[Film Club] INFJf Film Club - Week 1: The Birth of a Nation (1915)

[Satori]

Hi guys! So, while [MENTION=13542]SarahBS[/MENTION] is completing her History of Cinema post,
she asked me to open the Week 2 Discussion thread.


To remind you, this week's topic is:

The Rise of Hollywood

Director in Focus: D.W. Griffith
Film: The Birth of a Nation (1915)

A bit of background regarding this period:

Until this point, the cinemas of France and Italy had been the most globally popular and powerful.
But the United States was already gaining quickly when World War I (1914-1918)
caused a devastating interruption in the European film industries.

The American industry, or "Hollywood," as it was becoming known
after its new geographical center in California, gained the position it has held,
more or less, ever since: movie factory for the world, exporting its product
to most countries on earth and controlling the market in many of them.

(Excerpt from Movie History, Filmbug, CC BY-SA 3.0, accessed August 2, 2015, http://www.filmbug.com/dictionary/moviehistory.php)



So, for those who already have things to share, start posting.

In addition, though we're focusing on Griffith, and his 'controversial' film The Birth of a Nation,
feel free to share other pieces of info regarding his other films, or make comparisons
between him and his contemporaries during this particular period in Film History.

 

[Breathlessangel]

I'm just here in the backseat for now to observe
Sorry I'm not contributing just as much
but i will join right in
if things are going well here for me..
for now I'm giving my emotional support.. ^_^
Go Film Club!!

 

[j654dgj7]

I'm watching it this upcoming week. I have an exam this Wednesday, so I'm booked up until then
Can't wait to see your posts!

 

[JJJA]

I'll join the club when you guys get to the 1950s (I may also watch a different but just as relevant film).

 

[Satori]

I'll join the club when you guys get to the 1950s (I may also watch a different but just as relevant film).

Sure, the more variety of input the better.

Why the 50s though? Out of curiosity...

 

[j654dgj7]

I've just recently watched City Lights and The Kid by Chaplin. What do you guys think of those classic films? They're two of my favorites. They always get me.

 

[JJJA]

Sure, the more variety of input the better.

Why the 50s though? Out of curiosity...

I like all of the eras, but the cinema in which I began to appreciate and study in great detail came from the 1950s and up to the present-day. It's an issue of personal taste. For the 1950s week, I shall watch The Bridge on the River Kwai, as I know that's one of the most important war films ever made, and was certainly unique and beyond its years at the time (1957).

I really like this idea, by the way. I am very much a film buff and consider it a hobby of mine.

 

[j654dgj7]

I really like this idea, by the way. I am very much a film buff and consider it a hobby of mine.

Then you should revisit the silent era!

 

[j654dgj7]

Hey guys,

Are you familiar with www.letterboxd.com ?
A friend of mine just introduced me to it.
You log every film that you've ever seen, and pick favorites among them!
I've already logged more than 800 films in a few hours! Jees.
Anyways, just thought I'd recommend it

 

[Satori]

I've already logged more than 800 films in a few hours! Jees.
Anyways, just thought I'd recommend it

Wow, that's a number! Thanks for sharing.
Let me see how much I have...

Btw, I just watched The Kid today, and I liked it.

What did I think...? Overall, I thought it was touching.
The bond between The Tramp and The Kid appeared very real.
That classic 'reunion story,' done in a simple, and sweet way.

Though generally not a fan of slapstick as I mentioned before,
it's easy to see why Charlie Chaplin has become such an icon of cinema.
The way he embodied that character, The Tramp, is just amazing.
He brought so much charm to it (The child actor was really good too).
No wonder it's hard to remove this persona from the real Chaplin.






Now I'm tempted to watch all the Tramp films...
Then again we still have Griffith to do.

 

[j654dgj7]

Wow, that's a number! Thanks for sharing.
Let me see how much I have...

Btw, I just watched The Kid today, and I liked it.

What did I think...? Overall, I thought it was touching.
The bond between The Tramp and The Kid appeared very real.
That classic 'reunion story,' done in a simple, and sweet way.

