DW Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" Image vs Kino vs. Eureka

U.S. 1915

"He achieved what no other known man has achieved. To watch his work is like being witness to the beginning of melody, or the first conscious use of the lever or the wheel; the emergence, coordination and first eloquence of language; the birth of an art: and to realize that this is all the work of one man" - James Agee

“Classic or not, ‘Birth of a Nation' has long been one of the embarrassments of film scholarship. It can't be ignored ... and yet it was regarded as outrageously racist even at a time when racism was hardly a household word.” - Andrew Sarris

“It is like writing history with Lightning. And my only regret is that it is all so terribly true.”—President Woodrow Wilson, allegedly after seeing it at a White House screening. The words are quoted onscreen at the beginning of most prints of the film.

“The President was entirely unaware of the nature of the play before it was presented and at no time has expressed his approbation of it.”—Letter from J.M. Tumulty, secretary to President Wilson, to the Boston branch of the NAACP, which protested against the film's blackface villains and heroic Ku Klux Klansmen.

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DVD Comparison:

Image - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Eureka - Region 0 - PAL

Kino and Eureka screen captures courtesy of Pavel Borodin Thanks Pavel!

(Image - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Eureka - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Image Entertainment Region 0 - NTSC	Kino Video Region 0 - NTSC	Eureka Region 0 - PAL
Runtime	3:06:52 (bit shows with documentary)	3:06:54	3:07:00 (No adjustment for PAL)
Video	1.33 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.83 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.33 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.30 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.33 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.4 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes
Bitrate: Image .
Bitrate: Kino
Bitrate: Eureka
Audio	English (Silent) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)	English (Silent) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)	English (Silent) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
Subtitles	Inter-titles: English	Inter-titles: English	Inter-titles: English
Features	Release Information: Studio: Image Entertainment Theatrical Release Date: March 3, 1915 Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 Single -sided, Dual layer Edition Details: • 24-minute making-of documentary detailing the production of the movie with rare behind-the-scenes footage DVD Re-Release Date: August 14, 2002 Snap Case Chapters 42	Release Information: Studio: Kino Video (Griffith Masterworks edition) Theatrical Release Date: March 3, 1915 Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 (Griffith Masterworks edition, 2 discs) Sides: 1 Layers: 2 (disc 1) and 1 (disc 2) Special Feature: • 7 Civil War shorts: In the Border States, The House with Closed Shutters, The Fugitive, His Trust, His Trust Fulfilled, Swords and Hearts, The Battle; • "The Making of The Birth of a Nation" (1992); • Filmed prologue to The Birth of a Nation (1930); • New York vs. The Birth of a Nation: an archive of information documenting the battles over the films 1922 re-release; • Excerpts from 1915 souvenir book and several original program DVD Release Date: December 10th, 2002 Keep Case Chapters 24	Release Information: Studio: Eureka Video (UK) Theatrical Release Date: March 3, 1915 Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1 (It's part of "D. W. Griffith - Monumental Epics" 4-disc Boxset, but should be the same as single edition) Sides: 1 Layers: 2 Special Feature: • The Making of "The Birth of a Nation" (Produced by David Sheparrd, 24:00) DVD Release Date: August 21st, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 37

Comments:

The Eureka DVD image in this case is the sharpest. It doesn't have the sepia and purple tinting that both the Image and the Kino versions have, whihc I have been told is accurate (akin to the original - black-and-white transfers of the film are taken from 2nd/3rd/4th generation). The Kino and Image pictures are identical, meaning they used the same print and probably the same process, if Kino didn't just buy it from Image which would be my guess. The Kino disc has many extras (see above), but for image quality you will want the Eureka as well.

NOTE: The Eureka PAL DVD is part of "D. W. Griffith - Monumental Epics" 4-disc Boxset, but should be the same as single edition and the Kino can be bought as part of the 'Griffith's Masterwork Set' or individually.

- Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

(Image - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Eureka - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

Screen Captures