Company Town - still one of the best films on WV
A boy from the documentary “Company Town”
Jim Rutenbeck came to West Virginia around 1982, and ended up directing his first film - about Widen, Clay County, West Virginia. Since then he has worked on many, many films, editing many of the new classics produced by WGBH in Boston. He has transfered his film from 16 mm to DVD, making it available to a new generation of people who want to understand West Virginia’s amazing history. Kelley Thompson, a new WV filmmaker, directed his own film about Clay County, “The Widen Film Project.” It’s time to go back and see the original - “Company Town.”
25 mins. 1983 Jim Rutenbeck began his professional career with this film. He now edits many of The American Experience films produced by WGBH-TV, shown nationally on PBS. His award-winning film, Raise the Dead, ends in War, McDowell County, West Virginia.The town of Widen, West Virginia ( Clay County) was once a thriving coal mining community. Using interviews, photographs and old film footage, this film recounts the history of Widen and its paternal ruler, coal baron J.G. ( Joseph Gardner) Bradley, 1882-1971. It is still considered to be one of the best film portraits of an Appalachian company coal town. Access: Now available on DVD from Jim Rutenbeck, Lost Nation Pictures, 106 Oliver Road, Newton, MA 02468, (617) 969-6533, jrutenbeck@gmail.com, $19.95 including public performance rights.PS I sent this piece to Mike Ontko, who was the director of the Clay County Public Library. Here is what he said about the premiere of the film -
I wish I could remember. It was in the new library building, which opened in 1982. Jim Rutenbeck had a copy of David Bowie’s latest album with him - “Let’s Dance” , which came out in 1983. That’s about all I can recall, other than the fact that Jim was extremely nervous that the crowd would hate the film. They loved it.
Jim Rutenbeck wrote back - that’s so funny. really sounds like me!