Though generally not a fan of slapstick as I mentioned before,
it's easy to see why Charlie Chaplin has become such an icon of cinema.
The way he embodied that character, The Tramp, is just amazing.
He brought so much charm to it (The child actor was really good too).
No wonder it's hard to remove this persona from the real Chaplin.

View attachment 24299

View attachment 24300


Now I'm tempted to watch all the Tramp films...
Then again we still have Griffith to do.

The Kid is an astonishing achievement! I love it to bits. It's a testament to his fortitude and hard work that he makes that film look so easy and smooth, when really the technology was still in its infancy!! Such a great plot, very emotional connection between the two, and just a great product of a very different time. It shows his social side, too! Nothing is romanticized. Being poor back then was no picnic, and social services and orphanages were brutal from what I've heard ...

I will go into more depth after Wednesday - my exam is really weighing heavy on me!
Have you seen City Lights? It's by far my favorite Chaplin film, and one of my favorite films of all time!

 

[Satori]

Haven't seen City Lights yet, but I will soon.
I'd probably watch all the Tramp films in between that and The Kid first.
There's no continuity to the story though, is there?

 

[j654dgj7]

Haven't seen City Lights yet, but I will soon.
I'd probably watch all the Tramp films in between that and The Kid first.
There's no continuity to the story though, is there?

There's no continuity, it's just the same archetypical character labeled "A Tramp"
Do see it, it's amazing!

 

[Satori]

So it seems that no one has done the assigned film :lol:
I suppose you're all busy, which is totally fine.

Well, let me admit, I was not busy, but...
I tried watching The Birth of a Nation many times this week,
but every time, I felt like I couldn't sit through it for 3 hours.
And no, it's not even the length. I could watch something longer.

It's just that I have difficulty understanding this film.
I'm not at all familiar with American history (yikes, :sorry: ).
So every now and then, I find myself pausing and then googling stuff
like who are the pro-union Northerners, and pro-Confederacy Southerners.
What is blackface? What is the Ku Klux Klan? I just can't get into it.
I'm not exactly sure why, cause I think I can enjoy foreign period films.
It was a labored 30 minutes (yes, that's all I managed :sad: ) of watching...

So...what do you guys think? Should we just appreciate the technical
aspects of this and move along? Or should we try another film?
(Or have you given up already, after 2 weeks? )


EDIT: I think I'm giving Broken Blossoms (1919, also by Griffith) a try...

 

[SarahBS]

Hello guys
oh yeah [MENTION=13909]Satori[/MENTION] I've been busy that I thought I would be!!!
I haven't tried it yet. Let me try watching some part today and then I'll tell you what I think about about it.

P.S: no gonna give up on this thread ^^

 

[Tin Man]

Hey guys,

Are you familiar with www.letterboxd.com ?
A friend of mine just introduced me to it.
You log every film that you've ever seen, and pick favorites among them!
I've already logged more than 800 films in a few hours! Jees.
Anyways, just thought I'd recommend it

Ok, that site is starting to depress me. I've ranked up to 200 movies in just over 10 minutes. And so many of them are not good movies.

 

[j654dgj7]

Ok, that site is starting to depress me. I've ranked up to 200 movies in just over 10 minutes. And so many of them are not good movies.

I know, right? I'm close to 1500. My life must be an empty shell.

 

[Tin Man]

I know, right? I'm close to 1500. My life must be an empty shell.

It's like Goodreads all over again. Stop taunting me over how I've wasted my life.

I worked it out and you've spent apprx 104 days watching movies. A life well lived.

 

[j654dgj7]

It's like Goodreads all over again. Stop taunting me over how I've wasted my life.

I worked it out and you've spent apprx 104 days watching movies. A life well lived.

Shit

 

[SarahBS]

Hey all
So I'm here again.I wanted to find a great deal of time to do this .but I guess 30mins a day will do it till Sunday
So sorry for the delay but we will start the next thread on Sun. (whether we're gonna change the process as [MENTION=13909]Satori[/MENTION] suggested or not -we're gonna start it on sun )