D.W. Griffith Problematic Pioneer

After delving deeper into the context of D.W. Griffith's life and career, what are your reflections on his contributions to film? How do you believe Griffith's influence should be perceived and evaluated in the context of 21st-century cinema?

    Looking back at D.W. Griffith's contributions to film, we can see how the techniques that he's developed have become staples and key filmmaking techniques that are still commonly used to this day. However, one can't simply just appreciate his contributions without acknowledging the bad that came with him. His masterpiece Birth of a Nation, while highly advanced with major contributions like new editing techniques, close ups, and the ability to share an idea through film, was extremely racist. D.W. Griffith was a white supremacist and had created the film to criticize reconstruction and idealize the K.K.K. Thus, you need to acknowledge this when complimenting his work.