Tom Barnes's Blog: Tom's 'RocktheTower' Blog - Posts Tagged "d-w"
D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation
This Week:
Let's Go to the Movies
Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone – Excerpt Doc confronts his lawyer.
Writers Notebook: John Steinbeck – Anxious moments.
Let's Go to the Movies
Hollywood Silents 1914-1929 Part 5
D.W. Griffith's broad story concept for Birth of a Nation was not the only new innovation he had planned for the film. Working with his long time cameraman Billy Bitzer they started from day one of the production to implement film making concepts never used before. Camera angles, jump cuts, closeups, fades, lighting effects, and many other technical effects that were unheard of then, but common place today.
Griffith had hired a large cast that was about as talented and versatile as any cast you'll ever find in motion picture history.
The names given star billing in Variety's review were Henry B. Walthall, Miriam Cooper, Mae Marsh, Lillian Gish, Donald Crisp and Raoul Walsh. The cast list is long and here are a few more names that would become familiar to the public in the next few years, some in front of the camera, others back of the camera. Wallace Reid, Monte Blue, Josephine Crowell, John Ford, William Freeman, Howard Gaye, Joseph Henaberry, Jennifer Lee, Elmo Lincoln, Walter Long, Bessie Love and Erich Von Stroheim among them.
The shooting schedule took up the last half of 1914 and the costs mounted to more than $112,000.00 – Variety reported it to be $300,000.00.
Any producer today will tell you that the pockets never run deep enough to satisfy everyone and so it was with Birth of a Nation.
The original financing was put up by the Mutual Company, but as weeks ran into months without an end in sight and costs continuing to rise the Mutual directors instructed their president Harry Aitken to cancel the companies participation or assume the investment himself. Aitken did the latter, and he along with Griffith and the Reverend Dixon, the writer of the book, formed the Epoch Producing Company to handle this one exceptional film. It was no easy task and the group had to scramble to round up money in order to make payroll.
But they did complete the picture and once the editing was finished and titles set in place they had a print made and began showing the film to selected audiences in order to get feedback. There was some grumbling about the length, and others had political questions about some of the scenes depicting the post Civil War Reconstruction period. However, that being said, there was an overwhelming majority of positive feedback and enthusiasm for the film.
Griffith had an unprecedented film in size and scope and that alone set up a problem. The picture took up twelve reels and that begged the question for distribution, who could they get to distribute the film? The picture wouldn't fit into any of the regular channels of distribution. How could anyone put up front money at risk to pay the kind of rent they would have to charge?
To solve the short term problem their company Epoch would have to take charge. They rented Clune's Auditorium a 2,600 seat house in Los Angeles. And on the night of February 3, 1915 D.W. Griffith's film Birth of a Nation had its World Premiere.
The audience went crazy over the film and from that opening night Birth of A Nation took on a life of its own.
The show business magazine Variety reviewed the film after its New York opening at the Liberty Theater on March 3, 1915 and their reviewer pronounced Birth of a Nation as the last word in picture making.
'...The story involves: The Camerons of the south and the Stonemans of the north and Silas Lynch, the mulatto Lieutenant-Governor; the opening and finish of the Civil War; the scenes attendant upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln; the period of carpet-bagging days and Union reconstruction following Lee's surrender; and the terrorizing of the Southern whites by the newly freed blacks and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan . All these including some wonderfully well staged battle scenes taken at night are realistically; graphically and most superbly depicted by the camera.'
'...The battle scenes are wonderfully conceived, the departure of the soldiers splendidly arranged, and the death of the famous martyred president deftly and ably handled. Henry Walthall makes a manly, straightforward character of the 'Little Colonel' and handles his big scenes most effectively. Mae Marsh as the pet sister does some remarkable work as the little girl who loves the South and loves her brother. Ralph Lewis is splendid as the leader of the House who helps Silas Lynch rise to power. George Siegmann gets all there can be gotten out of the despicable character of Lynch. Walter Long makes Gus, the renegade negro, a hated much despised type, his acting and makeup being complete.'
'The Birth of a Nation is said to have cost $300.000.00.'
(To be continued)
'Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone' Excerpt:
'Doc was alert to everything that was going on in the courtroom and after one week of testimony he was not pleased with what he had seen. Some of the facts were coming out, but they were being shaped by the prosecution. He felt that the defense team needed to take a more aggressive stance. And as they were leaving the courthouse Doc collared T. J. Drum and said, "I need to talk to you, T. J."
The chubby lawyer gave Doc a questioning look. "Why not stop someplace and have a cup of coffee."
Doc rolled a cigarette, lit it and said, "No, I can say what's on my mind while we walk to the hotel."
"All right," T. J. shook his head. "Sounds ominous."
"No, but it is important. At least it is to Wyatt and his brothers and me," Doc drawled. "It's something that I believe is missing in our defense."
T.J. Drum scratched his head. "I don't understand."
"That's exactly what I'm getting at." Doc grinned at his own thought; maybe T.J’s word "ominous" was a fair assessment. Then he said anxiously, "They are about to hang us -- and from what I can see in the courtroom, you and Tom Fitch are either sleepwalking or you are just not taking this hearing seriously.”
