After The Birth of a Nation (1915), shocked by the fact that people seemed to misunderstand the intent of that film, Griffith went on to make his masterpiece (and it truly is): Intolerance (1916). Here are a few clips from the film.
Trailer for the restored version of Intolerance (trailer)
Babylon Long Shot/Crane Sequence (tinted)
The Fall of Babylon from Intolerance
Entire Film: Intolerance.
In 1919 Griffith established the film company United Artists with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and William S. Hart
Overall, Griffith directed over 500 films. He retired in 1931 and died in Los Angeles in 1948. In 1975 his picture was on a postage stamp and all the world loved him. But by 1999, The Director's Guild of America's National Board renamed the prestigious D.W. Griffith Award (first given in 1953 to such directors as Woody Allen, Stanley Kubrick, John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock, Ingmar Bergman, John Ford, Akira Kurosawa, and Cecil B. DeMille to name but a few) because of Griffith's racism.
Please take a look at these clips and films starring one of his leading actresses: Lilian Gish.
Broken Blossoms (1919) (hey, Griffith wasn't just racist about colored people--here are some "yellow" peoples. Entire film (with Lilian Gish)
Way Down East (1920) (scene with Lilian Gish) One of the most amazing stunts ever pulled in cinema history. Please realize that these actors really were doing their own stunts in most cases. That water is cold and, yes, those are ice floes. Watch this short documentary clip describing how the stunt was filmed. Keyframe: Anatomy of a Griffith Scene.
Orphans of the Storm (1921) (Entire film, with sister Dorothy Gish)
Judith of Bethulia (1914) (part of the film with Lilian Gish; one of the first Biblical epics)
The Scarlet Letter (1926) (scene with Lilian Gish)
Now it's off to the lab to work on your documentary projects. Aim to complete these by the end of the week. See me if you couldn't possibly do that.
HOMEWORK: Please read the articles on D.W. Griffith, Studios, and the Edison Monopoly Decision (previous handouts) & the article on photography from Gianetti's book: Understanding Movies. Complete notes as appropriate and answer questions on the handout/sheet on photography.
Trailer for the restored version of Intolerance (trailer)
Babylon Long Shot/Crane Sequence (tinted)
The Fall of Babylon from Intolerance
Entire Film: Intolerance.
In 1919 Griffith established the film company United Artists with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and William S. Hart
Overall, Griffith directed over 500 films. He retired in 1931 and died in Los Angeles in 1948. In 1975 his picture was on a postage stamp and all the world loved him. But by 1999, The Director's Guild of America's National Board renamed the prestigious D.W. Griffith Award (first given in 1953 to such directors as Woody Allen, Stanley Kubrick, John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock, Ingmar Bergman, John Ford, Akira Kurosawa, and Cecil B. DeMille to name but a few) because of Griffith's racism.
"We do not fear censorship, for we have no wish to offend with improprieties or obscenities, but we do demand, as a right, the liberty to show the dark side of wrong, that we may illuminate the bright side of virtue - the same liberty that is conceded to the art of the written word - that art to which we owe the Bible and the works of Shakespeare.""If in this work we have conveyed to the mind the ravages of war to the end that war may be held in abhorrence, this effort will not have been in vain." - D. W. Griffith (1915)
--D.W. Griffith (1915)
Please take a look at these clips and films starring one of his leading actresses: Lilian Gish.
Broken Blossoms (1919) (hey, Griffith wasn't just racist about colored people--here are some "yellow" peoples. Entire film (with Lilian Gish)
Way Down East (1920) (scene with Lilian Gish) One of the most amazing stunts ever pulled in cinema history. Please realize that these actors really were doing their own stunts in most cases. That water is cold and, yes, those are ice floes. Watch this short documentary clip describing how the stunt was filmed. Keyframe: Anatomy of a Griffith Scene.
Orphans of the Storm (1921) (Entire film, with sister Dorothy Gish)
Judith of Bethulia (1914) (part of the film with Lilian Gish; one of the first Biblical epics)
The Scarlet Letter (1926) (scene with Lilian Gish)
Now it's off to the lab to work on your documentary projects. Aim to complete these by the end of the week. See me if you couldn't possibly do that.
HOMEWORK: Please read the articles on D.W. Griffith, Studios, and the Edison Monopoly Decision (previous handouts) & the article on photography from Gianetti's book: Understanding Movies. Complete notes as appropriate and answer questions on the handout/sheet on photography.
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