VHS CASE/ SIDE
Length of film: 167 Minutes (DVD: 207 Minutes) (U.S. Version: 210 Minutes)
Rated: Passed
Genre: Drama, History
Director: D.W. Griffith
Starring: Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, Mae Marsh, F.A. Turner, Sam De Grasse, Vera Lewis, Mary Alden
IMDB Rank:/10
Part 1 Time: 99 Minutes (DVD: 118 Minutes) (U.S. Version: N/A Minutes)
Part 2 Time: 68 Minutes (DVD: 89 Minutes) (U.S. Version: N/A Minutes)
*** As a silent film, there is no dialogue, but there are times where dialogue is presented in titles. For this entry the dialogue presented in the titles will be used.
Where does the first part end? Prince Belshazzar (Alfred Paget) and The Princess Beloved (Seena Owen) embrace one another following an epic battle within Babylon.
Final line of dialogue on the first part: “My glorious Belshazzar,” The Princess Beloved states.
First line of dialogue on the second part: Act two opens with a lengthy explanation, “In this last act the events portrayed in Babylon are according to the recently excavated cylinders of Nabonidus and Cyrus, that relate Babylon’s betrayal by the priests of Bel.”
How jarring is it when the first part ends? Jarring, D.W. Griffith does a spectacular job showcasing the chaos of conflict without the use of sound, which brings the first act to an astonishing conclusion.
Which part is better? The film consists of four stories that explore mankind’s persistent intolerance throughout four ages (i.e., Babylonian, Biblical, Renaissance, and Modern). The film jumps between differing time periods, sometimes making it difficult to follow. Part one stands out mainly for the creation of many cinematic techniques, such as the sweeping and panoramic view (utilized in Belshazzar’s feast scene), that have now become standard practice in the art of film making.
Academy Awards: None- event not established
THEATRICAL POSTER
DVD CASE/ SIDE
Hollywood Half-Time 