"Now, Doc, that isn't fair," T. J., sputtered.
"I didn't say it to be fair. The prosecution is not being fair. They have a lineup of witnesses that are not only obscuring the facts, but about half of their testimony has been outright lies. And it seems to me, that you and Tom are willing to let those lies stand as truth." Doc hesitated, and then lashed out, "When, in God's name, do you plan to challenge them?"
T. J. was visibly shaken, but took some time thinking over his position before saying, "Well, our strategy is to round up strong witnesses and mount our main defense based on their testimony." They walked some distance in silence before T. J. continued, "You know something, Doc. You have given me an idea. Maybe we should be treating this hearing like a trial and be more aggressive.”
Doc took a deep breath. "Sounds good to me, T. J."
"Doc, if your plan was to stoke up the fire," the lawyer said jovially, "then by golly you might have just succeeded."
They smiled, shook hands and walked into the hotel where they joined Wyatt and his older brother James, Tom Fitch and Colonel Herring in Virgil Earp's room. The defense strategy meeting was already in progress.
Virgil, propped himself up on one elbow and said with some anxiety, "We just found out a brother of the McLowry's got into town last night and it sounds like he's gonna cause some trouble."
Wyatt asked, "What kind of trouble, Virg?"
"Will McLowry is a lawyer. Came all the way out from Ft. Worth and he's done huddled with Ike Clanton's attorneys." Virg looked at Wyatt with a pained expression. "From what we know, he's slick. First thing he wants to do is revoke the bail on you and Doc."
"Can he do that?" Doc asked.
Col. Herring scratched his head. "Don't make any bets either way."
During that meeting the decision was also made that Virgil and Wyatt would testify, Doc and Morg would not. Doc was sure that he would make a good witness. But on the other hand he was aware that the prosecution could make mincemeat out of the gossip and rumors that his reputation was built on.'
(To be continued)
Writers Notebook:
You have committed to a project, finished the basic research and character prep work and you’re all set to begin writing. Suddenly you’re overcome with anxiety – you’ve got a knot the size of a baseball in your stomach. Stop!
You are not alone. It might give you some comfort to know that John Steinbeck experienced some of those same anxious moments. In one of his letters written in February 1936, which was included in his ‘A Life in Letters’ Steinbeck said, ‘I have to start [writing:] and am scared to death as usual – miserable sick feeling of inadequacy.’ Then in the very next sentence he said, ‘I’ll love it once I get down to work.’
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com
http://TheHurricaneHunter.blogspot.com
Let's Go to the Movies
Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone – Excerpt Doc confronts his lawyer.
Writers Notebook: John Steinbeck – Anxious moments.
Let's Go to the Movies
Hollywood Silents 1914-1929 Part 5
D.W. Griffith's broad story concept for Birth of a Nation was not the only new innovation he had planned for the film. Working with his long time cameraman Billy Bitzer they started from day one of the production to implement film making concepts never used before. Camera angles, jump cuts, closeups, fades, lighting effects, and many other technical effects that were unheard of then, but common place today.
Griffith had hired a large cast that was about as talented and versatile as any cast you'll ever find in motion picture history.
The names given star billing in Variety's review were Henry B. Walthall, Miriam Cooper, Mae Marsh, Lillian Gish, Donald Crisp and Raoul Walsh. The cast list is long and here are a few more names that would become familiar to the public in the next few years, some in front of the camera, others back of the camera. Wallace Reid, Monte Blue, Josephine Crowell, John Ford, William Freeman, Howard Gaye, Joseph Henaberry, Jennifer Lee, Elmo Lincoln, Walter Long, Bessie Love and Erich Von Stroheim among them.
The shooting schedule took up the last half of 1914 and the costs mounted to more than $112,000.00 – Variety reported it to be $300,000.00.
Any producer today will tell you that the pockets never run deep enough to satisfy everyone and so it was with Birth of a Nation.
The original financing was put up by the Mutual Company, but as weeks ran into months without an end in sight and costs continuing to rise the Mutual directors instructed their president Harry Aitken to cancel the companies participation or assume the investment himself. Aitken did the latter, and he along with Griffith and the Reverend Dixon, the writer of the book, formed the Epoch Producing Company to handle this one exceptional film. It was no easy task and the group had to scramble to round up money in order to make payroll.
But they did complete the picture and once the editing was finished and titles set in place they had a print made and began showing the film to selected audiences in order to get feedback. There was some grumbling about the length, and others had political questions about some of the scenes depicting the post Civil War Reconstruction period. However, that being said, there was an overwhelming majority of positive feedback and enthusiasm for the film.
Griffith had an unprecedented film in size and scope and that alone set up a problem. The picture took up twelve reels and that begged the question for distribution, who could they get to distribute the film? The picture wouldn't fit into any of the regular channels of distribution. How could anyone put up front money at risk to pay the kind of rent they would have to charge?
To solve the short term problem their company Epoch would have to take charge. They rented Clune's Auditorium a 2,600 seat house in Los Angeles. And on the night of February 3, 1915 D.W. Griffith's film Birth of a Nation had its World Premiere.
