Birth of a Nation Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

U.S. 1915

Nearly 100 years after its initial release, THE BIRTH OF A NATION remains one of the most controversial films ever made and a landmark achievement in film history that continues to fascinate and enrage audiences. It is the epic story of two families, one northern and one southern, during and after the Civil War. D. W. Griffith's masterful direction combines brilliant battle scenes and tender romance with a vicious portrayal of African-Americans. It was the greatest feature-length blockbuster yet to be produced in the United States and the first to be shown in the White House. However flawed, the film made history. In cities and states across the country, it energized the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which tried to have the film banned and censored. The film also inspired African Americans to move into filmmaking as a way to offer alternative images and stories.

"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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Theatrical Release Date: March 3rd, 1915

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Comparison:

Image - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Eureka - Region 0 - PAL vs. Kino (3-disc Special Edition) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

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

1) Image - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT

2) Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

3) Eureka - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Kino - Region FREE - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Image Entertainment Region 0 - NTSC	Kino Video Region 0 - NTSC	Eureka Region 0 - PAL	Kino Video Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	3:06:52 (bit shows with documentary)	3:06:54	3:07:00 (No adjustment for PAL)	3:13:25.833
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	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,813,916,376 bytes Feature: 45,391,773,696 bytes Video Bitrate: 25.85 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes
Bitrate: Image
Bitrate: Kino
Bitrate: Eureka
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	English (Silent) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)	English (Silent) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)	English (Silent) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 2059 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2059 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles	Inter-titles: English	Inter-titles: English	Inter-titles: English	Inter-titles: English
Features	Release Information: Studio: Image Entertainment 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) 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) 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	Release Information: Studio: Kino Video (Griffith Masterworks edition) 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,813,916,376 bytes Feature: 45,391,773,696 bytes Video Bitrate: 25.85 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video DISC 1 - Blu-ray • The Birth of a Nation, newly mastered in HD from archival 35mm elements • Music by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra (2011), in 2.0 Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 • Spoken introductions by D.W. Griffith and Walter Huston (part 1 - 5:57 + part 2 - 1:54) (including the newly rediscovered intermission sequence - and 1930 re-release title sequence - 1:22) DISC 2 DVD • The Birth of a Nation, restored by David Shepard of Film Preservation Associates in 1993 • Orchestral score adapted in 1993 from the original score by Joseph Carl Breil, in 2.0 Stereo • “The Making of The Birth of a Nation” (24 min.) Produced by David Shepard; Compiled and written by Russell Merritt DISC 3 DVD • Civil War shorts directed by D.W. Griffith: (Music by Jon C. Mirsalis unless indicated) · In the Border States (1910, 16 min.) · The House With Closed Shutters (1910, 17 min.) · The Fugitive (1910, 17 min.) · His Trust (1910, 14 min.) Courtesy of David Shepard; Musical setting compiled and arranged by Robert Israel; Performed by the Biograph Quartet · His Trust Fulfilled (1910, 11 min.) · Swords and Hearts (1911, 16 min.) · The Battle (1911, 17 min.) • “New York vs. The Birth of a Nation”, Archival documents pertaining to the censorship battles over the film’s 1922 re-release • Excerpts of souvenir program books Blu-ray Release Date: November 22nd, 2011 Thick Blu-ray Case inside a sturdy cardboard sleeve box Chapters 20

Comments:

NOTE: These Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino (3-disc) - Region FREE Blu-ray (November 11'): There appears to be both new tinting and more prominent tinting on the new Kino 1080P transfer of The Birth of a Nation. Although there are some instances where detail is obscured from being overly bright - for the most part - the Blu-ray image shows more detail and is sharper. Generally there is also more information in the frame - varying but on all 4 edges. I'm less a fan of the tinting but have to admit the image has plenty of moments where it is impressive - and surpasses all the SD renderings of the 3-hour film. There are still plenty of marks, scratches and minor damage. It is advertised as 'newly mastered in HD from archival 35mm elements'. I don't discount some contrast manipulation and it can look thin at times but overall I think it is a huge improvement.

Audio options come in the form of a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 2059 kbps or a linear PCM stereo track at 1536 kbps. These are exporting a 2011 rendition by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. I preferred the latter and it sounds excellent - wonderful piano and is a perfect fit for The Birth of a Nation. Sometimes there is a disconnect when audio is so far in advance of video - but this supportive track works in lossless. It's like seeing the film a fresh. Title-cards and intertitles appear original.

Extras on the feature disc include an oddly staged introduction by D.W. Griffith and Walter Huston in 2 parts as well as the 1930 re-release title sequence. These are short - more room for the 3 hour film - close to filling the dual-layered disc. There are also 2 DVDs included - the first with The Birth of a Nation, restored by David Shepard of Film Preservation Associates in 1993 and “The Making of The Birth of a Nation” (24 min.) produced by Shepard and compiled and written by Russell Merritt - as found on the previous DVD editions. The 3rd disc seems to duplicate the second disc of the 2002 Masterworks set with the Civil War shorts directed by D.W. Griffith - the souvenir program excerpts remain.

The Birth of a Nation remains an important and unforgettable historical document and I have never seen it look or sound better. It remains an impressive and draining experience - a journey that demands a position in any cinephile library. The Blu-ray is recommended!

***

ON THE DVDs: 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, which 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

Menus

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

Kino - Region FREE - Blu-ray

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Screen Captures

Kino - Region FREE - Blu-ray Title card / Intertitle Sample

1) Image - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

3) Eureka - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Kino - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Image - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

3) Eureka - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Kino - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Image - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

3) Eureka - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Kino - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Image - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

3) Eureka - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Kino - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Image - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Kino (Masterworks) - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

3) Eureka - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Kino - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

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Image:	Blu-ray
Sound:	Blu-ray
Extras:	Blu-ray

Box Covers

Distribution

Image Entertainment

Region 0 - NTSC

Kino Video

Region 0 - NTSC

Eureka
Region 0 - PAL

Kino Video

Region FREE - Blu-ray