The Birth of a Nation (Official Thread)

[JahFocus CS]

I just saw it tonight.

I was trembling for like 10 minutes after it ended.

The sexual violence our women have endured for 500 years...

The brutality of slavery...

The total control exerted over our lives and the attempted erasure of our authentic selves, culturally, spiritually, linguistically, etc.

The first 2/3 of the film having the audience think that Sam Turner is "one of the good ones" -- then he shows that he is just as wicked.

With regards to some of the discussion over the last few pages, I think the film dropped some points in there to suggest that it wasn't then (nor is it now, or is it ever) a matter of good and bad individuals. The system itself is wicked.

I thought the rape scenes were going to be graphically shown, but they weren't. Before seeing the film I was aware of the criticism of Parker inserting those scenes in there ahistorically, and I recognized how it may have been problematic given questions surrounding his own past transgressions, but since the film wasn't a to-the-letter depiction of Nat's life I think the scenes were fine. The film showed that sexual violence was an everyday and commonplace thing during slavery, and it was. That should NEVER be forgotten.

 

[MostReal]

Do you think Nate didn't want to touch on that since Django sort of did.

I'm trying to think of reasons why he didn't address that, but I can't

I felt that the film did and this is exactly what he was trying to display. When I was watching the film this is what I came away with. These people have to be crazy in order to do these things without a thought or care in the world

 

[JahFocus CS]

They were showing previews for Loving before the film started


They also showed previews for Get Out though

 

[LinusCaldwell]

Written by: @Ziggiy

In the course of time Moses grew up. Then he went to see his own people and watched them suffering under forced labor. He saw a Hebrew, one of his own people, being beaten by an Egyptian. He looked all around, and when he didn’t see anyone, he beat the Egyptian to death and hid the body in the sand.



-Exodus 2:11-12
The legacy of the American slave has been polluted by those who are ashamed, afraid, and reviled by its repulsiveness. The fact that the world’s greatest country was built off white supremacy is an ugly, festering wound that continues to tarnish every single achievement of the nation. As time has gone on, and those who practice white supremacy have become more nuanced, so too has the language surrounding the discussion of slavery in mainstream circles. For decades there was a widely held notion that Abraham Lincoln was the shining white abolitionist savior, who ended slavery out of the goodness of his own heart and lifted the white man’s burden of cruelty and oppression with one stroke of a pen. Then there was the Roots miniseries, which took pains to portray white sympathizers throughout, who assisted and helped the slaves achieve freedom.

To read more
THE SWORD AND THE SERMON (The Birth Of A Nation Review – FTESWL
THE SWORD AND THE SERMON (The Birth Of A Nation Review

 

[lamont614]

Seen this last Sunday 8/10 it dragged during the rebel wanted more bloodshed Nate should be nominated he killed his role

What bugs me the most was these black bedwenches saying it sheds black woman in a bad light


In the movie when he dies he goes home to a black angel type Beyoncé woman

 

[JahFocus CS]

As a christian, I enjoyed that it dispelled the Christianity is the white man's religion myth.

let's not get carried away, there was no presence of Christianity in West Africa before European colonialism brought it there, and enslaved Africans had their traditional religions and Islam beat out of them. Our people being Protestants and Catholics is rooted in that history. Yeah, we can talk about the Black Church and Black Liberation Theology, but let's not sweep the real history under the rug. Furthermore there's the point that Christianity was used to subjugate and control us. Nat showed there was another interpretation, but it's just that -- an interpretation. When it comes to our traditional beliefs, there's no way for cacs to "interpret" those to reinforce their rule and our oppression.

 

[Rapmastermind]

let's not get carried away, there was no presence of Christianity in West Africa before European colonialism brought it there, and enslaved Africans had their traditional religions and Islam beat out of them. Our people being Protestants and Catholics is rooted in that history. Yeah, we can talk about the Black Church and Black Liberation Theology, but let's not sweep the real history under the rug. Furthermore there's the point that Christianity was used to subjugate and control us. Nat showed there was another interpretation, but it's just that -- an interpretation. When it comes to our traditional beliefs, there's no way for cacs to "interpret" those to reinforce their rule and our oppression.

The movie was an indictment on Christianity's historical effect on Blacks. Yes it originiated in Africa and was stolen from the Walls of Kemit but the relgion we learned from them isn't what our African Ancestors preached to us. This is why I loved that the first scene in the woods was the African Tribal Religious Ritual. The movie made clear that Nat and the Slaves were not praying to the same God as Whites. I think obviously Nat's interpetation of the bible was correct that Whites were doing evil and wicked things in the name of God. I don't knock anyone's religion but I couldn't help but feel like Christainity was used in a very negative way against blacks for many hundreds of years. Alright guys, good news we are at 14 Million. Bad News, Fox Searchlight slashed 1400 theaters (SMH). It's all good Nate, you made history and they will never be able to destroy this film's legacy. Overseas rollout in a few months.

