The Birth of the Feature Film: Crash Course Film History #6

[@isaacs8783]

Craig taught me more about films than my English teacher could in two terms of film studies *eagle punch*

[@gabogc]

That is why is your english teacher and not your film teacher )

[@wave3308]

My favorite Crash Course series so far :)

[@MaytaneVideos]

yeah buddy!!!!!

[@crashcourse]

Oh! Thanks so much :) - Nick J.

[@freddylooger7320]

same! I hope this is a 45 episode series, even though I don't know what they would talk about for 45 episodes. ;p

[@eknorpp]

definitely, I love film as an art.

[@ThomasSchannel]

EliNation film is art

[@Caeruleus000]

I really admire how matter-of-fact Craig is about D.W. Griffith. He acknowledges the man's racism - as he should - but doesn't dwell on it longer than necessary; he also points out why Griffith is important to Film History.

[@AmeeBor]

I just wanna take a moment to thank CrashCourse for also highlighting the African American filmindustry and their answer to D.W Griffith's Birth of a Nation, my uni never talked about this, so without this video I'd never know. Learning this made me really happy :)

[@behemothokun]

Even more reasons to dislike Edison, goddamn, the more I learn of him, the more I hate him.

[@Scerttle]

I feel like commenting this after almost every episode of this series haha

[@timothymclean]

Edison was quite the businessman, huh?

[@TheSchmuck2]

He was such a thug and a greedy a-hole. I hate him so much.

[@JCLegendary]

being a thug and greedy a-hole is what makes a model businessman.

[@prabhakarbhat2477]

I love this guy. I admire how he crushed his opponents.

[@t_melloon1902]

Edison is the original patent troll

[@JSeedProductions]

So, could this be considered a one-reeler?

[@evan-dq2vm]

JSeedProductions I don't think so since we don't use reels anymore

[@varana]

We still use "cut" even though we don't cut film rolls anymore. ;)

[@gailcbull]

You could say that the internet has made one-reelers cool again.

[@FictionFactoryGames]

That's actually a very relevant concept now. Years ago KZbin limited most uploads to 11 minutes... like a one-reeler. Even though you can upload any length you want to now, there's a cultural weight carried forward from those early years to keep content around 11 minutes anyway.

[@Ganondorfdude11]

KZbin originally limited uploads to 10 minutes to prevent full movies from being uploaded to avoid copyright violations. All that accomplished was full movies being uploaded in 15 parts in 240p where the top comment was "Can anyone reupload part 12?"

[@Trublucolurs]

Can I recommend the MIT course on film that is available for free on Opencourseware - It's really interesting & takes you on a tour of the important stages of cinema history. Obviously not as speedy as these videos but damn it's interesting and provides a path through the history of cinema that makes watching old films more enjoyable. Also you pick up a lot about styles & technique along the way. "The Film Experience".

[@bentoth9555]

The "can we get a closeup" bit was great. Sadly, I'm in a state where a lot of people see DW Griffith as a hero, and refuse to see anything wrong with the narrative in Birth of a Nation. The number of those people seem to be dropping with time, but it's sad that they're still out there.

[@poppop-oj6by]

19Szabolcs91 Huh?

[@DemiDragonQueen]

"inconvienient" aka overtly racist and white supremicist

[@bentoth9555]

This isn't about erasing history. It's about not glorifying hate groups as Griffith did. We can admit the Klan did, and do, exist as a group without making them out to be heroes.

[@Nothing_serious]

Ben Toth Birth of a Nation was an innovative film but the message is horrible.

[@bentoth9555]

I agree entirely, Your Waifu Sucks. The film was groundbreaking from a cinematography perspective. My concern is with the narrative, which is what people (a very vocal minority of them, at least) in this state seem to think was so great.

[@CynicalHistorian]

Nice job handling a sensitive subject with Griffith. I do wish you had mentioned his follow-up though: Intolerance (1916). Some have called it his apology for Birth of a Nation (1915). Intolerance is also better sorry telling than what we get from just about all of Hollywood ever since, with it's amazingly complicated plot and cinematography that somehow works.

[@DANBIIB]

Hey, what about "The Story of the Kelly Gang"?? Made in 1906 Australia, and it ran for over an hour!!!

[@quiroz923]

I highly recommend D. W. Griffith's next film: INTOLERANCE. It was a far more (shall we say) artistic and experimental film that juggled four different stories set in four different historical ages in order to transmit a powerful and moving message about intolerance. Yes, the man that made a movie fellating the KKK also did a movie about how intolerance is bad.

[@chrisjenkins963]

quiroz923 it was a life-raft release to try and save his career.

[@SamAronow]

It was because he thought critics were intolerant of his intolerance.

