Hillbilly

I could only handle about 20 minutes of it - half of that time was about politics and the 2016 election. Too bad the description was so poor.

I really liked this documentary, but sometimes it seemed very obvious that its focus was to find left-leaning subcultures within the Hillbilly culture in order to give left-leaning America hope...

The main problem with this, is that it the film kept making the claim that hillbillies are unfairly represented in media... but in this, seemed to do exactly what the media does to hillbillies.

It's worth a watch.

This is a very well presented documentary, directed by Ashley York and Sally Rubin. York also narrates the film and appears regularly throughout its filming.

York was born and raised in Eastern Kentucky, notably Meathouse Holler, and left the area when she was 18-years-old to attend the University of Kentucky. Now living in Los Angeles, she is returning to Appalachia to interview family, friends, and area residents for the movie.

The main focus of the doc is to try and counter the terrible stereotypes that, over many generations, have portrayed hillbillies from Appalachia. The media, including movies television, and print have fostered the concepts that hillbillies are dangerous, threatening, lazy, talk funny etc. etc. etc.

The filmmakers here try and counter these stereotypes and show how complicated the area can be, with its long history of exploitation by coal and mining companies. Also, the interviews with all types of Appalachians illustrate how they are just like many other Americans, with their own proud culture, music, and heritage.

The movie had added interest for me as it was being filmed right during the 2016 Presidential election race. It gave good insight into why some Kentuckians voted for Trump and why some voters went for Clinton. Trump drew large and enthusiastic crowds there and he considered that area a strong base of his.

Overall, this doc was well edited and had a lot to say and interspersed film clips (the one with Dolly Parton and Dabney Coleman in "9 to 5" was unforgettable) interviews, and historical pieces seamlessly.

To note, there were no subtitles on my DVD copy, but I was able to access them through my remote closed captions option.

This is what I learned from Hillbilly:

• Appalachia is an ugly, depressing, rundown place. And we're talking about a stretch encompassing well over a hundred thousand square miles, as the movie's map showed us.

• The only conservative-leaning people who are loveable belong to the filmaker's family.

• There are a minority of smart, educated people in this backward place called Appalachia, but they are all left-leaning. (Of course, I mean, what would you expect?)

• People all across this huge God-forsaken expanse refer to themselves as "hillbillies."

• There is absolutely no reason to visit this unseemly, tasteless place unless your curious for a cultural experience, namely to study these odd folks so you can talk about them when you get back to civilization.

Oops. I almost! I grew up in small town Appalachia! And "Hillbilly" is a mere charicature of the richness and diversity of the people and places I knew. But darn it! I understand that to make a movie like that would been a bit too challenging and uncomfortable for the elites. Mea culpa for my criticisms. I should have know better.

The first half of the movie is spent telling you not to degrade Southerners. Then it goes on to pump the narrative that ignorant hillbillies are the reason for Trump and the point is basically "wake up and vote blue you stupid Hicks".

I don't think this movie will do anything to help the people of Appalachia or their perception. If anything it's just going to make things worse. Most people in Appalachia will do anything for anyone they just don't want to be told what to do and want to be left alone. That's what people don't understand.