One Word Movie

Matewan

An American miners' strike movie - which, like rom zom com Shaun of the Dead, is surely a film that defines its own genre. It was made by John Sayles in 1987, concerning itself with real-life events from 1921, in the town of Matewan, Central Deliverance State.

It's well acted, and perhaps because it was unfamiliar subject matter, I didn't know what was going to happen next. Some of the characterisation is too obvious, like James Earl Jones playing the heroic James Earl Jones character, and the evil warder from The Shawshank Redemption just changing his hat over. But the film has unexpected sympathies, like the way that the Sheriff is a good guy, or the way the wee preacher kid turns into a junior red. And I wish I knew more about cinematography, because it's shot beautifully by Haskell Wexler, with a variable exposure flicker to it - he also did One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

I don't think this movie is surprising enough to be a classic, but it's certainly interesting and enjoyable and it never flirts with the shit rating.

posted by Chairman Peyote @ 12:41 PM