This is an auction for the 1915 {originally} silent b/w movie film BIRTH OF A NATION, aka, The Clansman, aka the KU KLUX KLAN, by D.W. GRIFFITH, this being the circa 1948 8mm version. This auction includes all 11 parts on 5 reels complete. The format is 8mm width of film, image size is 5mm, rest is sprocket holes. The film is KODAK SAFETY film. This is a TRIANGLE FILM CORPORATION movie. The founder of TRIANGLE FILM was HARRY AITKEN, partner of D.W. GRIFFITH. The first footage reads APPROVED BY MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF CENSORS SIGNED CHAS. E. HARPER {formed in 1916}. The next footage reads TRIANGLE FILM CORPORATION PRESENTS D.W. GRIFFITH'S IMMORTAL SPECTACLE THE BIRTH OF A NATION and one of the early info frames reads THIS PICTURE IS NOW PRESENTED WITH SOUND ACCOMPANIMENT AND ORIGINAL MUSIC SCORE BUT THE INTEGRITY OF DAVID WARK GRIFFITH'S ORIGINAL MASTERPIECE HAS BEEN PRESERVED INTACT. This film starred Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry Walthall, Mariam Cooper among many others. The history of TRIANGLE FILM CORPORATION is only from 1915-1919. The SOUND SCORE must have been created and played by a separate means and not existing on this film, some suggest there is a magnetic strip along the edge, which would be the sound track. Also, someone suggested all copies of this film were released after 1962, due to copyright coverage up until that time, well, this one is definitely c1950 or earlier. Apparently this film is not so P.C. and was used as a KKK recruitment film for 50 years. All of the text panels have the GRIFFITH border and the format is round which is due to lack of lens coverage. All 5 of the films were in the metal canisters, 4 still are and they are pretty much impossible to open. It took me at least 15 minutes to pry open the 1st canister. I had to resort to hammer and screw driver and vice grips and the canister was mutilated by the time I extracted the film. I am leaving the other 4 sealed for the new owner to enjoy the opening process, uggh. If someone REALLY wants me to check the other 4 canisters, I might consider it, maybe. If anyone knows any tricks to open the canisters, let me know, they seem to be rusted together around the perimeter with no way of pulling them apart, except barbarian style of course. The 1st reel is 7" across and the film fills the entire reel. The first canister includes parts 1, 2 and 3. The condition looks excellent, still pliable, the outside few layers have a little warp to them, but the rest of the layers seem more stabilized. I am sure this is the first time this film has seen the light of day for 50-60 years. ALSO, the detail looks good, what you see here are macro images from my canon digital sx50 camera and as you can see, the central part is the only sharp area, meaning all film frames are equally sharp in the real world and it is the inferior macro setting on the canon which does not have a flat focal plane. Email with any questions or answers.