Home› UK TV Shows
Click here to check out Digital Spy's TV section for the latest news, previews and reviews of your favourite shows.
Options

Documentaries about the 1984 Miner's Strike

MacBurpMacBurp Posts: 282
Forum Member
✭
in UK TV Shows #1
Does anyone know of good documentaries about the 1984 miners strike. I'm looking for a programme that is

- reasonably even handed; views on the strike were very polarised, hard to find shows that are dispassionate about the strike
- presents the big picture, rather than get bogged down in the effects on people

Any suggestions welcome.

Comments

  • Options
    owl61ukowl61uk Posts: 3,008
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #2
    MacBurp wrote: »
    Does anyone know of good documentaries about the 1984 miners strike. I'm looking for a programme that is

    - reasonably even handed; views on the strike were very polarised, hard to find shows that are dispassionate about the strike
    - presents the big picture, rather than get bogged down in the effects on people

    Any suggestions welcome.

    Sorry I cant help with this but look forward to seeing some responses as I am also very interested in this. Even books on the subject are difficult to obtain that are balanced
  • Options
    Steve9214Steve9214 Posts: 8,406
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #3
    Last year was 30 years anniversary so there were a few programmes - a good one on the BBC.

    Try youtube - there is nothing on i-player.

    Scargill does not appear in any recent programmes, his ex wife does feature, also Labour politicians of the time like Kinnock.

    Just made me think of the 1st World war expression - "Lions led by Donkeys" - or just one donkey in this case.
  • Options
    andy1231andy1231 Posts: 5,100
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #4
    Not a good time for anyone on either side. I witnessed a lot of violence from miners against the Police and in some cases against the miners. One day I was covering a picket outside a pit and one of my fellow officers was standing opposite the miners picket and several members of his family where picketing. He was from a mining town in Northumberland. The miners were never going to win, they were up against a Prime Minister who would never have allowed herself to have been defeated and of course Scargill chose exactly the wrong time to call a strike as coal reserves were at their highest.
  • Options
    lundavralundavra Posts: 31,790
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #5
    andy1231 wrote: »
    Not a good time for anyone on either side. I witnessed a lot of violence from miners against the Police and in some cases against the miners. One day I was covering a picket outside a pit and one of my fellow officers was standing opposite the miners picket and several members of his family where picketing. He was from a mining town in Northumberland. The miners were never going to win, they were up against a Prime Minister who would never have allowed herself to have been defeated and of course Scargill chose exactly the wrong time to call a strike as coal reserves were at their highest.

    An ex-police friend worked on it, he got on fine with many of the miners with breaks whilst they attacked anyone arriving to continue to work.
  • Options
    paulsh1paulsh1 Posts: 2,245
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #6
    I know its not exactly what your looking for,but the movie Pride is excellent and based on true events.

    Real eye opener and great ending.
  • Options
    MacBurpMacBurp Posts: 282
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #7
    Steve9214 wrote: »
    Last year was 30 years anniversary so there were a few programmes - a good one on the BBC.

    Try youtube - there is nothing on i-player.

    Scargill does not appear in any recent programmes, his ex wife does feature, also Labour politicians of the time like Kinnock.

    Just made me think of the 1st World war expression - "Lions led by Donkeys" - or just one donkey in this case.

    Do you recall the titles of any of these, particularly the BBC prog - something I can google for.
  • Options
    Somerset BoySomerset Boy Posts: 596
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #8
    There's was a programme called Strike: When Britain Went To War, it was first shown in 2004 and It was repeated again in 2010 on More 4.
  • Options
    cyrilandshirleycyrilandshirley Posts: 48,569
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #9
    MacBurp wrote: »
    Does anyone know of good documentaries about the 1984 miners strike. I'm looking for a programme that is

    - reasonably even handed; views on the strike were very polarised, hard to find shows that are dispassionate about the strike
    - presents the big picture, rather than get bogged down in the effects on people

    Any suggestions welcome.

    I think you'll struggle with both of these criteria, because there is no way to be dispassionate about the strike. You are either on one side or the other, and all documentaries will be the same. You also can't avoid the effects on people - it destroyed lives, and people still remember that.

    Anyway, with that in mind, look for Still The Enemy Within:
    http://the-enemy-within.org.uk/
    Only on DVD or in some cinemas, but trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJF67Ma9VRs

    Told entirely from the miners' point of view, and an absolutely excellent documentary, whether you agree with them or not.

    Not what you asked for really, but recommend it for first hand accounts.
  • Options
    holly berryholly berry Posts: 14,287
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #10
    This is a good place to start. The Battle of Orgreave:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn7DZSagDI4
Sign In or Register to comment.