Matewan: The Criterion Collection DVD

Matewan: The Criterion Collection DVD presents John Sayles’s historical drama about a 1920 West Virginia coal miners’ strike and the effort to build a union across racial and immigrant communities. The listing describes a newly restored, two-disc edition with several film-related extras.

At a glance

Historical drama about a West Virginia mining-town strike and union organizing in 1920.
The listing describes a new 4K digital restoration supervised by director John Sayles. The edition itself is DVD.
Special features listed include a Sayles commentary, documentaries and interviews, a production-design program, and a trailer.
The two-disc edition is listed with an essay by critic A. S. Hamrah.

Price

$14.98Save 50%

Reference price: ~~$29.95~~

Price checked: Nov 12, 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

The extras offer commentary and several programs about the film’s production, soundtrack, and design.
A 133-minute runtime and ensemble cast support a substantial feature presentation centered on the strike and labor conflict.

Technical specifications

10 specifications

Film and edition
Genre	Drama
Format	DVD, NTSC
Runtime	133 minutes
Director	John Sayles
Contributors	Chris Cooper, David Strathairn, James Earl Jones, John Sayles, Mary McDonnell
Language	English
Rating	PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
Number of discs	2
Release date	October 29, 2019

Dimensions and installation
Dimensions listed	0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 3.53 ounces

What to know before buying

Listing details to confirm

Customer feedback reports that the movie lacks subtitles. The listing gives English as a language but does not specify subtitle availability, so confirm this if subtitles are needed. The listing’s feature descriptions vary: one section mentions two new making-of documentaries, while another details one making-of documentary and separate interview and production-design programs. Check the selected edition’s included extras if a particular feature matters.

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Viewers interested in labor history, historical drama, and John Sayles’s work.
Collectors looking for a DVD edition with director-related commentary and production extras.

Less suited to

Buyers specifically seeking a Blu-ray or 4K UHD disc. The product is listed as DVD, NTSC, despite its 4K restoration claim.
Viewers who require subtitles, unless their availability is confirmed for this edition.

Matewan: The Criterion Collection DVD · photo 2 — Additional product photo 2

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.8 / 5 · 612 ratings

5 stars90%90%
4 stars6%6%
3 stars2%2%
2 stars1%1%
1 star1%1%

Customer feedback highlights the film’s powerful story, historical portrayal, performances, political impact, and Haskell Wexler’s cinematography. These reactions fit an edition focused on a 1920 mining-town strike and union organizing. Some customers report that the movie lacks subtitles, a practical concern for viewers who need them. Aggregate ratings are strongly positive overall, but they do not establish which edition features customers evaluated.

Positive themes

Customers praise the film’s performances and cinematography.
Feedback describes the story as powerful and historically compelling.

Negative themes

Some customer feedback reports that the movie lacks subtitles.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a 4K UHD disc?

No. The listing identifies the format as DVD, NTSC. Its 4K claim refers to the restoration, not the disc format.

What extras are listed?

The listing names an audio commentary, making-of material, a composer interview, a production-design program, a trailer, and an essay. The descriptions differ on the number of making-of documentaries, so check the selected edition if a specific extra is important.

Does this DVD include subtitles?

Subtitle availability is not specified in the product details. Customer feedback reports that the movie lacks subtitles, so confirm before buying if subtitles are required.