334 Harlan County USA

[Antoine Doinel]

Wow, I'm really surprised at the poor reception Sayles is receiving among the Criterion forum crowd! I think Matewan is a great movie (which desperately needs a decent DVD) and Eight Men Out is one of the best baseball movies period.

Yes, Casa De Los Babys is not one of his better films, but please check out Men With Guns, Lone Star and The Secret Of Roan Inish before passing judgment! Sayles is a great, inventive filmmaker.

But back to the topic on hand --- I was really hoping the brief theatrical run of Harlan Country would've been expanded, but it never reached Canada. Looks like I'll have track this down for a rental.

[gubbelsj]

I remember stumbling across a fuzzy videotape of this in my university's media library, trudging back across the frozen campus (northern Wisconsin in January) and popping it into my VCR. I was transfixed for the next two hours. The politics of the piece largely swept by me unawares - the human story it told, so simply, grittily and emotionally, overwhelmed everything else. As the reviewer at DVD Talk suggested, it's almost impossible to comprehend these scenes playing out in the mid-1970s. The impression I remember was of the 1930s, perhaps earlier, a pre-modern world. It was quite an eye-opener for a Yankee like myself. I haven't re-watched this film since that long ago evening, and yet it's haunted me ever since. I'm quite excited to sit down with it once more. (In a sad twist of fate, the recent mine tragedies in this country and Australia have highlighted the film's relevance, and may contribute to a wider audience response.)

Incidentally, years later, I was lucky enough to be employed by a city library in New York (upstate, Albany) and unionized. I went to every meeting, even though the organization seemed to have been hijacked by whiners and slackers of the most frustrating sort. But during the lowest moments, as fellow union members "ratted out" each other for "stealing" parking places from the back lot or slandered our seventy-five-year-old janitor for sitting down on the job when his knees began to hurt - nasty, low stuff like that - I would flash back to the Harlan County miners and the reality they faced each day, and reminded myself of what unacceptable work conditions really looked like. It's quite an inspiring film.

[Gregory]

Your impressions have made me even a little more excited than I already was to see this again, which I didn't think was possible. I also have only seen it on an old VHS tape but it came through well enough. It's a great example of just how much drama documentaries can contain, although this is often not appreciated because to many people they're just a different category of film and are viewed differently.
Union politics are always interestingly complex, and thus always have potential for worthwhile stories. I'm always baffled when someone professes to be "anti-union" as if the issue can be dispatched in such a neat and tidy way for them. Sad times we're living in.

Matewan, discussed above, is an excellent dramatization in some ways, but I can't help having some reservations on the basis of some of the ways Sayles treated the history in a procrustean way. It's a discussion that really deserves its own thread, but I don't know how many are interested.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

I can understand wanting to hear directly from the miners, but it seems as though Sayles' entire filmography is being written off pretty casually here. Wouldn't you have to see more than a few bits of his films (other than Limbo) as a bare minimum to judge whether he's saying anything radical in them? About his "definate [sic] but ho-hum visual style," have you seen Men With Guns? And what was wrong with the cinematography of Matewan by the great Haskell Wexler?

Agreed. I've been a fan of Sayles ever since seeing Baby It's You on cable in the '80s. If there was ever a film of his that was crying out to be released on DVD... sadly, music rights I think are what is keeping this film in DVD limbo. I'm constantly torn between Eight Men Out and Lone Star as being my fave Sayles films -- it really depends on my mood but I also really enjoy City of Hope as well. I had high hopes for Silver City but I felt it was a little flat.

And does anybody remember his short-lived T.V. show Shannon's Deal with Jamey Sheridan, Elizabeth Peña, Richard Edson and Miguel Ferrer? I really dug that one and it also deserves some kind of revival and/or resurrection on DVD. Sadly, there's probably not enough demand for whoever owns it to put it out. Altho, it would seem ideal for someone like Anchor Bay, Lions Gate or Criterion to try and put it out. I mean, if Tanner '88 can get a DVD release...

I'm confident he'll have interesting things to add to the discussion of Harlan County, USA -- and not just because he made Matewan. As for his status as an expert on mining history, I'm sure that's not the main reason he was chosen as a participany. However, certain interviews with him show that he does know his history, although he can be legitimately criticized (and has been) for leaving important parts of the story out of Matewan.

Exactly. Every interview I've ever read or seen with Sayles had him coming across as well-spoken and intelligent. Can't wait for his thoughts on Harlan County...

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

Let's warm up that John Sayles discussion thread! And the "Will Oldham in Matewan" one as well! =D> Hell, let's declare Friday to be "Discuss Sayles At The Criterion Forum Day"!

