‘Harlan County U.S.A.’ best doc of all time
After finally seeing Harlan County U.S.A., Barbara Kopple’s amazing 1976 documentary about coal miners in Kentucky, I’ve placed it atop my all-time doc list. It’s now one of just two docs on my list to achieve masterpiece status (4 ¾ or 5 stars). The Sorrow and the Pity is the other. If you haven’t seen this astonishingly emotional, personal piece of journalism, you’re missing something special. It’s sort of a real-life combination of Elia Kazan’s two masterpieces, On the Waterfront and Wild River.