Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

The Birth of a Nation (2016)

 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
type
TVTItem
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
label
The Birth of a Nation (2016)
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
page
TheBirthOfANation2016
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
comment
The Birth of a Nation is a 2016 historical drama written, directed by, and starring Nate Parker. It is not a remake of the 1915 film of the same name, but the title is deliberately used in contrast with that film. The film also stars Armie Hammer, Aunjanue Ellis, Gabrielle Union, Penelope Ann Miller, and Jackie Earle Haley.The film is a depiction of the life of Nat Turner (Parker), a slave and preacher in antebellum Virginia whose owner takes advantage of his gift for speaking and knowledge of The Bible by renting him out to nearby plantations to give speeches intended to subdue unruly slaves. In the process, however, Turner is shaken and moved by the atrocities he both sees and is victim to, eventually inspiring him to lead an armed revolt against the local slaveowners in an attempt to lead his people to freedom.The independently-produced film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, and was bought for distribution by Fox Searchlight for a record-breaking $17.5 million.The film was given a general release on October 7, 2016. The trailer can be seen here.Compare The Confessions of Nat Turner, a 1967 novel.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
fetched
2023-08-26T13:59:13Z
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
parsed
2023-08-26T13:59:13Z
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_12dd1d4c
type
Rape as Drama
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_12dd1d4c
comment
Rape as Drama: Nat Turner's wife is raped as a way for the film to spur the rebellion. Historically, this never happened. There's also the rape of Esther, one of Samuel Turner's slaves, whom Samuel gives over to his friend Joseph Randall
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_12dd1d4c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_12dd1d4c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_12dd1d4c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_15d8e4f5
type
Slave Liberation
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_15d8e4f5
comment
Slave Liberation: After killing the masters, Nat tells the other slaves that they are free and calls upon them to join his rebellion to win liberty for themselves and their descendants.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_15d8e4f5
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_15d8e4f5
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_15d8e4f5
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_19ebe383
type
Never Trust a Trailer
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_19ebe383
comment
Never Trust a Trailer: From Double Toasted:
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_19ebe383
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_19ebe383
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_19ebe383
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_34dd5f3
type
La Résistance
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_34dd5f3
comment
La Résistance: Nat organizes a group of slaves to take up arms against the plantation owners and the government which supports them.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_34dd5f3
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_34dd5f3
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_34dd5f3
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_396e1c2a
type
Face Death with Dignity
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_396e1c2a
comment
Face Death with Dignity: Nat goes to the gallows fully resolved to die for the cause he believed in, and maintains his composure to the very end.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_396e1c2a
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_396e1c2a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_396e1c2a
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3bc88a7f
type
Foregone Conclusion
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3bc88a7f
comment
Foregone Conclusion: The failure of Nat's uprising is already written in history.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3bc88a7f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3bc88a7f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3bc88a7f
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3e8d9cd3
type
Historical Hero Upgrade
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3e8d9cd3
comment
Historical Hero Upgrade: The real Nat Turner and his followers killed children, including an infant in its crib. This is not shown in the film. It is only alluded to in a quote to 1 Samuel 15:3 which Nat reads after the death of his grandmother: "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass". In addition, the film's Face Death with Dignity moment in which he willingly surrenders differs from reality where the real Nat Turner fled to the woods and was discovered later.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3e8d9cd3
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3e8d9cd3
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3e8d9cd3
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3eccac9c
type
Similarly Named Works
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3eccac9c
comment
Similarly Named Works: Invoked as a Take That! to The Birth of a Nation. In an interview with Filmmaker magazine, Parker said that "I've reclaimed this title and re-purposed it as a tool to challenge racism and white supremacy in America."
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3eccac9c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3eccac9c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_3eccac9c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_56515a39
type
Artistic License – History
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_56515a39
comment
Artistic License – History: Nat is shown growing up alongside Samuel Turner, who eventually becomes his owner. When the rebellion breaks out, Nat kills Samuel. The real Nat Turner was sold several times in his lifetime, and at the time of the rebellion, his owner was a man named Joseph Travis. Furthermore, it wasn't Nat who killed Travis but one of his followers. In the film, the rape of Nat Turner's wife is one of the motivations for his rebellion. There is no record of this ever happening.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_56515a39
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_56515a39
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_56515a39
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_60b21fa3
type
The Lancer
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_60b21fa3
comment
The Lancer: Hark to Nat Parker.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_60b21fa3
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_60b21fa3
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_60b21fa3
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_6a2d1b1a
type
Rebel Leader
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_6a2d1b1a
comment
Rebel Leader: Nat Turner, who inspires his fellow slaves to rise up and leads them in armed rebellion.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_6a2d1b1a
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_6a2d1b1a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_6a2d1b1a
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_7abd339f
type
Black-and-White Morality
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_7abd339f
comment
Black-and-White Morality: Excusing the obvious pun, the film is certainly not morally complex in regards to Nat's actions and everyone is either strictly good or bad, with Samuel and his father being more complicated than others. This isn't uncommon when you're killing slave owners.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_7abd339f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_7abd339f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_7abd339f
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_863fa679
type
What Happened to the Mouse?
