Are you suggesting "Birth of a Nation" is still being studied by aspiring filmmakers as a means of disseminating racism (instead of as a primer for constructing a compelling cinematic narrative - without sound)?
~rave? --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, "Mr. Worf" <hellomahog...@...> wrote: > > 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...@...> 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" <daikaiju66@> 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).Ãâ The country-by-country breakdown is > > pretty > > > > > > interesting. Australia over thirty mill, France, Algeria and > > Tunisia, over a > > > > > > hundred, and ninety mill in Russia?Ãâ Wow, truly an > > > > > > international > > hit.Ãâ > > > > > > 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/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > 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/ >