Digging The Scene

Three years ago, I was blogging about a 1951 film called 'Ace In The Hole'. It's about a guy trapped underground and the media drama that surrounds the story. By the end, the accident site has become a fairground and the controlling journalist (played by Kirk Douglas, who clenches his jaw with gusto) is an utter monster.

I've thought about this film often when news of the mine disaster in Chile has featured on the news. I felt a chill when 'Camp Hope' emerged. But like everyone else, I felt happy for the miners when the escape shaft broke through to them.

So while the media can be a vile intrusion in some cases, you could also argue that in Chile, the world's interest has guaranteed that the national government were obliged to make every effort to rescue those unfortunate souls. Somewhere, Leo Minosa is smiling.