"THE BIRTH OF A NATION."

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2858, 24 August 1916, Page 3

"THE BIRTH OF A NATION."

To-morrow (Friday) morning, at the Bristol, the box plans for the entire season of the film spectacle, "The Birth of n Nation,-' will be opened, and it is.anticipated that a record will be established in the. number of seats booked on the opening.-.of the plans. The season will commence at tho Town Hall on Tuesday evening next, and will be underlie direction of J.C. Williamson, Ltd. Anybody' doubtful of D. ft'. Griffith's, genius of film production, in the widest 'senso of the term, will, it is claimed, no longer remain sceptical after sitting; through the marvellous two and a half hours during.which "The Birth of a Nation" is reeled off. Some, unthinking peoplo have a' hazy idea, that a film produtea' itself, that the actors simply rush round and make faces while a man takes photographs. "The Birth of a Nation," its management claim, will dispel all such ideas. A spectator who could imagine that,such scenes as are enacted in this ; picture could take place without one i directing brain must.be so unthinking* us to be altogether impossible. The battle scenes 1 are described as appalling in the masterlines of their handling, and it is stated to be easy to believe that D. W. Griffith must have worked them by means of a network of 'phones extending for miles in every direction. But oven more wonderful than the battle pictures are some half-dozen showing the riots and street fighting. Not one life was lost in obtaining this film, but, the management state, to see the - surging masses in the narrow streets dealing'out blows right and left with waddies and clubbed rifles, until finally a body of some hundreds of horsemen dash through the crowds at a gallop, a witness of the picture would fully expect to hear that scores of regrettable fatalities had taken place. The horsemen gallop through, knocking men down on all sides, and leaving their prostrate bodies for the rear rank to trample. It is claimed to be a marvellous piece of work. The musical director, chief operator, and the staff of property men, with 57 cases of appliances used in the presentation of this picture, arrived in Wellington by the Manuka last Monday, and are busy, rehearsing and preparing for the opening performance.