The Birth Of A Nation

1915 movie from D. W. Griffiths. Seen as perhaps the fist proper film, one of the most important, perhaps, as the first, the primary narrative film and epic. The touchstone, a masterful piece of work. Also completely vile.
The narrative cross-cutting is masterful. Even as this film is obviously 'only' laying the foundations, it balances its omniscient narrative stance great pace for each scene. It rythmically allows us not to forget any particular line. The film increasingly focusses on the Cameron film, as though to draw us in on to an increasingly personal view.
The detail of the mis-en-scene is also incredible. The interiors are at once simple, not distracting, but each element adds new interest. Think particularly of the 'ermine' dress; a beautiful touch, not entirely necessary, but without having to introduce anything extraneous deepens our understanding. This makes the film not at all drag; their is a wonderful momentun, due to all the factors, in the edit.
Then we have the content of the film. Griffiths attitude is absolutely mystifying; how can someone who is clearly aware that he is making this film (the intertitles), go ahead and make it so vile? Charicature, dreadful cop-outs, nearly worse than unmentioned racism, because it tries to make an argument.
This does severely effect it as a film. At first it is a curiousity; watch how this happens. But then it, frankly, become sickening, because one has to constantly resist the cavalcade of ugliness. It breeds an aggressive attitude towards the film, and certainly makes one want to turn off.
This precludes it from being a great work of art, as it effects the form in the exhibition. There are endless lessons here, and for that it is sensational. But, once lessons learned, the film is best forgotten.