[@ursmarrings27]

When my World Cinema class was going over this, I sincerely thought he made this to cover his own bigoted derrière, but I will give *Intolerance* a watch, for academic reasons.

[@alexgabel4379]

Yes, and no... he tried to defend himself by publishing a pamflet offering no excuses for his racial tendencies in The Birth of a Nation. Then, after receiving more criticism, he made Intolerance as a "spirited defense of his right to have made it." (Cook)

[@bluenightsky]

Or Broken Blossoms, although the film is still racist albeit less in your face about it.

[@harryharris4057]

did you omit the 1906 Australian feature The story of the Kelly gang for any reason?

[@JimCullen]

Yeah, I thought that was really odd, too. The Story of the Kelly Gang is generally regarded as the first full-length narrative feature film. That's a pretty damn important historical landmark that it seems really odd to leave it out.

[@mousaey]

It's in the title sequence

[@Lazy_Llama]

Too right mate yanks just like to think they are first at something :P

[@Lazy_Llama]

Yeah its also an informal term Australians use when referring to Americans in general.

[@SuperAngryPacman]

As far as I'm aware, some Brits also use Yank as a catchall term for Americans.

[@Dinuial]

That deal The Trust had going sounds eerily similar to the one attached to film projectors today. (For those unaware, the high quality digital film projectors becoming standard today are prohibitively expensive to buy so most theaters lease theirs. With the lease agreement comes a requirement to screen certain movies. Doesn't matter what the tastes of your community are, if your local theater has one of these projectors they are required to provide x number of screenings of those releases specified under the terms of the lease.)

[@Zeroharpe]

I think this has got to be my favorite crash course since Astronomy.

[@InnocentDoodles]

"Oscar-Worthy Bucket of Tears?" My nickname in Highschool.

[@danspitalnik]

I dropped out of my university media course and am doing biomed instead. Thank you for making a pleasant, accessible way of learning all the cool stuff without having to do a whole degree in it.

[@Atroonks]

The release and popularity of Birth of a Nation also resparked interest in the Ku Klux Klan. It had such mainstream acceptance that Woodrow Wilson screened the film at the White House. By 1920 the Klan was at record membership. The film was such a powerful recruiting tool that the Klan screened it up till the 1970s. Thousands of people died because of this film.

[@gr8aussief--kup]

what about the story of the kelly gang which is recognised as the first ever full length narrative feature and came around in 1906?

[@pierrez8570]

David Wark Griffith also made "Intolerance" a couple of years after, which was a sort of an attempt to redeem himself.

[@jessegarrett7215]

I love the use of the often overlooked punch transition in these videos. You teach film history in the best way, by example

[@brimbles4999]

why didn't you mention the story of the kelly gang? that was the first feature length film, birth of a nation was the first block buster and came out just under 10 years after kelly

[@hyperactivejaz]

CRAIG. You do a wonderful job in this series! I'd love to see your bloopers.

[@aramisia]

"An oscar worthy bucket of tears" !!! Love this quote! 😂❤

[@chaseminor2941]

I really enjoy the props in the background, especially the Hellraiser Puzzle Cube and the Rey-Kylo fight thing, and the OUTTATIME license plate

[@MrMusAddict]

2:18 Eagle punch is out of sync :(

[@YoungTheFish]

I the words of Jack Warner: "I don't want it good. I want it Tuesday."

[@schmittelt]

Crash Course Music History.

[@GMRTranscriptionServicesInc]

A delightful saga of the evolution of film-making and the birth of feature films. Being a movie buff, loved this video! :)

[@anjalimalik9839]

please do a video on situation ethics, these videos are soo helpful and explain topics to me in a way that I can easily understand!

[@es2903]

I was unaware that Michael from Vsauce knew so much about films =P

[@thischannelhasaclevername5481]

I'd like to congratulate the sound editor for his accuracy at 2:18. Almost there buddy, almost there.

[@culwin]

A plot? I remember those. Can't wait until he gets to the episode where he talks about modern film which are all reboots and sequels and adaptations of existing works.

[@aintnoslice3422]

what about ''the kelly gang''? Wasn't that the first feature film?

[@gijsklaassen8851]

2:19 You were too slow when you punched the eagle!

[@shellysunfish]

How about Crash Course: music history series next?

[@2bitgirly007]

Triumph of the Will is an even messier film to traverse...freakin' gorgeous but also literally all about how great Hitler and the Nazis are.

[@TyrannoFan]

Woah holy shit crash course film history???? How have I missed this series until now?

