Re: [MOPO] -Birth Of A Nation - (/11 - Oliver Stone

[Susan Heim]

Hey Gang,     I'm with Glenn. People's common sense gets less and less as time goes by.  It is sad to me that a film of such historical value, in many areas, would get shelved like this. As a society, we are all aware of prejudices and stereotypes, past and present.  Unfortunately, it is part of our history and everyone's history throughout the ages. More to the point, it is part of human nature.  A film, made 80-90 years ago, is of historical value. Do we begin to remove all books, fiction or non fiction, that were written in a different time period that reflected different values or opinions?  I still love a good John Wayne western but I view it knowing it depicts a time period in our history and, at the same time,  I can have my own personal feelings about our disregard of the American Indian.  There are a lot of movies and books that I don't like, either artistically or ethically, but I support the right for them to be available. I think you learn so much when you see something that is different that what you have previously known or thought. It opens your mind to other possibilities. That doesn't mean you have to accept them as your own, but at least you were open to hearing or viewing them and incorporating other's ideas into your knowledge.   I saw Birth of a Nation when I was a student at UCLA. For the time period, technically it is an amazing film.  It always disheartened me to know that D.W. Griffith died fairly nameless and poor. He was a great storyteller and, for me, that is what makes a great filmmaker. I consider the film a masterpiece of film history. So, when will it stop. Do we cover the statue of David because we want to outlaw nudity in public?   Stupid, isn't it.   Sue Heim ----- Original Message ----- From: Glenn Taranto To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 9:35 AM Subject: [MOPO] -Birth Of A Nation - (/11 - Oliver Stone I heard about this on local LA radio.   The funny thing was the guy who runs the theatre was very apologetic to "all those I have offended" but then when pressed on the issue he started to tell it like it is.   They were going to show the movie and put it in historical context.  It was more of "class" if you will then a screening.  There was to be a panel discussion. A point of his, which was very well taken, was that you can go into any video store and rent this film and see it completely out of context which he said, and I agree, is the real danger.   Not to stir up a hornets nest it's the same as Michael Moore's 9/11.  People can't put it in the context that 9/11 is just a film with a decided view point of the director as creator such as Griffith, Moore and Stone.  Anyone who looks at a historical film as directed by Oliver Stone and takes it as gospel is also shortsighted.   It's all a joke to me because there is great folly here but you can't reason with people's emotion. Just can't be done.    There is a complete loss of common sense these days on what is right and what is wrong.  I don't know how it's gotten as bad as it has...  A gradual progression I guess...   Glenn           ----- Original Message ----- From: posterdoctor To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 9:19 PM Subject: [MOPO] Question on LA film showing-Birth Of A Nation I was sent the following information about a cancelled LA showing of Birth Of A Nation.  Can anyone confirm that this is a true story?   Thanks, Danny / Seattle     The owner of the Silent Movie Theater in Hollywood canceled a planned screening of D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation after the Los Angeles branch of the NAACP and a group called the National Alliance for Positive Action vowed to picket the theater. Although owner Charlie Lustman had planned to show the film with a disclaimer stating that he does not endorse the racist content of the film but wants to honor its place in cinema history, the two groups had charged that the film would continue to poison race relations. Lustman said that he had also received threatening phone calls and was concerned about the safety of patrons and 92-year-old Bob Mitchell, the onetime leader of the famed Mitchell Boys Choir, who was to provide organ music to accompany the film. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.