.

Now despite it's extremely contraversial racist plot the cinematography is the best of the best. All of the wide shots and angle shots were done so perfectly not even Speilberg could top it, well maybe he can lol.

So what is your opinion? Do you see Birth of a Nation as an example of good cinematography, or is it more than that and should never see the light of day again for it's hateful crimes against African-Americans?

I have a paper due on monday and I just need some help writing it out, and seeing that many of you on here are movie-buffs could you lend me your opinion to help make my descision?

 

the film was made in 1915 a time in which there were many Civil war vets still alive although elderly, and racism was nearly the norm in many places in this country and especially the deep south and obviously there is no way such a film could or would be made today but then they could get away with such a slanted portrayal, it is an excellent example of early film making and reflects the times in which is was made and for that reason it rarely sees the light of day due to controversial nature of its content heck its original name was "The Clansman" so as good as its cinematography is it will always be overshadowed by the subject matter

 

Well, actually it's a semester class for 11th and 12th graders in the high school I go to lol. I know a pretty good amount of it but I just wanna hear some of your opinions   hell I've met all kinds of people on this board from your average geek to scientists, I wouldn't be surprised if someone on here had a great passion for film  

It's only a two page paper, minimum 7 paragraphs. Of course being the cheating bastard I am I always put the font size at 14 and double space LOL

 

they should burn every copy of that movie

that happens to be one of the 2 hot buttons i got to my person

the other being animal abuse

i will not toelrate either one in my family at all

i don't care who the other person is, what side of the family they are from or how colesely or distantly related they are to my person

if that other person prroves to be a unrepentent racist i can and will disown any and all such relatives in the family with out so much asa second thought on the matter

 

/\This

But the movie is only liked because it pioneered many of the effects you see in today's films, not for it's racist content. I find it extremely offensive yet funny (Funny as in stupidity) in the sense that they portray the KKK as complete heros.

I have two options to write this paper on, I can write it on how Birth of a Nation is a good film or a bad film. I think I'm gonna do a little of both  

 

I understand your reasoning, but nothing should be burned, it's proof of belief during that time period and of historical signifigance. So years later our ancestors will see how things used to be, how far they have come, and how not to act. It just needs a proper label.

 

Its an technically important and groundbreaking movie, but its content is obviously a product of its time.

As for whether it should be locked away forever or destroyed, absolutely not. The film and the attrocious attitudes it reflects are a part of history and if people can't accept that, they can just not watch it. Trying to pretend that it didn't happen or denying it as a historical document to future generations just because its offensive to people today would be just as ignorant as the film itself.

If we hide the evidence of our mistakes now, how will we know not to repeat them later?

 

This. So much this. It's funny that people today still believe in this way of life, just from the color of our skin. Whats even funnier is that those KKK members who think black people are primitive are the real primitive ones (Incest, believing in creationism, I really could go on).

Whats also funny about what you mentioned about the Earthi is that people still believe in a flat Earth and the Sun revolves around it:
The Flat Earth Society
I got banned from arguing with the administraitor (Who is the most stuck up snobby thick headed person you could meet) because I offended him, with scientific FACT. I posted a link to them on 4Chan and they got hacked a few weeks ago. Everyone's account pretty much got deleted hehehe  

But back on topic, what you stated is so true. It's a part of history and definetley describes the opinions of people of that period of time.

 

AKIA

 

Uh, what Nachtsider? lol

I think racism today lost it's meaning, especially after the failed attempt at claiming Skids and Mudflap were racist. Hell, someone got all worked up about the trailer for Left 4 Dead 2 because there were a few black zombies that were killed. Give me a break,every ethnic group in that trailer had someone portrayed as a zombie. Bleh, people are way too oversensitive today.

 

Please don't, as you have no idea what you're talking about.

At least you're an admitted troll. Congrats 

Failed attempt? Huh, didn't know that opinions (not mine) about films are attempts. But you know what the thing about people being so senitive about race is? We're so desperate to ignore and pretend that it no longer exists, that we fail to realise just how prevelant and a part of modern culture it continues to be. You can't ignore or destroy racism. You can only attempt to understand it.

 

this! and as Sir Winston Churchill put it "Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it " we need to accept that dark era in our country's past and learn from it and not repeat the mistakes made then

 

1.Oh please I watched a documentary on these 'tards, they're complete rednecks, all of them. I wouldn't be surprised as I'm typing this they're burning a cross or fucking their female relatives.

2. I wasn't trolling, I was debating with the administraitor who believes in this flat-earth bullshit. He got all offended and starting whining, threatening to ban me, and he did. I'm glad his fucking shitty forum got hacked, he deserved it. People take "Freedom of Speech" a little too seriously these days.

3. There was no racism involved, all these self-righteous 'tards (Especially on IMDb, ugh) got offended by two robots who they thought were black people, which is obviously complete bullshit. Racism exists today, but what is thought to be racist is overexaggerated and completely mis-understood.

If ROTF was truley racist, wouldn't all blacks in the movie be portrayed as idiots? It's called character and personality. Christ there could be ten thousand idiotic white people shoved on a boat and blown the hell up, but when one idiotic black guy gets hit by a car and dies a whole shit storm brews. Skids and Mudflap are robots who came to Earth and adapted with its inhabitant's culture. Being kids, they took on the personalities of kids today (Between ages 14-19).

Opinions aren't right nor wrong, but they can be in the eyes of others. So in my eyes, the whole racist debate with ROTF was an epic fail.

 

 . I hate the whole concept of the KKK but... really?

So because you disagree with him, and the fact that he obviously cannot defend his believes logically, he deserves to have his property ruined? Sweet.

Wow... simply wow...