[@frizider2]

Harry Potter and the Magic Dollar? I don't understand how are people upset about the two parts. They had an option to make one 2 and a half hour long movie and cut way too much stuff out of the book, or make two movies that total 4 and a half hours. Sounds pretty fair to me and I'm glad they did it that way.

[@kilgoretrout1952]

I'd rather they leave out some stuff and make one good film, than put in absolutely everything and then some but make two average films

[@ac1boy]

One thing i've learned from this series: Craig love movies :)

[@locomike1219]

DW Griffith makes you wonder about controversial artists and whether or not it's okay to still enjoy the piece of art despite the artist being...bad. Richard Wagner was an anti semite, but wrote some of the most important operas. But what about LostProphets, and the Ian Wilkins thing? Should we still enjoy the music despite its tainted legacy?

[@benjamintillema3572]

I think the difference here is that not only is the artist is racist, but the film he made was made to push his racist agenda. It's a lot more difficult to support a controversial masterpiece when the piece itself, without the context of who made it, is fraught with harmful and despicable messages and themes.

[@varana]

There's a difference, though - while e.g. Wagner may have been quite an antisemite, personally, his works mostly don't feature those particular views. In the case of Griffith, it's the work itself that wears the racism and historical revisionism on its sleeve. To enjoy listening to Wagner is different than watching Birth of a Nation. So while it's only fair to acknowledge the historical importance and technical mastery of Birth of a Nation, I wouldn't go so far as being comfortable with "enjoying" the movie as a movie - because the story and message are a major part of that, and they _are_ disgusting. Also an interesting case, though, are other works by Griffith, like Intolerance, and that's even harder to sort out.

[@Little1Cave]

locomike1219 I always to try separate the artist from the art. My personal opinion of people such as Woody Allen and Kanye West are very negative, yet I still enjoy several of Woody Allen's films and Kanye West's music (though I understand why some wouldn't be a fan of either. Lol)

[@Moscato_Moscato]

locomike1219 if you can separate the art from the artists then do it!

[@UteChewb]

I saw Birth Of A Nation in my teens. I realised it was racist but I also saw that it was also brilliantly done. Skip 40 years and I finally got to see Leni Riefenstahl's, "Triumph of the Will." Again a brilliant movie, a spectacular piece of art, but in service to Nazism. You can separate the work from the artist, we all have to do it, it doesn't matter if the creator of something was wonderful or despicable. I liked "Triumph of the Will" so much I bought the DVD even though I hate the Nazis.

[@julianac1551]

What happened to the 60 minute 1906 Australian film The Story of the Kelly Gang? Why not mention it as predecessor of features?

[@jasperanscombe9158]

I don't even know why I watch these, they're just cool, Look forward to next weeks.

[@fynntasticmovienight]

this guy is like a discount Vsauce or is Vsauce a discount Craig 8)

[@spanksthx]

I love this Crash Course sooooo much. KEEP IT COMING!!! Will there be a lesson on concessions? Theater design? Gimicky things like 3d and vibrating seats?

[@PeacefulAnxiety]

Can't wait to watch this episode!

[@angelm6877]

this has helped my senior thesis so much

[@natasharomanof2543]

I remember all of these facts when I took my film history class. That was the best class I have ever taken

[@rattis]

Here in Sweden a movie theater is still called a biograf. :)

[@6rooroo]

I'm cramming for my A level film mock and your videos on lumiere, melies, porter and this are so helpful

[@AximTurel]

I love this series so far!

[@boonga585]

Thank you this is very helpful for learning about the history of films very interesting to see how this medium green up

[@ashlynnance7403]

I hope I am taught this in my Film Studies class... only time will tell

[@ShubhamGupta-ir2gn]

1:00 GRIFIIIIIIIIIIIITH

[@TheSchmuck2]

I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH!!! This episode was amazing!!! Thank you!!!

[@DerHistoryMeister]

Yeeees. It's always awesome when CrashCourse releases a video. :D Keep it up! You guys are awesome!

[@AllenQuid]

I love this series.

[@haroldriverofilms]

The content is excellent though. I think you should slow down a little bit. I love it!

[@smilingeva]

I love this crash course series!

[@willemvandebeek]

2:18 eagle-punch sound came too early...

