Documentary Movie Reviews
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Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
4/07
4/07:
Harlan County, U.S.A. is a magnificent piece of Americana.
I've always wanted to know what it's like to work in the coal mines, the dangers surrounding the job, and how it affects the
families. Barbara Kopple gives me a glimpse into their world which perfectly describes it all.
At the same time, there's a strike going on which reminds me of On the Waterfront with
Marlon Brando but more real. Before I saw the documentary, I was inundated with a stereotyped picture of chiseled Charles Bronson
who used to work in the coal mines. The men, current and former mine workers, of Harlan County appear to be a ghastly-looking
bunch with pale, sullen faces.
All in all, thirty years after its initial release, Harlan County, U.S.A. remains one of the finest documentaries made
and serves as a benchmark of how it should be done.