Birth of a Nation

1915.

#44 / Unlisted

BIRTH OF A NATION chronicles two families - one from the North and one from the South - before, during, and after the Civil War.

Eddie: I think a lot of film historians put BIRTH OF A NATION on a pedestal because it was the first feature length film and the first blockbuster. But simply by remembering the movie, historians are giving credibility to the film's blatant misconstruction of history and malicious racism. The movie is tough to sit through, and I don't think it belongs on any list, let alone a list of the 100 greatest American films.

Sarah: Yep. This movie was put on because it was the first in so many ways. However by that logic, AVATAR should be on the next list, and we all know what a terrible injustice that would be.

Though the making of this movie may have made technical advances, it sets humanity way back. It is vile.

Why You Should See It: You shouldn't.