RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Harlan County, USA
Harlan County, USA

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Harlan County, USA (1976)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
100 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:7

Fresh:7

Rotten:0

Average Rating:9.1/10

Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins

Genre: Education/General Interest

Synopsis: If Barbara Kopple had made no other film than this documentary account of the 1974 strike of Kentucky mine workers, arguably one of the finest documentaries ever made in the U.S. and possibly the... If Barbara Kopple had made no other film than this documentary account of the 1974 strike of Kentucky mine workers, arguably one of the finest documentaries ever made in the U.S. and possibly the best on the problems of organized labor, her place in film history would be assured. The strike began when the miners working for the Eastover Mining Co. joined the UMW, and its corporate parent, Duke Power, refused to sign the standard union contract. By living with the 180-odd families involved in the strike, Kopple shows the backbreaking burdens of the miners' life in the best of times and the looming fear of destitution in the worst. As the strikers strive to remain united through a difficult year, Kopple photographs the picketing, the company's use of state troopers to keep the roads open for scabs, the showdowns between the miners and strikebreakers brandishing firearms. After several shootings, one miner is finally killed. During the man's wake, a memorable sequence, his mother collapses. While the film is unabashedly partisan, it's worth remembering that the company's refusal to sign a contract was condemned by the National Labor Relations Board and that the corporation agreed to sign only under heavy pressure from federal mediators. The Oscar-winning HARLAN COUNTY, USA is a landmark in the history of American documentary filmmaking. [More]

Director: Barbara Kopple

Director: Barbara Kopple
Producer: Barbara Kopple
Composer: Merle Travis

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Apr 25, 2006

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Harlan County, USA

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 12 (sorted by date)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

One of the finest documentaries ever made, Barbara Kopple's "Harlan County U.S.A." is a brilliant exposé about the embattled history of coal miners in America as seen through the very personal prism of striking coal miners in Harlan County, Kentucky in 19

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
04/12/09
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

One of the better and more rousing labor strike films that calls attention to class war in America.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
09/03/08
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
08/06/08
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A seminal documentary about the complexity of American unionism, reflecting director Kopple's ideology, one that combines Old Left socialism with American populism

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
12/08/06
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

At its least it's an impassioned indictment of those who would exploit the powerless and at best a call to arms.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/14/06
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
Filmcritic.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
07/15/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
07/15/06
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
07/15/06
Richard Eder
Richard Eder
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
07/15/06
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
07/12/06
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Kopple's rather terrifying film rocked its minuscule audience and instantly became a cultural touchstone.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
10/11/05
Michael Atkinson
Michael Atkinson
Village Voice
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

serves as an important historical document and unfortunately remains as relevant today as it was thirty years ago

Full Review Source: Old School Reviews | comment Comment
03/11/03
John A. Nesbit
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews
 
 
1 - 12 (sorted by date)
Text View
See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
36% 36% Angels & Demons
95% 95% Star Trek
25% 25% Four Christmases

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
83% 83% Harry Potter and the H…
67% 67% Public Enemies
75% 75% Julie & Julia
95% 95% The Cove
85% 85% World's Greatest Dad

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood

Take a trip through Clint Eastwood's career!

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

RT looks at Disney's best animated movies!

Total Recall

Total Recall

A look back at Keith David's best movies!

Five Favorites

Five Favorites

Sam Worthington shares his favorite films!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
0
  • The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Headed for IMAX Source: Collider.com
42
  • James Cameron Developing Sci-Fi Film for Fox Source: ComingSoon.net
7
  • Peter Jackson Reveals Which LotR Characters Will Return for The Hobbit Source: MTV
15
  • Josh Brolin Rumored for Men in Black 3 Source: Los Angeles Times
22
  • Malkovich and Hathaway Rumored for Spider-Man 4 Source: Movieline
84
  • Avatar Picks Up Golden Globes Buzz Source: HitFix
66
  • Disney's Upcoming Hand-Drawn Movies Revealed Source: Slashfilm
21
  • Cameron Explains Blue Avatar Aliens Source: MTV
37
  • Matt Damon Expects Greengrass to Return for Fourth Bourne Source: Collider.com
10
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Keith David's Best Movies
58
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
57
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
50
  • Five Favorite Films With Avatar's Sam Worthington
46
  • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
41
  • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
37
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Blind Side Takes the Lead
29
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
28
  • Friday Harvest: Iron Man 2, Harry Potter, and more!
24
  • Help Us Choose the Community Golden Tomato Award
21
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
0
  • Five Favorite Films With Avatar's Sam Worthington
46
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
23
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Harlan County, USA at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Best Sci-Fi This Decade
Best Sci-Fi This Decade External Link

Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.

40 Worst Films of the 2000s
40 Worst Films of the 2000s External Link

Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.

10 Questions For Zac Efron
10 Questions For Zac Efron External Link

The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.

Best Decade Ever!
Best Decade Ever! External Link

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure External Link

In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.