Karl Hess: Toward Liberty (1980)

The film explores the life of Karl Hess, a multifaceted figure who started as a magazine editor, then became a Republican speechwriter and author for Barry Goldwater. At the same time, he was involved with Students for a Democratic Society, showing his complex political views. In the late 1960s, Hess moved to rural West Virginia, where he championed alternative technologies and renewable energy. He strongly opposed large institutions in government, business, and academia. The film offers a detailed look at Hess's intellectual development and his ideas for changing society through smaller, decentralized systems.