Matewan

[A.R.Amistad]

Is anyone here a fan of the movie Matewan? If you haven't seen it its must see. Its about a West Virginia coal war in Matewan where a communist union organizer organizes white, black and Italian miners into the UMW (this takes place in the 1920's) to strike against the oppressive Stone Mountain Coal Company, who hires gun thugs to fight them. This is a must see, like I said. Does anyone care to comment or critique this film?

[Spawn of Stalin]

Easily one of my favourite American films of all time, there are a lot of events and union matters from the early 20th century which could have quite easily been made into very good films, but I think that they made a good choice with the story of Matewan. I don't really have a lot to say about it because I'd like people to actually watch the film, it really conveys how shit things were for workers back then.

[New Tet]

Saw it many years ago. I liked it. I think it was John Sayles who directed it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwEMIvDEFy4

[A.R.Amistad]

I think the Finns might have been more in the Midwest than West Virginia, but I could be wrong.

Saw it many years ago. I liked it. I think it was John Sayles who directed it.

Yes, John Sayles directed it. Love the Joe Keenehan speech! :thumbup1:

[Manifesto]

Unfortunately there are like no good copies of it for DVD.

[The Author]

Loved this movie. I have this movie on VHS (got it as a used copy from the local video store several years ago). Between the conditions of life among the miners, the harassment by the strikebreakers, life in the community, the attempts to organize and unionize, and the infamous gun battle at the climax were all great aspects of this film. I only wish there were a lot more films and/or television series like this that dealt with worker struggles and the class struggle out and about instead of the same old action-drama-remake-prequel-sequel garbage that Hollywood is renowned for reproducing.

[brigadista]

i also have this movie on vhs - it is one of my favorite american movies also- if you haven't seen it try to

[Pogue]

Oh nice this looks wicked. Thanks for telling us about it.