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The Fog of Truth: Close-Up on Documentaries


Oct 2, 2019

For this second episode of our current season we try something new with a look back at an important film from the past, Barbara Kopple’s 1976 Harlan County U.S.A., which won the 1977 Best Documentary Oscar. Why this trip down docu-memory lane? Two reasons: 1) our guest host this week is actually a guest historian, Betsy McLane, who not only knows just about everything there is to know about documentary history, but also knows quite a lot about Kopple; and 2) the coal miners of Harlan County, Kentucky, are once again on strike, gaining national and international attention over the summer. Plus ça change …

And while we’re on the topic of great films about unions, we thought we’d also play a recent interview Chris did with directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert of American Factory, just recently released on Netflix, which tells the story of what happens when a Chinese glass company takes over an abandoned GM plant. It starts out so well, but then, well … you’ll just have to listen to our podcast and then watch the movie. Enjoy!

Group Review Documentary:

HARLAN COUNTY U.S.A. (Barbara Kopple, 1976)

Available on disc and online

Film Featured in Interview Portion:

AMERICAN FACTORY (Steven Bognar/Julia Reichert, 2019)

Now on Netflix

Other Books and Documentaries Mentioned:

 

Links to review and interview by Christopher Llewellyn Reed:

 

Timestamps:

  • 00:40 – Intro
  • 04:27 – Group Discussion of HARLAN COUNTY U.S.A.
  • 25:58 – Chris interviews Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert of AMERICAN FACTORY
  • 43:38 – Doc Talk

Website/Email:

www.fogoftruth.com

disinfo@fogoftruth.com

Credits:

Artwork by Hilary Campbell

Intro music by Jeremiah Moore

Transitional music by BELLS (thanks to Christopher Ernst)

Editing and shownotes by Christopher Llewellyn Reed