[stroszeck]

I'd agree with a nice fat Sayles thread....but too bad he's so underrepresented in the R1 DVD market....

Where the hell is my CITY OF HOPE?

[Fletch F. Fletch]

I'd agree with a nice fat Sayles thread....but too bad he's so underrepresented in the R1 DVD market....

Where the hell is my CITY OF HOPE?

Agreed! Such an underrated film. I love Robert Richardson's camerawork in this one.

[Gigi M.]

Back cover and spine

[daniel p]

beaver

[Gregory]

"Kopple's heavy handed accounting of the details"? (Beaver)
I wonder what that's in reference to, exactly.

[J M Powell]

This is interesting: there's a soundtrack CD coming out on the same day as the new DVD. The CD even uses a modified version of the Criterion cover art.

[gubbelsj]

"Kopple's heavy handed accounting of the details"? (Beaver)
I wonder what that's in reference to, exactly.

Not sure what they mean, either. As the article below makes clear, from yesterday's NY Times, even to this day Harlan County and surrounding mine communities suffer dangerous conditions. Nothing heavy-handed about pointing the truth out.

HOLMES MILL, Ky., May 20 (AP) — An explosion in an eastern Kentucky coal mine killed five miners early Saturday, while a sixth miner walked away from the blast, which sprayed rock and mud onto an office building 100 yards from the tunnel's entrance, Gov. Ernie Fletcher said.

The cause of the explosion, which occurred around 1 a.m. at the Darby Mine No. 1 in Harlan County, was not immediately known. But Mr. Fletcher, who was at the scene, said preliminary evidence suggested that methane might have leaked from a sealed-off portion of the mine, mixed with oxygen and ignited.

The five miners, who were part of a maintenance shift, were found about 3,000 feet into the mine, said Ray McKinney of the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. The governor said some of the miners had donned breathing devices after the explosion and tried to climb to safety. Federal investigators said four of the victims were found close together but could not confirm whether they had used breathing devices.

The only survivor, Paul Ledford, was closer to the mine entrance when the explosion occurred, Mr. Fletcher said. Mr. Ledford was treated at Lonesome Pine Hospital in Big Stone Gap, Va., and released. He had burns on his face and chest, said his brother, Jeff Ledford.

The governor said he had contacted the families of the killed workers. "They want answers — how, why, what caused it — that will help them deal with it a little more," Mr. Fletcher said. Relatives of the miners had gathered before dawn at the nearby Cloverfork Missionary Baptist Church to await news. State and federal mine officials informed the family members of the deaths, said Mike Blair, the church's pastor.

"There's just a lot of heartbroken people," he said.

The authorities identified the victims as Amon Brock, 51, of Closplint; Jimmy D. Lee, 33, of Wallins Creek; Roy Middleton, 35, of Evarts; George William Petra, 49, of Kenvir; and Paris Thomas Jr., 53, also of Evarts.

The mine, about 250 miles southeast of Louisville in a mountainous area near the Virginia border, has been operated by Kentucky Darby LLC since May 2001. Since then, the mine has had 10 injuries and no deaths, according to statistics from the mine safety administration.

A man who answered the phone at a Kentucky Darby office declined to comment, saying the company was too busy. The mine safety administration said the deaths on Saturday had raised the national death toll from coal mining accidents to 31 this year, with 10 of the deaths in Kentucky.

Last week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee unanimously backed a bill to make coal mining safer. The measure was put together by Senators Michael B. Enzi, Republican of Wyoming, and Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts. The legislation would require miners to have at least two hours of oxygen available instead of one as under the current policy. It also would require mine operators to store extra oxygen packs along escape routes.

[Napoleon]

"Kopple's heavy handed accounting of the details"? (Beaver)
I wonder what that's in reference to, exactly.

Kopple comes down heavily on the side on the striking miners to such an extent that at times it seems like a propaganda film.

Because it is so one sided I began to doubt the facts presented to me. This can be attributed to living in the age of Michael Moore and his liberal use of the truth.
In actuality Kopple has integrity; the side of the miners is the only one to take. Unlike MM she has enough faith in the facts that she doesn't need to manipulate the truth.

My favorite (likely unwilling) participant in this is Tony Boyle; although the gun toting Basil Collins pushes him close. Boyle is Monty Burns in the flesh.
The corrupt leader of the union of mine workers, he hired killers to dispose of a beaten rival. Captured on two pieces of newsreel footage, he transforms from 'butter wouldn't melt' innocent to (supposedly) crippled old man on the brink of death between the space of 12 months. It is a chilling sequence.
Naturally the old man who had to receive his sentence half-dead in a wheel chair would go on to survive another decade in prison.

The indignant New York cop giving the all-too-innocent miner a few home truths is great value as well.

[Antoine Doinel]

This is interesting: there's a soundtrack CD coming out on the same day as the new DVD. The CD even uses a modified version of the Criterion cover art.

My review of the soundtrack is here: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/revi ... -struggle/

[zedz]

I finished watching this last night and was shocked to see hardly any feedback about the disc post-release. (Actually, feedback about specific discs - as opposed to whining about film choices or thundering about production glitches - seems to have become passé lately).

It's a great, landmark documentary, but what really impresses me is Criterion's presentation. To my mind this is one of the most perfectly-formed single disc releases in the collection, and much more impressive in its marshalling of relevant contextual material with a minimum of duplication than many of their multi-disc sets.

The "making of" is efficient and diligent, and not over-long. The outtakes are generous (nearly half an hour), well-chosen and well-contextualised - all of them add to our understanding of the personalities and background of the original story. None are mere alternative versions of existing scenes, and their collective strength emphasize just what an impressive editing task the finished film was.

Hazel Dickens' interview is wonderful, and illuminates a completely different aspect of the filmmaking process. Even the panel discussion is to the point, has little overlap with the rest of the extras, and conveniently updates the film by highlighting a contemporary miners' dispute.

Sayles' intro is brief, and not too redundant, and the commentary is a model one: lively, information-rich and responsive to what's on screen without slipping into narration. Once you get through to the commentary, there's a degree of duplication of material, but in general it's remarkable that, with so many layers of information about the film, each of the extras brings fresh perspectives. Nice booklet too.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

I enjoyed this doc as well! In fact, it was first my time seeing it via Criterion.

I thought that the rhythm of the film was very well done and how the tension increases as the strike drags on. The tension becomes downright palpable. For example, we see how regulations limit the number of miners who can be on the picket lines and so their wives get organized, galvanized by the charismatic Lois Scott and we see them right there on the front lines with signs and clubs. Incredible footage!

Another memorable moment is the footage of the miners taking their fight to New York City, picketing on Wall Street and encouraging people not to buy Duke Power Company stock. But I think that the images that suck with me most are when, ten months in and the strikebreakers arm themselves with guns in response to the strikers armed with bats, things escalate when the head strikebreaker, Basil Collins, pulls a gun on the picket line and, at one point, aims right at the camera! That was incredible to watch and quite scary.

[Napoleon]

...things escalate when the head strikebreaker, Basil Collins, pulls a gun on the picket line and, at one point, aims right at the camera! That was incredible to watch and quite scary.

Which is more frightening, Collins pulling the gun or his absolute conviction that he is morally in the right?

[jbeall]

"Kopple's heavy handed accounting of the details"? (Beaver)
I wonder what that's in reference to, exactly.

Not sure what they mean, either. As the article below makes clear, from yesterday's NY Times, even to this day Harlan County and surrounding mine communities suffer dangerous conditions. Nothing heavy-handed about pointing the truth out.

In this case, 'heavy handed' means 'truthful'. To come down on one side of the fence, even when the other side is so clearly in the wrong, is considered 'unbalanced' today, as the political discourse shows. Too bad dvdbeaver (which I like) fell into the trap of believing this

It's part of the overall attack on truth in the name of cynical politics. This article puts it best.

[Gregory]

My understanding of 'heavy-handed' was that it means either clumsy or bullying and thuggish. That's why it seems hyperbolic that it's used so often to mean "strongly conveying a particular position."

If one means that Kopple's film makes a strong statement or that the miners come across more sympathetically than management in the film, one should say that. If she was unfair or ignored important facts or points of view, one should say what they were. Otherwise, this kind of critique just appeals to commonly held notions of objectivity or pure neutrality, which don't hold up to the slightest critical thought.

I've asked numerous people in the field of journalism about this pretense of objectivity. Most of them claimed to be objective (because it had been drummed into them as a professional ethic) but none could explain to me how they could report something without it being influenced in some way by prejudices, preconceived notions, or points of view, or their choices of language, and their choices about what to include and leave out of the strory or about the framing of the story itself.
I think what 'objectivity' really means in the context of the media is being positioned somewhere toward the middle of the (rather narrow) spectrum of political assumptions and viewpoints that are considered acceptable for the media. Straying outside the boundaries of this spectrum doesn't make a piece of reporting more biased, and it doesn't necessarily mean it's less accurate. Crucially, though, it probably would have less broad appeal within the business-driven news and information market -- that's what "objectivity" essentially means. The reason Kopple's film strikes people as unusual is because doesn't fit this small spectrum. Because people are so conditioned by these characteristics of the mainstream media, any film in which organized labor is presented as a positive force would probably be written off as "unbalanced," the director was obviously just using the film as a soap box, etc. Reasonable standards of fairness and accuracy probably wouldn't enter into it for many people.

jbeall, that article reminded me of this cartoon They both capture how the common practice of "balancing for balancing's sake" (or more likely just appearing to do so) often doesn't go along with any standard of factual accuracy.

