Dear Lorraine, Well, funny you should mention that because my first view of it was in Peter Lehman's class back in 1980 or so at Ohio U and it was the most god-awful dupe print shown at the wrong speed (24fps) and without music. Thank god for the fantastic T.A. who kept me from quitting the class. Times have changed!
There is no "perfect" version out because no one really has an exact idea of how it first looked (Griffith was notorious for editing that film over and over and over again until MoMA kicked him out of the projection booth in the 1930s) and the original score that went with the film in 1915 can be considered highly cliched now due to changing tastes. So as a producer bringing out the film (and that wouldn't be me), you're sort of damned if you do no matter what you do. However, Kino just came out with a BluRay version that would probably be even a better choice. And my choice? Not to show it at all. I don't care how influential it is in film history. It pissed me off in 1980 and still does. But if he does screen it, I'd dig up Charles Burnett's wonderful introduction to it for Turner Classic Movies (I can send you to the right person there for a copy) he did that explains why he'd never show it to his children. (Who are now grown men, so it was years ago.) Best regards, Dennis Doros Milestone Film & Video/Milliarium Zero PO Box 128 / Harrington Park, NJ 07640 Phone: 201-767-3117 / Fax: 201-767-3035 / Email: [email protected] Visit our main website! www.milestonefilms.com Visit our new websites! www.shirleyclarkefilms.com, www.comebackafrica.com www.ontheboweryfilm.com <http://www.killerofsheep.com/> Support "Milestone Film" on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Milestone-Film/22348485426> and Twitter <https://twitter.com/#!/MilestoneFilms>! See the website: Association of Moving Image Archivists<http://www.amianet.org/> and like them on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Association-of-Moving-Image-Archivists/86854559717> AMIA 2012 Conference, Seattle, WA, December 4-7!<http://www.amiaconference.com/> On Fri, Sep 14, 2012 at 3:37 PM, Wochna, Lorraine <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello all,**** > > ** ** > > I have a prof that wants a copy of Birth of a Nation – we have 5 versions > in our collection. He seems to think none of them are the ‘right’ one. > I’m thinking Kino is the way to go – but your input would be appreciated:* > *** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > The Birth of a nation [videorecording] / D.W. Griffith**** > > New York, N.Y. : Kino Video, c1993**** > > ** ** > > The birth of a nation [videorecording] / David W. Griffith Corporation**** > > Chatsworth, Calif. : Image Entertainment, 1998**** > > ** ** > > The birth of a nation [videorecording] / D.W. Griffith presents ; produced > under the direction of D.W. Griffith ; story arranged by D.W. Griffith and > Frank E. Woods**** > > Kino on Video, c1992**** > > ** ** > > The birth of a nation [videorecording] / produced under the direction of > D.W. Griffith**** > > Los Angeles, Calif. : Delta Entertainment Corp., c2004**** > > ** ** > > The Birth of a Nation, by Henry B. Walthall, Mae Marsh & Lillian Gish > (performer), by Gish, Lillian, Griffith, D.W., Marsh, Mae & Walthall, Henry > B., directed by Griffith, D.W. (Kino International, 2002), 211:08 mins > (accessed using Academic Video Online)**** > > But I may have to buy a new DVD from Kino? > **** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > Just checking which one is the ‘preferred’ production and/or is there > another production that I don’t even know about!**** > > Thanks,**** > > lorraine**** > > ** ** > > * * > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > lorraine wochna**** > > Alden Library, Ohio University**** > > Instruction Coordinator**** > > Subjects: African American Studies | English | Film |Theatre**** > > T: 740 597 1238**** > > http://libguides.library.ohiou.edu/profile/lorraine**** > > ** ** > > [image: Description: Description: film image for sig]**** > > ** ** > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of > issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic > control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in > libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as > an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of > communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video > producers and distributors. > >
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VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