The audience went crazy over the film and from that opening night Birth of A Nation took on a life of its own.
The show business magazine Variety reviewed the film after its New York opening at the Liberty Theater on March 3, 1915 and their reviewer pronounced Birth of a Nation as the last word in picture making.
'...The story involves: The Camerons of the south and the Stonemans of the north and Silas Lynch, the mulatto Lieutenant-Governor; the opening and finish of the Civil War; the scenes attendant upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln; the period of carpet-bagging days and Union reconstruction following Lee's surrender; and the terrorizing of the Southern whites by the newly freed blacks and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan . All these including some wonderfully well staged battle scenes taken at night are realistically; graphically and most superbly depicted by the camera.'
'...The battle scenes are wonderfully conceived, the departure of the soldiers splendidly arranged, and the death of the famous martyred president deftly and ably handled. Henry Walthall makes a manly, straightforward character of the 'Little Colonel' and handles his big scenes most effectively. Mae Marsh as the pet sister does some remarkable work as the little girl who loves the South and loves her brother. Ralph Lewis is splendid as the leader of the House who helps Silas Lynch rise to power. George Siegmann gets all there can be gotten out of the despicable character of Lynch. Walter Long makes Gus, the renegade negro, a hated much despised type, his acting and makeup being complete.'
'The Birth of a Nation is said to have cost $300.000.00.'
(To be continued)
'Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone' Excerpt:
'Doc was alert to everything that was going on in the courtroom and after one week of testimony he was not pleased with what he had seen. Some of the facts were coming out, but they were being shaped by the prosecution. He felt that the defense team needed to take a more aggressive stance. And as they were leaving the courthouse Doc collared T. J. Drum and said, "I need to talk to you, T. J."
The chubby lawyer gave Doc a questioning look. "Why not stop someplace and have a cup of coffee."
Doc rolled a cigarette, lit it and said, "No, I can say what's on my mind while we walk to the hotel."
"All right," T. J. shook his head. "Sounds ominous."
"No, but it is important. At least it is to Wyatt and his brothers and me," Doc drawled. "It's something that I believe is missing in our defense."
T.J. Drum scratched his head. "I don't understand."
"That's exactly what I'm getting at." Doc grinned at his own thought; maybe T.J’s word "ominous" was a fair assessment. Then he said anxiously, "They are about to hang us -- and from what I can see in the courtroom, you and Tom Fitch are either sleepwalking or you are just not taking this hearing seriously.”
"Now, Doc, that isn't fair," T. J., sputtered.
"I didn't say it to be fair. The prosecution is not being fair. They have a lineup of witnesses that are not only obscuring the facts, but about half of their testimony has been outright lies. And it seems to me, that you and Tom are willing to let those lies stand as truth." Doc hesitated, and then lashed out, "When, in God's name, do you plan to challenge them?"
T. J. was visibly shaken, but took some time thinking over his position before saying, "Well, our strategy is to round up strong witnesses and mount our main defense based on their testimony." They walked some distance in silence before T. J. continued, "You know something, Doc. You have given me an idea. Maybe we should be treating this hearing like a trial and be more aggressive.”
Doc took a deep breath. "Sounds good to me, T. J."
"Doc, if your plan was to stoke up the fire," the lawyer said jovially, "then by golly you might have just succeeded."
They smiled, shook hands and walked into the hotel where they joined Wyatt and his older brother James, Tom Fitch and Colonel Herring in Virgil Earp's room. The defense strategy meeting was already in progress.
Virgil, propped himself up on one elbow and said with some anxiety, "We just found out a brother of the McLowry's got into town last night and it sounds like he's gonna cause some trouble."
Wyatt asked, "What kind of trouble, Virg?"
"Will McLowry is a lawyer. Came all the way out from Ft. Worth and he's done huddled with Ike Clanton's attorneys." Virg looked at Wyatt with a pained expression. "From what we know, he's slick. First thing he wants to do is revoke the bail on you and Doc."
"Can he do that?" Doc asked.
Col. Herring scratched his head. "Don't make any bets either way."
During that meeting the decision was also made that Virgil and Wyatt would testify, Doc and Morg would not. Doc was sure that he would make a good witness. But on the other hand he was aware that the prosecution could make mincemeat out of the gossip and rumors that his reputation was built on.'
(To be continued)
Writers Notebook:
You have committed to a project, finished the basic research and character prep work and you’re all set to begin writing. Suddenly you’re overcome with anxiety – you’ve got a knot the size of a baseball in your stomach. Stop!
You are not alone. It might give you some comfort to know that John Steinbeck experienced some of those same anxious moments. In one of his letters written in February 1936, which was included in his ‘A Life in Letters’ Steinbeck said, ‘I have to start [writing:] and am scared to death as usual – miserable sick feeling of inadequacy.’ Then in the very next sentence he said, ‘I’ll love it once I get down to work.’
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com
http://TheHurricaneHunter.blogspot.com
Tom's 'RocktheTower' Blog
I do a variety blog and post every Wednesday. I am an actor, writer and hurricane hunter and my subjects are generally written about those fields. During Hurricane Season I do at least one story every
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