GRIFFITH, David Wark (Griffith David Wark)

(1875-1948), born January 22, 1875 in La Grange (pc. Kentucky). Before coming to the cinema Griffith dabbled in theater as an actor, wrote stories, poems and plays, and went through a set of random trades. In 1907, Griffith began offering an unemployed New York studios own scripts. Suggest a scenario director studios 'Edison' E. Porter, Griffith received a reply the offer to play a major role in his film is saved from an eagle's nest (Rescued from an Eagle's Nest). Griffith managed to sell several scenarios of the company 'Bayograf' and at the same time to play in a few of its films. In 1908 he made his directorial debut film The Adventures of Dolly (The Adventures of Dolly). Movies Griffith immediately became known. In 1908-1913 he made for 'Bayografa' more than 300 paintings, mostly of short, developing new means of expression. In search of greater creative independence in 1913, Griffith left 'Bayograf' and joined a new film production company - 'Rilayans Majestic'. In 1915 came the film screens at the Birth of a Nation (The Birth of a Nation) on the novel by T. Dixon Man Clan (The Clans-man). Setting and rolling implemented Griffith as 'independent' producer. Plot of the film unfolded in the era of the Civil War and Reconstruction South U.S.. The picture was more than three hours in duration than any previously made by American painting. Proclamation of Masterpieces of Motion Picture Arts and earned a striking commercial success, the tape has caused a stormy debate because of bias Griffith to the problem of the Negro population in the southern U.S.. Griffith's next film, Intolerance (Intolerance, 1916), was partly a response to this controversy. This is a complex story structure of four alternating stories which showed four different epochs. The film is not gained commercial success Birth of a Nation, but his influence on world cinema was even more. By 1916 Griffith made in the development of cinematic language more than any of his contemporaries: he was freed from the theatrical conventions of cinema, made a cell mobile, developed the principles of film montage.
After 1916 Griffith created a number of successful films in t.ch. Heart of the World (Hearts of the World, 1918), Broken shoots (Broken Blossoms, 1919; in Russian. Hire - Broken lily), both filmed under the name 'United Artists' - a company co-founder of which was the director; Road to the East (Way Down East, 1920), the storm Orphan (Orphans of the Storm, 1921; in Russian. Hire - Two orphans) and Is not life wonderful? (Isn't Life Wonderful?, 1924). After the 1925 Griffith's career slowed down. Like many other figures of cinema, he has great difficulty with the use of sound in cinema. After the failure of the movie Fight (The Struggle, 1931) Griffith has not removed a single picture. Griffith died in Hollywood, July 23, 1948.