The Battle of Orgreave

I thought that his documentary was one of the more interesting and coherent films we have watched. I liked how it presented the various perspectives of the event--the policeman, the ex-miners, the director, media, and etcetera. Mike Figgis and Jeremy Deller succeeded in that the environment and background knowledge needed to be emotionally integrated in the film's event was provided by these other witnesses. The witnesses brought a sense of reality to this documentary that is about re-enactment. Pictures from the actual event were also flashed sporadically before the viewer's eyes, which enhanced the reality attempting to be presented and coincided with the witnesses' accounts. The presentation of pictures also incorporated another media that contributed to the creativity being executed by the directors to recreate the battle. The pictures also relay the immortality of the event because of its ability to capture the various emotions of anger, fear, pain, and etcetera, that created and provoked this momentous event.

I also thought it was interesting that they interviewed a man who was both an ex-miner and ex-policeman. He was able to present both sides of the story, but seemed quite conflicted. Within his interview, a woman who was the chairman of a miner's support group was also presented with her perspective that policemen are often stuck in difficult situations because their family members are miners, but they must be able to put up a front to maintain their job. I thought this was a really interesting twist that helped enhance the effects and ironies present at that time.

The documentary was also difficult for those who played the policemen because the ex-miners sometimes were caught up in the moment and they would get out of hand. It was interesting to see that one of the people behind the shields said that it was rather "scary" and an "awful sensation" to be behind the shield. This resulting intimidation was because of it being staged, but to imagine all the other emotions being present at the actual event! Another interesting feature of the film was the sound. During transitions, dramatic music intermixed with military drums would be played as a means of increasing the emotional significance to everyone.