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_863fa679
comment
What Happened to the Mouse?: Three slave rebels are shown alive in the aftermath of a cannon being shot at the armory, but one of them promptly vanishes as Nat comforts a dying Hark and then escapes a few seconds later.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_863fa679
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_863fa679
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_863fa679
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_86cd25b5
type
Females Are More Innocent
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_86cd25b5
comment
Females Are More Innocent: Prominent male members of slave-owning families are uniformly Hate Sinks or prone to Slowly Slipping Into Evil, while the three notable female ones (Samuel's mother and sister, and a woman Nat speaks to during a visit to town) tend to get Pet the Dog and Everyone Has Standards moments. That being said, several unnamed white women are shown baying for Nat's blood after his failed rebellion.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_86cd25b5
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_86cd25b5
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_86cd25b5
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_8aa496df
type
Rape Discretion Shot
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_8aa496df
comment
Rape Discretion Shot: Several rapes occur, but none are shown—the camera pans away as three men surround the terrified Cherry.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_8aa496df
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_8aa496df
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_8aa496df
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a2e84479
type
Slowly Slipping Into Evil
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a2e84479
comment
Slowly Slipping Into Evil: Samuel inherits a slave plantation during his Used to Be a Sweet Kid phase and keeps the slaves in bondage as he grows up, but initially has elements of a Sympathetic Slave Owner. Then he takes money to have Nat preach cherry-picked Bible verses about obedience to slaves on cruelly-run plantations. He initially seems disturbed by what he sees but then continues doing business with those plantation owners and begins making Wants a Prize for Basic Decency comments about the privileges he gives his slaves. Then, he lets a guest rape one of his slaves while her husband watches helplessly. He then goes on to have Nat whipped within an inch of his life for giving him a What the Hell, Hero? over his hypocrisy. By the final act, the only remotely sympathetic aspect of Samuel's current personality is that his constant drinking may signify remorse for his misdeeds.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a2e84479
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a2e84479
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a2e84479
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a70223
type
Karma Houdini
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a70223
comment
Karma Houdini: Venal Sinister Minister Reverend Walthall and particularly cruel slave owners Earl Fowler and Joseph Randall all seem to come out of Nat's rebellion unharmed.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a70223
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a70223
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_a70223
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b4a6ae4c
type
Everyone Has Standards
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b4a6ae4c
comment
Everyone Has Standards: Samuel is a slaveowner and benefits from exploiting his slaves, including the money he makes from taking Nat on tour preaching obedience to other masters' slaves, but one of these other masters deprives and tortures his slaves so badly that it makes Samuel sick to his stomach.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b4a6ae4c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b4a6ae4c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b4a6ae4c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b53077b3
type
Take That!
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b53077b3
comment
Take That!: The title is one to the invokedSimilarly Named Work The Birth of a Nation.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b53077b3
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b53077b3
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_b53077b3
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_ce2969d8
type
Spiritual Antithesis
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_ce2969d8
comment
Spiritual Antithesis: In contrast to the original Birth of a Nation, which depicted antebellum slavery as benign and Reconstruction as a heroic struggle by the Ku Klux Klan to take back their society from wicked black people, this Birth of a Nation is about the evil of this slave society and the courage of those who revolted for their freedom.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_ce2969d8
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_ce2969d8
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_ce2969d8
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_e0d20ea6
type
Intentionally Awkward Title
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_e0d20ea6
comment
Intentionally Awkward Title: More of an act of reclamation, really, but it's no accident that this movie about a slave rebellion has the same title as one of the most racist movies ever made.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_e0d20ea6
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_e0d20ea6
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_e0d20ea6
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_fea42091
type
Badass Preacher
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_fea42091
comment
Badass Preacher: Nat Turner himself. Ironic as he is encouraged by the white slave owners to preach in order to pacify the local slaves, but his reading of the Bible leads him to realize how much they cherry pick in order to justify slavery. From then on he starts quoting different verses as a call to action and revolution, and ultimately leads his followers in armed combat.
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_fea42091
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_fea42091
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_fea42091
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_name
type
ItemName
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_name
comment
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_name
 The Birth of a Nation (2016) / int_name
itemName
The Birth of a Nation (2016)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
African-American Media / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
Badass Preacher / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
Females Are More Innocent / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
Films of 2015–2019 / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
Historical Hero Upgrade / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
Intentionally Awkward Title / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
One-Hit Wonder / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
Reformed, but Rejected / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
Slave Liberation / int_c19ffe2c
 The Birth of a Nation (2016)
hasFeature
Slowly Slipping Into Evil / int_c19ffe2c