Birth of a nation was seen by all of the important people of the time. That
includes Teddy Roosevelt who changed his political platform because of that
movie.
Stepin Fetchit may not have existed if Birth of a nation hadn't affected so
many people. It was also at the time studied by film makers world wide.
Still is. That is much more damaging.
On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 1:56 PM, Kelwyn <ravena...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I'll tell you why the dissemination of Stepin Fetchit is more insidious
> than "Birth of a Nation." It is more insidious because it is "benign."
> "Birth of a Nation" (1915) is one vile movie which, even at its height, was
> seen by relatively small proportion of the nation's populace (due to lack of
> distribution and movie screens available in 1915). Lincoln Perry made
> FIFTY-TWO movies between 1925 and 1976 - movies that had much more currency
> than "Nation" ever had. Further, again unlike "Nation," which became a
> cinematic pariah and was rarely seen, Perry's movies became a staple of
> early afternoon and late night televison in the fifties and the sixties -
> further disseminating the lie of "the laziest man in the world."
>
> Many more politicians and employers were polluted by Perry's fifty-two
> movies than by "Birth of a Nation."
>
> But, not to lose sight of my original assertion, "Birth of a Nation" is
> still a notable cinematic accomplishment - in spite of its content.
>
> ~rave!
>
> --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, "B Smith" <daikaij...@...> wrote:
> >
> > So the depiction of blacks as childish, chicken and watermelon eating
> savages with an insatiable lust for white women didn't do as much harm as
> Stephin Fetchit? Screenings of Birth of Nation directly lead to riots,
> racial attacks and murders and was used as a recruitment tool by the KKK.
> Sorry I respectfully disagree.
> >
> >
> > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, "Kelwyn" <ravenadal@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Apples and oranges. Still, a remarkable cinematic achievement. I was
> blown away when I saw it. Griffith practically invented modern cinematic
> language.
> > >
> > > Indicting Griffith for the rise of KKK is like indicting Samuel Colt
> for drive by shootings. Guilty as charged but, still, largely irrelevant.
> > >
> > > Me, personally, would be more inclined to indict John M. Stahl ("In Old
> Kentucky"), the first director to employ Stepin Fetchit as "the Laziest Man
> in the World." This image was waaaay more destructive to black people than
> anything in "Birth of a Nation."
> > >
> > > ~rave!
> > >
> > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, "Mr. Worf" <HelloMahogany@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Shot by a genius that was personally responsible for the rebirth of
> the kkk
> > > > and the racial stereotypes about black men, and mexicans that are
> still with
> > > > us today.
> > > >
> > > > On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 5:03 AM, Kelwyn <ravenadal@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Content aside, "Gone with the Wind" like "Birth of a Nation" is
> savvy,
> > > > > populist entertainment. If you are racially sensitive, avoid both
> at all
> > > > > costs as the narratives will suck you in. "Nation" is truly
> remarkable on
> > > > > just a technical basis. It is still a gorgeous looking film. D.W.
> Griffith
> > > > > was a cinematic genius.
> > > > >
> > > > > ~rave!
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Keith Johnson <KeithBJohnson@>
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > In terms of pure dollars, "Avatar" will soon become the biggest
> of all
> > > > > time. (In terms of dollars adjusted for time, sadly, I think "Gone
> With the
> > > > > Wind" is still the champ). The country-by-country breakdown is
> pretty
> > > > > interesting. Australia over thirty mill, France, Algeria and
> Tunisia, over a
> > > > > hundred, and ninety mill in Russia? Wow, truly an international
> hit.Â
> > > > > Even Turkey with eight million. But what's up with Syria: only
> eighty-seven
> > > > > thousand?
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=avatar.htm
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > ------------------------------------
> > > > >
> > > > > Post your SciFiNoir Profile at
> > > > >
> > > > >
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/app/peoplemap2/entry/add?fmvn=mapYahoo
> !
> > > > > Groups Links
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
> > > > Mahogany at:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
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>
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>
>
>
>
--
Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
