D. W. Griffith Annual Birthday Party, Jan. 22, 2009, All Day
Each year the Oldham County History Center celebrates D. W. Griffith’s (1875-1948) birthday with birthday cake and popcorn for visitors to the museum. Often called the father of modern film, Griffith was the first movie director to develop feature length films. His first film, Birth of a Nation, lasted 131 minutes and delighted movie goers, who, up until that time, had only experienced the short films, usually lasting only 10 to 15 minutes. Birth of a Nation was a very controversial film because of Griffith’s portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan in a heroic role. It sparked riots in the streets and litigation in the courts. As a work of art, it was flawless; applying cinematic conventions to audiences who were moved as never before.
After Birth of a Nation, Griffith went on to produce other tantamount films with storylines that explored controversial topics such as drug addiction, child abuse and multiracial relationships. He brought filmmaking from a novelty status to its enduring place as a barometer of American culture. The history center will play a sampling of his films and entertain requests as visitors come to the museum. |
For information contact:
Oldham County History Center
106 N. Second Ave.
LaGrange, KY 40031
502-222-0826, email: ochstryctr@aol.com
Website: oldhamcountyhistoricalsociety.org
Free Admission
Hours of Operation:
Tues, Wed, Thurs and Saturday 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.
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