I am disappointed that in 2007, we still have little tolerance for the truth regarding people of color. This portryal is a betrayal of the truth. That this film would ask us to accept such a scenario is a disgrace to every mother of African decent, down to Margaret Garner, who attempted to kill her own children vs. There is no way any reasonable mother would enter so lightly into a situation that had such daunting implications. For if she did not fear him for her own life, she would have certainly feared him for the life of her son. If this is the case for the average African woman, how much more applicable to the wife of the President, a dictator, a murderer. I absolutely do not believe that women oppressed as they are by their muslim traditions and/or tribal rituals, would be so easily bedded. Finally, the films portrayal of the African woman was utterly disgusting. It is believed his true mentor was a member of the British Secret Service.this makes sense.
Quite honestly, he had too much personal capital at stake to entrust it to someone with so little wit or wisdom. A person of his considerable and terrible ability would not have been as easily trusting as the Idi Amen characterized in the film. In addition, the rise of the young Scottish docctor seems utterly inappropriate, given Idi Amen's proven ability to win the favor of nations and people. This may well be true, but no dictator has ruled that has not first been given permission. Instead, the movie brings us into the latter years of an administration and personality gone off track and tending towards the manic. While his political career was rife with abuse and tyrrany, it would have been appropriate to show some of the character he had to exhibit in order to command such broad based support, both from his own people, as well as the British government. Being an African, one can easily conclude that this support was based, to some degree, on an enormous charisma and aptitude. He was a 9-time heavyweight boxing champion and sargeant in the British military, who won the support and sponsorship of the British leadership.
Many historically infamous individuals begin humbly and rise to rule, based upon their accurate sense of what their people desire. Many historically infamous individuals begin humbly and rise to rule, based upon their accurate While Idi Amen degraded to the status of Dictator and maniacal murderer, this movie did little to establish the foundation for his rise to power. It's worth reading up on how the project came together.While Idi Amen degraded to the status of Dictator and maniacal murderer, this movie did little to establish the foundation for his rise to power. Schroeder was given unprecedented access to Amin, who was actually influential in the making of the film, but it's far from propaganda material. Several hundred thousand people are believed to have been killed during his brutal 8 year regime.Īmin died August 16th, 2003, in Saudi Arabia, where he'd been living in exile since 1979, when he was overthrown.Īs far as onscreen depictions of Amin, many of you are likely most familiar with Forest Whitaker's interpretation of Amin in the 2006 film, "The Last King of Scotland," for which he earned an Academy Award.īut if we may instead/also direct your attention to director Barbet Schroeder's must-see 1974 documentary on Amin, titled simply "General Idi Amin Dada," made while the brutal dictator was still very much at the height of his power. Today in history. April 11, 1979, Idi Amin Dada, the military dictator and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979, was deposed, as rebels in exile backed by Tanzanian forces, seized control of the country.