Birth of a Nation (Movie Review Sample)

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The birth of a nation
Directed by D. W. Griffith’s in 1915, The Birth of a nation is one of the movies that have raised so many concerns for over a century. It has been considered by some to have been the start of movie techniques that have since been featured in different movies over the century. The movie tells the story of the Civil war and its aftermath, as clearly seen through the eyes of two families. However, the movie also uses so many filming techniques that have seen the storyline have a flow that is seamlessly for the audience. This paper looks at some of these techniques continuity editing, parallel editing, establishing shots, closeup shots, color tinting, and matte (Montano).
Continuity editing is used in the film in cutting shots so as to help the audience better gather what happening in between events is. The cuts were not meant as an interruption to the viewers but were rather meant to create a smooth transition from one scene to the next. A card appears in to give direction or introduce a character in every scene. Gus is captured by white men who were looking for him. A card then appears saying, “the trial” after he is captured. Gus is taken to trial by the Ku Klux Klan. All this is clearly directed by the cards that keep popping up. It would best be said that back then when people were not as used to watching films as most people do now and this was perhaps the best way in passing the information and keep the audience glued to the film (Dupaix).
Parallel editing is also known as cross-cutting. It is an editing method that involves the establishing of a relationship between two subjects by cutting from one to the other. Its most important effects would be the simultaneousness, occurrences of two or more events occurring at the same time. It is clearly used in the film during the scene of Lincoln’s assassination in the Ford Theater. It is used to increase the dramatic tension that existed in that narrative. The camera cuts through the stage, the president's viewing box, and the Stonemans. It has not just been used to help in building a story line. It has been used to bring out the elements of coincidence, contrasts, and dismemberments. It is also emphasized by the through these scene clearly to bring out the feel of the movie. It has been used in different movies over the years and incorporations and effects have always been achieved in the same way as back then (Lexicon).
Establishing shot is only defined as a shot that establishes the location of the subsequent action. It has been used by the movie to establish a place in the movie, techniques that were used would have involve mid shot, and then a close-up. Techniques that had for a long time not gained name and was not named until the start of 1930 's (Montano).
The use of closeup shot has regularly been featured in several films over the years and it is regularly seen in this film. Griffith uses this method in focusing in more subtle objects, in the movie. He uses this technique in directing the viewer’s attention to more important factor. An example would include the letter between the Camerons and Stonemans (Shafryna).
Color tinting has been seen in the movie. It has been used in the variation of the color as the movie progresses. Although the traditional color of the movie has always been the black-and- white. Early scene is covering south where being shot with a sepia tone, depicting a peaceful and harmonious life that has been associated with the south. Scenes that followed, however, have a harsh black and white as black soldiers fill the street making the clansmen come and try to break them (...