In the final analysis, both are poisonous to our portrayal in film, and both
are dangerous. I agree it's more viscerally disgusting to see a black man
participate in his own belittlement, but "Birth" was still way more subversive
than I think you're saying.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kelwyn" <ravena...@yahoo.com>
To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 4:56:28 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [scifinoir2] Re: "Avatar" Keeps Rolling on Worldwide
I'll tell you why the dissemination of Stepin Fetchit is more insidious than
"Birth of a Nation." It is more insidious because it is "benign." "Birth of a
Nation" (1915) is one vile movie which, even at its height, was seen by
relatively small proportion of the nation's populace (due to lack of
distribution and movie screens available in 1915). Lincoln Perry made FIFTY-TWO
movies between 1925 and 1976 - movies that had much more currency than "Nation"
ever had. Further, again unlike "Nation," which became a cinematic pariah and
was rarely seen, Perry's movies became a staple of early afternoon and late
night televison in the fifties and the sixties - further disseminating the lie
of "the laziest man in the world."
Many more politicians and employers were polluted by Perry's fifty-two movies
than by "Birth of a Nation."
But, not to lose sight of my original assertion, "Birth of a Nation" is still a
notable cinematic accomplishment - in spite of its content.
~rave!
--- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , "B Smith" <daikaij...@...> wrote:
>
> So the depiction of blacks as childish, chicken and watermelon eating savages
> with an insatiable lust for white women didn't do as much harm as Stephin
> Fetchit? Screenings of Birth of Nation directly lead to riots, racial attacks
> and murders and was used as a recruitment tool by the KKK. Sorry I
> respectfully disagree.
>
>
> --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , "Kelwyn" <ravenadal@> wrote:
> >
> > Apples and oranges. Still, a remarkable cinematic achievement. I was blown
> > away when I saw it. Griffith practically invented modern cinematic
> > language.
> >
> > Indicting Griffith for the rise of KKK is like indicting Samuel Colt for
> > drive by shootings. Guilty as charged but, still, largely irrelevant.
> >
> > Me, personally, would be more inclined to indict John M. Stahl ("In Old
> > Kentucky"), the first director to employ Stepin Fetchit as "the Laziest Man
> > in the World." This image was waaaay more destructive to black people than
> > anything in "Birth of a Nation."
> >
> > ~rave!
> >
> > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , "Mr. Worf" <HelloMahogany@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Shot by a genius that was personally responsible for the rebirth of the
> > > kkk
> > > and the racial stereotypes about black men, and mexicans that are still
> > > with
> > > us today.
> > >
> > > On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 5:03 AM, Kelwyn <ravenadal@> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Content aside, "Gone with the Wind" like "Birth of a Nation" is savvy,
> > > > populist entertainment. If you are racially sensitive, avoid both at
> > > > all
> > > > costs as the narratives will suck you in. "Nation" is truly remarkable
> > > > on
> > > > just a technical basis. It is still a gorgeous looking film. D.W.
> > > > Griffith
> > > > was a cinematic genius.
> > > >
> > > > ~rave!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , Keith Johnson <KeithBJohnson@>
> > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > In terms of pure dollars, "Avatar" will soon become the biggest of
> > > > > all
> > > > time. (In terms of dollars adjusted for time, sadly, I think "Gone With
> > > > the
> > > > Wind" is still the champ). The country-by-country breakdown is pretty
> > > > interesting. Australia over thirty mill, France, Algeria and Tunisia,
> > > > over a
> > > > hundred, and ninety mill in Russia? Wow, truly an international
> > > > hit.Â
> > > > Even Turkey with eight million. But what's up with Syria: only
> > > > eighty-seven
> > > > thousand?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=avatar.htm
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------------------
> > > >
> > > > Post your SciFiNoir Profile at
> > > >
> > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/app/peoplemap2/entry/add?fmvn=mapYahoo
> > > > !
> > > > Groups Links
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
> > > Mahogany at:
> > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
> > >
> >
>
