Response 9: The Battle of Orgreave

When I first started watching “The Battle of Orgreave,” directed by Mike Figgis and Jeremy Deller, I was struck by the heavy North English accent of the workers, policemen, and other people involved in the reenactment of the battle. But aside from the initial difficulty of understanding the accent (I got more used to it by the end), there was nothing bad about the video. In fact, I really enjoyed watching this documentary. I was really amazed at the extent Mike Figgis and Jeremy Deller went to reenact and document this famous event. It’s always difficult to mobilize large groups of people towards a common goal, but the directors were able to get the hundreds of “miners” and “policemen” to perform in a safe and realistic manner. I was very impressed by the enthusiasm of those reenacting the battle.

The constant interviews with the miners and policemen from the actual Battle of Orgreave also provided valuable perspective into the details of the event. As explained in various interviews, the media often provided very warped and biased versions of the actual incidents that occurred at Orgreave. While all media is at least a bit subjective, it seems that the reports on the riot drastically altered what really happened, so it is very helpful to receive information from the source – those who were actually involved in the event. And these constant interviews were also helpful in providing a background for those (like me) who have never heard about the Battle of Orgreave. After working through the heavy English accent, I had a pretty good understanding of the battle and of its reenactment.

In this case, I think the reenactment of the Battle of Orgreave was a powerful historical reminder of what happened in 1984. Many families were affected by this devastating event, and it’s only after I watched this documentary that I can truly appreciate how widespread and important the Battle of Orgreave was in the lives of so many people.