The Birth of a Nation (Epoch Producing, 1915). Very Fine- on Linen. One Sheet (28" X 42").. ...

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The Birth of a Nation (Epoch Producing, 1915). Very Fine- on Linen. One Sheet (28" X 42").
One of the most influential motion pictures of all time, The Birth of a Nation was directed by D.W. Griffith at the height of his creativity. In the film, the pioneering director pushed the boundaries of the cinematic artform as few had dared before, utilizing an innovative narrative structure, suspenseful editing and open frames, complex staging, and multiple planes of action. The new technical effects and artistic strategies developed during production would influence motion pictures throughout the century and beyond. Controversy surrounding the film's subject matter helped make it a major blockbuster, with receipts totaling a staggering $18 million by the end of the silent era. The Birth of the Nation remained the reigning box office king until the release of Gone With the Wind over two decades later. Based on Rev. Thomas Dixon Jr's 1905 melodrama The Clansman, the plot concerns two families caught up in the Civil War and its aftermath. With a cast that reads like a who's who of silent era greats including Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Wallace Reid, Donald Crisp and Henry B. Walthall, the film was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in 1992 and voted one of the top 100 films by AFI. This incredibly scarce stone lithographic one sheet depicts the pivotal moment of Lincoln's assassination as John Wilkes Booth jumps to the stage in Ford's theater. Booth was portrayed by a young Raoul Walsh, who would later go on to direct over one hundred films. Backed to linen, the dramatic and colorful poster received deft expert restoration to slight chipping in the borders, light fold wear with minor separations, and small chips or tears in the interior. The linen is trimmed to the borders.


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