Friday, January 11, 2008

General Idi Amin Dada (1974)

Ugandan dictator Idi Amin Dada was but a distant irritation to everyone but his own countrymen and the British Empire until his perfidy became headline material in the early '70s. The first director to provide an in-depth study of this gregarious madman was director Barbet Schroeder, with his General Idi Amin Dada. In this documentary, Schroeder and his crew travel to Uganda to spend several days with the despot, one-on-one. The uncomfortable truths revealed in the film are all the most amazing when one realizes that Schroeder could not release his documentary without Amin's approval. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Running Time: 90 mins
General Idi Amin Dada (1974)

General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait

Général Idi Amin Dada: Autoportrait
Also Known As (AKA)
General Amin UK
General Idi Amin Dada USA
General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait USA
No One Can Run Faster Than a Rifle Bullet (undefined)


Cult of Personalism

His Excellence Al-Hajji General Idi Amin Dada on The Middle East Crisis
The Middle East crisis: His Excellency the President Al-Hajji General Idi Amin Dada's contribution to the solution of the Middle East crisis during the third year of the Second Republic of Uganda (Unknown Binding)

Last audio line cut from the film:
After a century of colonialization, let us not forget that it is partially deformed image of ourselves that Idi Amin Dada reflects back at us.
as Dada looks around the room with his face filling the whole screen.

Even though it was meant as a propaganda film by Dada and the film crew did not have access to all areas of Uganda to give the complete picture of this man, it does play an important role in documenting the man of Idi Amin and what type of character he was.

After viewing this film, I have to give another kudo to Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland in his portrayal of Dada...

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