...It's interesting that on many critics lists, "The Birth of a Nation" ranks higher than Shawshank. So a movie that (because of how it depicts African-Americans in it's second part) makes many people sick to watch today is considered greater than one which has brought tremendous hope and inspiration to millions around the world. The feelings a movie inspires in people are judged irrelevant. I strongly disagree with this way of thinking.
I think much of the reasoning for 'Birth of a Nation's' ranking is that it was groundbreaking, changing the way movies were made. D.W. Griffith's use of closeups and story and character development had just not been done up until that movie.
I think you're right that "Birth of a Nation" is often ranked so high because it's perceived as having revolutionized filmmaking in important ways. But I've also read that all these things had already been done in previous films, it's just that none of those movies are remembered much today because they weren't as popular--and controversial--as "Birth" was and is.
