Barbara Kopple's Academy Award-winning Harlan County USA unflinchingly documents a grueling coal miners' strike in a small Kentucky town. With unprecedented access, Kopple and her crew captured the miners' sometimes violent struggles with strikebreakers, local police, and company thugs. Featuring a haunting soundtrack-with legendary country and bluegrass artists Hazel Dickens, Merle Travis, Sarah Gunning, and Florence Reece-the film is a heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.
Supplements
Audio commentary by Kopple and editor Nancy Baker
The Making of "Harlan County, USA," a new documentary featuring interviews with Kopple, crew members and strike participants featured in the film
New video interview with legendary bluegrass singer-songwriter Hazel Dickens
Never-before-seen outtakes from the film
New video interview with director John Sayles
A panel discussion from the 2005 Sundance Film Festival featuring Kopple and Roger Ebert
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