''Tar Creek'' is a 2009 feature-length environmental documentary about the
Tar Creek Superfund Site
Tar Creek Superfund site is a United States Superfund site, declared in 1983, located in the cities of Picher and Cardin, Ottawa County, in northeastern Oklahoma. From 1900 to the 1960s lead mining and zinc mining companies left behind huge open ...
, which at one time was considered the worst
environmental disaster
An environmental disaster or ecological disaster is defined as a catastrophic event regarding the natural environment that is due to human activity.Jared M. Diamond, '' Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed'', 2005 This point disti ...
in the United States. It was directed by Matt Myers, who also wrote the film's script and served as its narrator.
Synopsis
The documentary looks at the Tar Creek Superfund Site and chronicles the long-term effects of mining, tribal relations,
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
management. The land within the perimeters of this environmental disaster was bad enough that the federal government bought out the homes of citizens living there and moved them away.
Reception
The ''
Library Journal
''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...
'' rated the film favorably, writing "This grim exploration of our toxic legacy doesn't spare mine owners, bureaucrats, or politicians. Although regulations are much stricter today, viewers will ask themselves whether any agency is willing or able to remediate former mine sites properly." The ''
Journalism & Mass Communication Educator'' wrote a predominantly positive review where they praised the film for its attention to personal details while also noting "The film’s interviews are striking, but lack a sense of coherence." ''
The Capital Times
''The Capital Times'' (or ''Cap Times'') is a digital-first newspaper published in Madison, Wisconsin by The Capital Times Company. The company also owns 50 percent of Capital Newspapers, which now does business as Madison Media Partners. The ot ...
'' was slightly more mixed in their review, stating "Myers is a folksy and poetic narrator, although the tone of the film gets needlessly preachy toward the end. He found a good selection of people to interview – scientists, social workers, politicians, elderly ex-miners, displaced residents – but the selection leaned a little too heavy on officials. I would have liked to hear more from a family or child's perspective."
References
External links
*
*{{IMDb title, 1478433, Tar Creek
2009 films
2009 documentary films
American documentary films
Documentary films about environmental issues
Documentary films about mining
Mining in Oklahoma
Documentary films about Oklahoma
2000s English-language films
2000s American films