In this deeply researched and vividly written volume, Melvyn Stokes illuminates the origins, production, reception and continuing history of this ground-breaking, aesthetically brilliant, and yet highly controversial movie. By going back to the original archives, particularly the NAACP and D. W. Griffith Papers, Stokes explodes many of the myths surrounding The Birth of a Nation (1915). Yet the story that remains is fascinating: the longest American film of its time, Griffith's film incorporated many new features, including the first full musical score compiled for an American film. It was distributed and advertised by pioneering methods that would quickly become standard. Through the high prices charged for admission and the fact that it was shown, at first, only in "live" theaters with orchestral accompaniment, Birth played a major role in reconfiguring the American movie audience by attracting more middle-class patrons. But if the film was a milestone in the history of cinema, it was also undeniably racist. Stokes shows that the darker side of this classic movie has its origins in the racist ideas of Thomas Dixon, Jr. and Griffith's own Kentuckian background and earlier film career. The book reveals how, as the years went by, the campaign against the film became increasingly successful. In the 1920s, for example, the NAACP exploited the fact that the new Ku Klux Klan, which used Griffith's film as a recruiting and retention tool, was not just anti-black, but also anti-Catholic and anti-Jewish, as a way to mobilize new allies in opposition to the film. This crisply written book sheds light on both the film's racism and the aesthetic brilliance of Griffith's filmmaking. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the cinema.

In this deeply researched and vividly written volume, Melvyn Stokes illuminates the origins, production, reception and continuing history of this ground-breaking, aesthetically brilliant, and yet highly controversial movie. By going back to the original archives, particularly the NAACP and D. W. Griffith Papers, Stokes explodes many of the myths surrounding The Birth of a Nation (1915). Yet the story that remains is fascinating: the longest American film of its time, Griffith's film incorporated many new features, including the first full musical score compiled for an American film. It was distributed and advertised by pioneering methods that would quickly become standard. Through the high prices charged for admission and the fact that it was shown, at first, only in "live" theaters with orchestral accompaniment, Birth played a major role in reconfiguring the American movie audience by attracting more middle-class patrons. But if the film was a milestone in the history of cinema, it was also undeniably racist. Stokes shows that the darker side of this classic movie has its origins in the racist ideas of Thomas Dixon, Jr. and Griffith's own Kentuckian background and earlier film career. The book reveals how, as the years went by, the campaign against the film became increasingly successful. In the 1920s, for example, the NAACP exploited the fact that the new Ku Klux Klan, which used Griffith's film as a recruiting and retention tool, was not just anti-black, but also anti-Catholic and anti-Jewish, as a way to mobilize new allies in opposition to the film. This crisply written book sheds light on both the film's racism and the aesthetic brilliance of Griffith's filmmaking. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the cinema.

In this deeply researched and fascinating study, Melvyn Stokes illuminates the origins, production, reception, and continuing history of D. W. Griffith's controversial film The Birth of a Nation. The 1915 film introduced many new conventions that would soon come to define American cinema, while it also drew large numbers of middle-class patrons to moviegoing for the first time. Though the film was a landmark aesthetic work, it was also a spectacle of unfettered racism, with a storyline that would inspire both bigotry and distrust. This indispensable account sheds light on both its groundbreaking formal qualities and its long shadow, twin sides to one of the twentieth century's most powerful works of art.

In 1915, two men -- one a journalist agitator, the other a technically brilliant filmmaker -- incited a public confrontation that roiled America, pitting black against white, Hollywood against Boston, and free speech against civil rights. Monroe Trotter and D. W. Griffith were fighting over a film that dramatized the Civil War and Reconstruction in a post-Confederate South. Almost fifty years earlier, Monroe's father, James, was a sergeant in an all-black Union regiment that marched into Charleston, South Carolina, just as the Kentucky cavalry -- including Roaring Jack Griffith, D. W.'s father -- fled for their lives. Griffith's film, The Birth of a Nation, included actors in blackface, heroic portraits of Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and a depiction of Lincoln's assassination. Freed slaves were portrayed as villainous, vengeful, slovenly, and dangerous to the sanctity of American values. It was tremendously successful, eventually seen by 25 million Americans. But violent protests against the film flared up across the country. Monroe Trotter's titanic crusade to have the film censored became a blueprint for dissent during the 1950s and 1960s. This is the fiery story of a revolutionary moment for mass media and the nascent civil rights movement, and the men clashing over the cultural and political soul of a still-young America standing at the cusp of its greatest days.

