DJ Spooky and the Recombination Horrors

Being not only a big fan of recombination artwork but also classic silent cinema, I found the Birth of a Nation remix to be interesting. Not only did this remix use classic and somewhat controversial cinema but it also shed light on the ridiculousness of the times by magnifying the themes that were normal ideas during the making of the movie Birth of A Nation. To the viewers at the time, these ideals on race, creed and what being a patriotic American were about were not odd or extremist in any way. DJ Spooky used the old footage in almost the same way that the original great directors used film. They would cut from scene after scene while often times layering other scenes, themes or various elements in a montage style that was groundbreaking at the time. Whilst, a lot of the techniques used in Rebirth of A Nation are obviously more modern effects, their roots lie in the yesteryears of early cinema. The very films that are often used in the modern technique of recombination which in turn introduces these classics to new audience members who may seek out the originals to view.