2015 marks the centenary of the release of the controversial, yet extremely significant American silent epic, The Birth of a Nation, by D.W. Griffith. Griffith is often considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of cinema having been credited with creating and perfecting cinematic devices such as the flash-back, the iris shot, the mask and cross-cutting. The Birth of a Nation covers a period of several years and is centered on the relationship of two families during the Civil War and Reconstruction-US era. Dividing friends and destroying families,... The Civil War is minor in its disruption compared to the anarchy which follows in the black-ruled South post-war. The film was released to great commercial success, being one of the highest grossing films of the Silent era, but was widely-debated and often condemned due to its portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan as a heroic force. The film is attributed to launching the career of Lillian Gish, who worked closely with Griffith for many years, and who was also known as ‘The First Lady of American Cinema’. Extras: Two short films by D W Griffith; The Rose of Kentucky (1911) and The Coward (1911) The Drummer of the 8th (1913) – short film starring future Oscar winning Frank Borzage (A Farewell to Arms) Stolen Glory (1912) – a comedy starring Ford Sterling filmed against the backdrop of a parade of Union Civil War veterans 1930 re-release title sequence and short archival introduction by D W Griffith Photoplay orchestral recording sessions Out-takes and original camera tests D W Griffith on Lux Radio Theatre BFI Southbank roundtable discussion (2015) A Personal Appreciation of Birth of a Nation by film scholar Melvyn Stokes Fully illustrated booklet with news essays and full credits [show more]
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Please note this is a region B Blu-ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play. 2015 marks the centenary of D W Griffith's masterful silent epic, The Birth of a Nation, presented here in a stunning new restoration. A cinematic milestone tells of two families during and after the American Civil War, recalling an era of divided loyalties and struggle for control over the Southern states. Condemned for its stereotyping of African Americans and its portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan as heroes, Griffith's film is also revered for its grand scale and revolutionary use of film technique. The original 1915 score was adapted and conducted by John Lanchbery
D.W. Griffith co-writes and directs this epic and controversial account of the American Civil War and its aftermath. It tells the story of two families, the pro-Union Stonemans from the North and the pro-Confederacy Camerons from the South, and the way in which they are both caught up in the turmoil which befalls a sleepy Deep South town when Northern Abolitionists threaten to outlaw the slave trade which has existed there for years. Things go from bad to worse when Ben Cameron (Henry B. Walthall)'s little sister dies at the hands of Gus (Walter Long), a black farmhand, and Ben dons a Ku Klux Klan mask both to avenge her death and to come to the rescue of his beloved girlfriend Elsie (Lillian Gish), who has been kidnapped by a corrupt mixed-race governor.
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