Educational Media Reviews Online

The Hill is a provocative documentary that examines an urban community’s struggle to save 94 homes from abolishment based on the city of New Haven Connecticut’s plan to build a new school. With the urban renewal plan in progress, unjust treatment is unveiled leading to the displacement of many low-income citizens and the destruction of a whole neighborhood.

The DVD immediately draws the audience into the controversial issues surrounding the political practices of urban renewal, socio-economical inequalities, and the ugly outcome of poor planning triggered by city leaders. The film captures a significant civil rights federal court case between the Upper Hill neighborhood, the city of New Haven, and the Board of Education. The case is thought provoking and gives the audience an inside look at the real lives of the plaintiffs who fought to save their community and lost.

While the story offers some historical insight about the Upper Hill community and the theory behind the urban renewal model, the film does not provide the audience with a clear understanding of what impact the court decision has made regarding similar cases across the United States. One might wonder how these problems are currently dealt with, based on the landmark decision, and how it fits into the bigger picture.

The DVD is highly recommended for public, high school, and academic library collections. It is of high quality and can be used to encourage classroom discussions covering a variety of topics including law, public policy, civil rights, and much more.