The Birth of a Nation (2016) - Daily Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo

14.2 Million (17 Days, two weeks)

 

[valet]

let's not get carried away, there was no presence of Christianity in West Africa before European colonialism brought it there, and enslaved Africans had their traditional religions and Islam beat out of them. Our people being Protestants and Catholics is rooted in that history. Yeah, we can talk about the Black Church and Black Liberation Theology, but let's not sweep the real history under the rug. Furthermore there's the point that Christianity was used to subjugate and control us. Nat showed there was another interpretation, but it's just that -- an interpretation. When it comes to our traditional beliefs, there's no way for cacs to "interpret" those to reinforce their rule and our oppression.

Yes, not Western Africa but nonetheless it was in Africa before it was in Europe. My point though was that Black people aren't Christians because they believe in White Jesus and we're less then human. Nat, and other former slaves like Harriett believed that the God of scripture was on their side, made in his Image, etc. Critics of Christianity make it seem like you're a koon if you're a Christian. Because they got the religion from the slavemaster. But in reality, slave master Christianity is a twist of the historical intention of Christianity. And Nat saw that. That Christianity was for all people. And not just white people and these "subhuman", cursed, Black people.

 

[Kidd Dibiase]

excellent movie

almost brought me to tears

 

[Birnin Zana]

Props to Nate for this.

 

[G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman]

The movie was an indictment on Christianity's historical effect on Blacks. Yes it originiated in Africa and was stolen from the Walls of Kemit but the relgion we learned from them isn't what our African Ancestors preached to us. This is why I loved that the first scene in the woods was the African Tribal Religious Ritual. The movie made clear that Nat and the Slaves were not praying to the same God as Whites. I think obviously Nat's interpetation of the bible was correct that Whites were doing evil and wicked things in the name of God. I don't knock anyone's religion but I couldn't help but feel like Christainity was used in a very negative way against blacks for many hundreds of years. Alright guys, good news we are at 14 Million. Bad News, Fox Searchlight slashed 1400 theaters (SMH). It's all good Nate, you made history and they will never be able to destroy this film's legacy. Overseas rollout in a few months.

The Birth of a Nation (2016) - Daily Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo

14.2 Million (17 Days, two weeks)

Boo! A Madea Halloween did what Tyler Perry’s Madea movies tend to do and have done with relative regularity for the last 11 years. It topped the weekend box office with a debut of over $25 million. I will admit to a certain amusement over the years as it took many years for box office pundits to stop being “shocked” when the latest Perry film snagged an over/under $25m opening weekend and/or topped the box office. To wit, the holiday-themed comedy earned a strong $27.6 million, which gives the Lionsgate release a substantial 2.936x weekend multiplier.

Box Office: Tyler Perry's 'Boo! A Madea Halloween' Scares Up Terrific $27.6M Weekend

 

[Hiphoplives4eva]

Movie was cool, but the ending was underwhelming. I needed the rebellion scenes to be way more epic. And not enough white people were merked. Plus they didn't show the aftermath of the rebellion. And how the whites carved Nat's body up and created all kinds of trinkets (lamps, belts, earrings, etc..) with his remains. Some whites even worshipped his remains like alms.

Very sick and twisted stuff. Movie was VERY TAME when compared to the reality.

 

[Skooby]

Boo! A Madea Halloween did what Tyler Perry’s Madea movies tend to do and have done with relative regularity for the last 11 years. It topped the weekend box office with a debut of over $25 million. I will admit to a certain amusement over the years as it took many years for box office pundits to stop being “shocked” when the latest Perry film snagged an over/under $25m opening weekend and/or topped the box office. To wit, the holiday-themed comedy earned a strong $27.6 million, which gives the Lionsgate release a substantial 2.936x weekend multiplier.

Box Office: Tyler Perry's 'Boo! A Madea Halloween' Scares Up Terrific $27.6M Weekend

Didn't get a dime from me.

 

[Birnin Zana]

Movie was cool, but the ending was underwhelming. I needed the rebellion scenes to be way more epic. And not enough white people were merked. Plus they didn't show the aftermath of the rebellion. And how the whites carved Nat's body up and created all kinds of trinkets (lamps, belts, earrings, etc..) with his remains. Some whites even worshipped his remains like alms.

Very sick and twisted stuff. Movie was VERY TAME when compared to the reality.

They did the best they could with the limited budget they have. The big battle towards the end almost didn't happen due to budgeting issues and the weather at the time (rained sporadically throughout filming).

 

[G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman]

Didn't get a dime from me.

I knew nikkas would support that trash more than Birth of a Nation.