>>I recently saw "The Molly Maguires" (with Richard Harris and Sean
>>Connery), which I rather enjoyed. As I was watching, I realized that I
>>could only remember having seen only one other mining-centered film:
>>"How Green Was My Valley".
>>Are there any other films out there worthy of note, and how accurate are
>>these two above in depicting life in the mines? Any that might make good
>>teaching aids for undergrads?
>>
Dave:
Gosh, I woulda thought the mining-history list would have jumped on this by
now. Really, there probably aren't a lot of films specifically ABOUT
mining, but a heck of lot where mining plays an important role. Here's my
two cents worth.
The classic movie has to be John Huston's 1948 _The reasure of the Sierra
Madre_ starring Humphrey Bogart. Follows three guys searching for gold in
the mountains (is it Mexico, or the American southwest). Classic plotline
that could play out in any setting, but the fact that it's mining makes it
a gem.
I think one of the best mining-related movies is the 1987 John Sayles movie
_Matewan_. Really more about unionization, but set in the West Virginia
coal mines in the 1920s. A very finely acted movie that never received the
attention it deserved.
An offbeat recent movie worth tracking down is the Canadian flick
_Margaret's Museum_. It is set in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia and examines the
lives of a couple of generations of coal miners. Could be a good candidate
for your undergraduate class as it does a good job of documenting many
aspects of company-controlled miner's lives (it also stars Helena Bonham
Carter and Kate Nelligan, which most undergrads will appreciate). To quote
one reviewer "I forgot while watching this movie that it indeed is a movie
.. it seem so very real. The beginning of the movie will grab your
attention completely; the middle explains almost everything; and the ending
will shock you. Completely." I'll say no more about this one. It is
worth finding.
Of course, if this is too offbeat, and you enjoy the cheesy side of horror,
you should check out the 1981 Canadian shocker _My Bloody Valentine_
(obviously the Canadians have mining on the brain). Cape Breton as a
backdrop, town rocked by 1960 mine disaster now facing a string of gory
killings. Really just a killer/slasher flick, but the mining backdrop
provides a humorous twist.
Hope this helps,
Erik Nordberg
Michigan Tech
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