Naturita, CO, was once a thriving community, largely due to uranium mines that provided plenty of jobs and good incomes. But when the mines closed, the economy collapsed, and residents found themselves struggling merely to survive. Which is why, as filmmaker Suzan Beraza's documentary illustrates, Naturita's town council jumped at a feeler from the Energy Fuels corporation to resume mining operations and build a mill to process the ore. Uranium Drive-In captures the citizenry's general enthusiasm for the project, although some—such as a former miner who lost his legs to radiation poisoning—see it as dangerous. And the proposal brings opposition from an environmental group, the Sheep Mountain Alliance, which points to other locales that are now deserted due to toxic soil, along with claims that potential pollution of the groundwater could lead to contamination downstream as far as California. As is often the case, the arguments here take on the character of a class conflict, as locals perceive the well-to-do environmentalists as interlopers who don't understand their desperation (and treat them condescendingly, to boot). Ultimately, the dispute is settled by outside forces: the falling price of uranium causes the company to rescind its promises. But there's a sort of hopeful ending as citizens begin establishing new businesses in order to revive Naturita's fortunes. Beraza presents this story in an evenhanded fashion, drawing on interviews with people on both sides. DVD extras include deleted scenes, a text bio of Beraza, and a resource guide. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Uranium Drive-In
(2013) 70 min. DVD: $24.95. First Run Features (avail. from most distributors). Closed captioned. Volume 30, Issue 1
Uranium Drive-In
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: