Cinema's Original Sin : D. W. Griffith, American Racism, and the Rise of Film Culture / Paul McEwan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McEwan, Paul, 1972- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Griffith, D. W. (David Wark), 1875-1948--Criticism and interpretation--History.

Griffith, D. W. (David Wark).

Birth of a nation (Motion picture : 1915)--Influence.

Birth of a nation (Motion picture : 1915).

Film criticism--United States--History.

Film criticism.

Racism in motion pictures--History.

Racism in motion pictures.

Racism in the social sciences--History.

Racism in the social sciences.

United States.

Genre:

History

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (244 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Austin, TX : University of Texas Press, [2022]

Summary:

For over a century, cinephiles and film scholars have had to grapple with an ugly artifact that sits at the beginnings of film history. D. W. Griffith's profoundly racist epic, The Birth of a Nation, inspired controversy and protest at its 1915 release and was defended as both a true history of Reconstruction (although it was based on fiction) and a new achievement in cinematic art. Paul McEwan examines the long and shifting history of its reception, revealing how the film became not just a cinematic landmark but also an influential force in American aesthetics and intellectual life. In every decade since 1915, filmmakers, museums, academics, programmers, and film fans have had to figure out how to deal with this troublesome object, and their choices have profoundly influenced both film culture and the notion that films can be works of art. Some critics tried to set aside the film's racism and concentrate on the form, while others tried to relegate that racism safely to the past. McEwan argues that from the earliest film retrospectives in the 1920s to the rise of remix culture in the present day, controversies about this film and its meaning have profoundly shaped our understandings of film, race, and art.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter One. A New Art, 1895-1915

Chapter Two. Film Art, Intolerance, and Oscar Micheaux, 1915-1925

Chapter Three. Little Theatres, MOMA, and the Birth of Art Cinema, 1925-1945

Chapter Four. From American History to Film History, 1945-1960

Chapter Five. In Search of Legitimacy and Masterpieces: Film Studies in the Academy, 1960-2000

Chapter Six. Race, Reception, and Remix in the New Millennium

Epilogue

Notes

Index.

Notes:

Includes index.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-4773-2551-4

1-4773-2550-6

OCLC:

1347026847