[@WarblesOnALot]

G'day, Ah, point of order, matey...! Actually, the first "full-length Feature Film" in the World to have a narrative Story & identifiable (historical) Characters was made in 1901, made in AUSTRALIA, made by Australians, it was a movie about our most iconic Bushranger - Edward "Ned" Kelly ; it was titled "The Kelly Gang", and it ran for a couple of hours..., on Celluloid Film. Only a few small fragments still exist, one of them 13 seconds long, and sadly the Film was not ever widely screened after it was first shown..., because the Government of Oz actually banned it ; the first Feature Film dver made, the movie about Australia's most famous Outlaw was itself outlawed, because at the time the "Authorities" were terrified by Ned Kelly's ongoing popularity among the CitiZenry of Oz... Them's the facts. I think you should try somewhat harder to stipulate that many of the "Firsts" which you refer to in your Videos are not actually World Firsts, but merely "AmeriKan Firsts"...; because pretending that first in AmeriKa equates to first in the World paints you-alls as being a bunch of hubristic ignorant arrogant self-deluded hyperpatriotic Buffoons, wallowing in self-aggrandizing Bullshit, actually... Overcompensated Inferiority-Complex, much ? It probably plays well-enough inside Unkle Spam's Boundaries & Borders, but everywhere else on the Planet it rings just(ifiably ?) as falsely as it used to do, back when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics used to teach their little Schoolchildren that "Aeroplanes were invented in Russia"...! Take it easy, ;-p Ciao !

[@breadmoneyarchival]

FINALLY! A video that does more to describe Birth of a Nation as an important film in the history of film besides just calling it racist. I admit it's racist in its message and narrative, but there's more to it than racism.

[@jamesburman348]

Why no shout out to 'The Story of the Kelly Gang'?

[@TheFreddyEduard]

For a not native English speaking person as me was he speaking to fast, so i play the video at 0.75 speed. Now i can follow what he said.

[@nerdommeetsboy]

academics be like: "D.W. Griffith is such a great director!" "Leni Riefenstahl is such a great director!"

[@johnnytremp]

The eagles punch sound effect was off by a few seconds

[@j.d.3597]

I love this series!!!

[@thomasgabby6214]

Enlightening, very enlightening

[@customvrocker]

OMG Craig said my hometown!!!!!!!!!!!

[@arielcurra7647]

Great crash course

[@ThePrimalEarth]

are we gonna get an episode on cgi? (hopefully yes) and if so will it mention jurassic as the first movie to use photorealistic cgi? hopefully yes right?

[@karlkarlos3545]

can't wait for the next one.

[@firebucket8203]

Are you guys going over the 80s ?

[@crashcourse]

A bit, yes. We're going to do a whole episode on home video and the 80s were a big part of that. - Nick J.

[@firebucket8203]

CrashCourse thanks

[@jeremiastofe]

Are going to touch Video Art or are you going to frame (he) only to feature movies? I'm studying film history in a university in Argentina and Video Art is in the lesson, so I'm curious.

[@crashcourse]

Only a little bit. We'll talk about "Experimental" later in the year. - Nick J.

[@jeremiastofe]

Cool!

[@nerdler]

when was the term Film studio was first used?

[@aligatoriukee]

Why did the eagle punching sound come before the actual eagle punching?

[@michaelwalton4017]

So... they ran to a little two bit L.A. suburb to get away from Edison. Good show!😀👍

[@freddylooger7320]

more random punching, please!

[@keyontehill7335]

that poor eagle always taking a beating for no reason smh

[@Gwynncore]

Please do a series on Music History.

[@hopesnyder9032]

I hope Save the Cat is mentioned in this series.

[@davidortega9698]

Punching eagles will never get old

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

I hope you return to the Black film industry and cover their distribution system (hint: it was Pullman porters on trains.)

[@RickyGExtra_TX]

Woah is that's Razor's car in the video thumbnail?

[@salazars.4123]

eagle punch audio not synced!

[@geoffreywinn4031]

Educational!

[@monsterlair]

Oh look. I'm on the shelf.

[@crashcourse]

HA! - Nick J.

[@LeaBrggerDetlevsen]

How and when did they invent movies with "integrated" sound?

[@SunriseFireberry]

History of TV next?

[@AzathotFilm]

I was wondering if you'll be covering the paraller development of European (and later on Asian, S-American and African) Cinema?

[@Teo117]

I love it!

[@TurboHertz]

Hey nice Tesla in the video thumbnail!

[@davidalexallen]

Was it just me, or did the eagle-punch sound come before the eagle was punched?

[@kazooboi8001]

Still waiting on crash course geography to make a comeback

[@rachelaugsburger1471]

Anyone else notice that "independent" is spelled wrong ("independant") in the sum-up at the end? Anyone? Just me? Okay.

[@garrettz8357]

I was wondering where Problematic Edison was last episode.

[@stonerfather]

Cool!

[@Rapture-Asuka]

Hollywood has never changed

[@brightonfeldman221]

This amazing

[@fatbaby3693]

Do one on the WATERGATE SCANDAL.

[@yarimo]

Theres a big mistake on this segment. Birth of a Nation is a very long movie. 3h and 13 mins. Intollerance was also as long.