CL 3/31

Posted on by penninjh
  • Gus is costumed in a Union military uniform and blackface. I think given the context of the rest of the film we’ve watched where the north is depicted as invading the south and oppressing them, this costume is also used to portray Gus in this same light. In regards to the blackface, other northern blacks in the film prior to this have been shown as menacing and/or deceptive looking (i.e. – Silas and Lydia).
  • Flora is costumed in a full length, conservative dress which portrays a sense of innocence in my opinion.
  • Honestly, it’s very difficult to tell a difference in lighting between the two characters to my eye but I think I recognize high key lighting on Flora and low key lighting on Gus here and there at least. Also, in scenes where the lighting looks similar between the two Gus is still portrayed more in shadows and lower intensity lighting as opposed to Flora who is in more direct and intense light. I believe these lighting techniques are used in this way to make Gus and Flora to seem menacing and innocent respectively.
  • The actor of Gus walks in a low, creeping manner as if tracking a prey. In his facial expressions I also detect a sort of menacing joy to his pursuit. Once the full chase ensues, he pursues Flora flailing his arms in a crazed manner.
  • Flora is chasing after animals and giggling while watching the squirrel thus depicting her as childlike.
  • The music associated with Gus has darker and abrupt notes creating an atmosphere of suspense and approaching danger. Whereas the music associated with Flora is lighter and melodic.
  • The cross-cut editing heightens the suspense of the scenes further as well as introducing panic and fear for the audience seeing how close Ben is to catching up with Gus and Flora.
  • Considering even if the audience viewing The Birth of a Nation hadn’t directly read the works of Hoffman and Morgan it should be safe to assume they had read essays or articles elsewhere that referenced those works or were influenced by them. Or at the very least heard of these ideas through conversation with friends and/or colleagues. This information, for those that had accepted it as true, which is most likely the case in this instance given the scientific backing (although manipulated) at the time, would assuredly persuade the public that this sequence is normal. It is merely a confirmation bias to them after being inundated with the propaganda and “science”.

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