[jbeall]

Thanks for the Tom Tomorrow caroon, Gregory!

If anything, rather than calling Kopple 'heavy-handed', perhaps we should blame Basil Collins for being such a remarkably vile thug. He is the one, after all, who continually brandishes his gun in an attempt to intimidate not only the filmmakers, but also strikers. He's especially troglodytic in the opening scenes, where he snarls paranoiacally through cigarette smoke that all the unions are communist.

Similarly, it's hardly heavy-handed to show the conditions in which the miners actually lived. That those living conditions existed even into the 1970s is a travesty, especially when it would have taken very little to improve them. I wonder how much things in Harlan have changed today.

I read awhile back that not a single mine in Harlan County today has a union presence. You begin to see how such a thing could happen in the movie. The insurgency campaign for the presidency of the UMWA is initially successful, but after miners get their demands, they go back to work, and the movement falls apart. That kind of class struggle takes continual work, vigilance, and a constant linking of principles and interests--in other words, the miners can't do it by themselves.

And indeed they don't. The real heroes of Harlan County, U.S.A. are the women. When the men, perhaps depressed by the duration of the strike with no resolution, begin to dwindle on the picket line, the women remain on the line, because even though it's not their working conditions, it affects their loved ones and their own livelihoods. It's too bad that once they get the union contract, they'll eventually be abandoned by the national UMWA, as well as everybody who, after being drawn to the miners' struggle, assumed it was all over once the contract was won.

I wonder if this film is shown in Women's Studies courses... it'd be interesting to watch in that context.

[HistoryProf]

The real heroes of Harlan County, U.S.A. are the women. When the men, perhaps depressed by the duration of the strike with no resolution, begin to dwindle on the picket line, the women remain on the line, because even though it's not their working conditions, it affects their loved ones and their own livelihoods. It's too bad that once they get the union contract, they'll eventually be abandoned by the national UMWA, as well as everybody who, after being drawn to the miners' struggle, assumed it was all over once the contract was won.

I wonder if this film is shown in Women's Studies courses... it'd be interesting to watch in that context.

Thanks for making this point! That was precisely what I came in here to emphasize having just watched this finally. This is one of the most compelling examples of Cinema Verite film making i've ever seen....and simply heartbreaking to watch. The amount of footage of meetings organized by women as well as the men make this film all the more important. Rarely have I seen anything that so effectively conveys the trials and tribulations of an entire community.

as for Sayles - count me among those anxiously awaiting a proper release of Matewan. I consider it among his best work, but I celebrate his entire catalog! The current Artisan dvd is an absolute travesty. I recall seeing it included among all the titles slated for re-release a year or so ago when we got Brother from Another Planet, Return of the Secaucus Seven, and Lianna from MGM, but then nothing.

[Tribe]

I read awhile back that not a single mine in Harlan County today has a union presence. You begin to see how such a thing could happen in the movie. The insurgency campaign for the presidency of the UMWA is initially successful, but after miners get their demands, they go back to work, and the movement falls apart. That kind of class struggle takes continual work, vigilance, and a constant linking of principles and interests--in other words, the miners can't do it by themselves.

Excellent point, jbeal. Without that linkage you mention, all the labor movement gains is temporary victories.

And that is the problem. The workers themselves more often than not rest on the laurels of the most recent campaign. The union becomes more and more interested in perpetuating its existence through constant undermining of its legitimacy by means of underhanded (and entirely legal) employer tactics.

Sooner or later the workers forget the solidarity that allowed them to achieve the gains they made, or the younger workers, who didn't have to make the sacrifices that the workers who came before them did, start believing that "maybe we don't need a union after all."

Then it's down hill from there.

I really believe that until the labor laws of this country are changed, so that remedies are speedy and have teeth, it's just gonna keep on getting worse, not only for organized labor, but ultimately for all working people, union and non-union.

Tribe

[rskjels]

This is interesting: there's a soundtrack CD coming out on the same day as the new DVD. The CD even uses a modified version of the Criterion cover art.

I would just like to add that the release of Jim Ford's "The Sounds of Our Time", which includes the legendary 'Harlan County'' album, includes references to Criterion's dvd.

[Tom Hagen]

Tea party darling and Kentucky U.S. Senate candidate is unfamiliar with the history of Harlan County.