Still The Enemy Within

In 1984 a Tory government set about the dismantlement of the coal industry in the United Kingdom. Facing the threat of the closure of 20 mines with many more possibly to follow. The even larger threat of the loss of close to 200,000 jobs, the miners had no other choice but to strike. They wanted to work in jobs that they were trained in and not sit in the dole queue. However the state had other ideas and set about a campaign of intimidation, violence and bare faced lies to force the miners back. They stayed out for over a year but eventually had to return to the closure of an industry by a government that followed a misguided financial policy.

Truth is written by the victors.This is the second truest statement in life behind ' death and taxes'. If like me you can remember the horror of the miners strikes, then you will also remember the opinion you had of the miners. Finally we have the 'alternative' side of the events. The events that lead to the destruction of an industry that was once the backbone of our country progression.This documentary is so good at getting its message across (that being correcting perception), that I could only wish it had been available at the time. You see the way that Owen Gower has built the piece. From the direct to camera conversations that are mixed with archive footage and then interlinked with magnificent photography deserve for him to be praised to the highest. When you are making a film about people that are have been so vilified in the national press, you have to be careful about the use of matter. If the matter is to focused on suffering and you come off irrationally supportive. Go to far the other way and it becomes the endorsement of the opinion. With this documentary the media mixture, its pacing, narrative and balance of view it hits the nail firmly on the head. The amazing human character of people is drawn out and this is an exceptional thing to do.

Documentary is many things and here it is a testament for these unheard voices. People who just wanted to work for a living. People who knew that something was in motion that would destroy the fabric of their society. I was amazed at how little was actually in the public domain. Reality is removed from the public view and instead an alternative ideological piece is introduced by the winners. This film is actually the true history of the event and this is a brave thing to do. The truth was almost deleted from our view. Censored would be a better word. I hail the work of the films creators. It took guts and this film will be a historical document, that will in time correct the history.

My only negative was that the Tory ministers who enacted some of this awfulness weren't forced to confront it...