"Through detailed examinations of passages from classic films, Marilyn Fabe supplies the analytic tools and background in film history and theory to enable us to see more in every film we watch"--Page [4] of cover.

Prepare to journey into a controversial and tumultuous period of American history with Jr. Thomas Dixon's "The Clansman: An Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan." Delve into the heart of the Reconstruction era as Dixon weaves a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and racial conflict. Follow the intertwined fates of two families against the backdrop of post-Civil War America, as they grapple with the profound social and political changes sweeping across the South. Through vivid prose and rich historical detail, Dixon paints a vivid portrait of a society torn apart by violence and prejudice. Explore the themes and motifs that permeate Dixon's narrative, from the struggle for power and dominance to the enduring legacy of slavery and segregation. His portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan and its role in shaping the course of history offers a provocative and sometimes unsettling glimpse into a dark chapter of American history. Embark on a comprehensive character analysis as Dixon brings to life a cast of complex and conflicted individuals, each grappling with their own moral dilemmas and personal demons. From the fiery rhetoric of the Klan leader to the quiet courage of those who resist its tyranny, Dixon's characters resonate with depth and authenticity. The overall tone of "The Clansman" is one of tension and suspense, as Dixon explores the volatile dynamics of race, class, and power in the aftermath of the Civil War. His narrative is both provocative and thought-provoking, challenging readers to confront the legacy of slavery and its enduring impact on American society. Since its publication, "The Clansman" has been the subject of intense controversy and debate, with critics condemning its glorification of racism and violence, while others defend it as a work of historical fiction. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, Dixon's novel remains a compelling and provocative exploration of one of the darkest periods in American history. As you immerse yourself in Dixon's narrative, you'll find yourself drawn into a world of passion, intrigue, and moral ambiguity. His vivid storytelling and evocative prose make "The Clansman" a gripping read that will leave a lasting impression on readers long after the final page is turned. Don't miss your chance to explore the complexities of race and power in post-Civil War America with Jr. Thomas Dixon's "The Clansman." Whether you're drawn to its historical significance or its controversial themes, this provocative novel is sure to spark conversation and inspire reflection on the enduring legacy of slavery and segregation in America.

D. W. Griffith (1875–1948) is one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture. As director of The Birth of a Nation, he is also one of the most controversial. He raised the cinema to a new level of art, entertainment, and innovation, and at the same time he illustrated, for the first time, its potential to influence an audience and propagandize a cause. Collected together here are virtually all of the “interviews” given by D. W. Griffith from the first in 1914 to the last in 1948. Some of the interviews concentrate on specific films, including The Birth of a Nation, Intolerance, and, most substantially, Hearts of the World, while others provide the director with an opportunity to expound on topics of personal interest, including the importance of proper exhibition of his and other’s films, and his search for truth and beauty on screen. The interviews are taken from many sources, including leading newspapers, trade papers, and fan magazines. They are often marked by humor and by a desire to please the interviewer and thus the reader. Griffith may not have been particularly enthusiastic about giving interviews, but he seems always determined to put on a good show. Ultimately, D. W. Griffith: Interviews provides the reader with a unique insight into the mind and filmmaking techniques of a director whose work and philosophy is as relevant today as it was when he was at the height of his fame in the 1910s and 1920s.

In Uplift Cinema, Allyson Nadia Field recovers the significant yet forgotten legacy of African American filmmaking in the 1910s. Like the racial uplift project, this cinema emphasized economic self-sufficiency, education, and respectability as the keys to African American progress. Field discusses films made at the Tuskegee and Hampton Institutes to promote education, as well as the controversial The New Era, which was an antiracist response to D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation. She also shows how Black filmmakers in New York and Chicago engaged with uplift through the promotion of Black modernity. Uplift cinema developed not just as a response to onscreen racism, but constituted an original engagement with the new medium that has had a deep and lasting significance for African American cinema. Although none of these films survived, Field's examination of archival film ephemera presents a method for studying lost films that opens up new frontiers for exploring early film culture.

List of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsNote on Film DatesIntroduction - The "Race" in Race Movies1. "Green Like Me"2. Desiring Others3. Race Movies: All-Black Everything4. World-Improving Desires5. Fire and Desire6. The Body's Story7. Race/Riot/CinemaConclusion - Mixed-Race MoviesNotesIndex Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Over one hundred years since it premiered on cinema screens, D. W. Griffith's controversial photoplay The Birth of a Nation continues to influence American film production and to have relevance for race relations in the United States. This work challenges the idea the United States has moved beyond racial problems and highlights the role of film and representation in the continued struggle for equality.