Staying on a similar topic from my last post that being of Africa, I went to see the Last King of Scotland - a movie based on a novel depicting the life and rule of Ugandan President and horrific dictator Idi Amin.The movie starts of in that happy African spirit (similiar to Hotel Rwanda) of beautiful countryside landscapes, dancing energetic people and African sounds and slowly slowly the problems arise and it all deteriorates into disaster. The power, corruption lack of trust, seer madness (Amin gave himself the title: "His ExcellencyPresident for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.") symbolises most of the stories of African rule and government, a President with the charisma, who starts off promising his supporters change and hope lands up "taking out" every threat or suspicion that arises.
The acting was superb especially by Forest Whitaker who plays Amin, and portrays the decorated soldier who is big active and sporty with a sense of humour and charisma that charms all. I even read recently that Ugandans are struggling to watch footage of Whitaker because it reminds them so much of Amin and the traumatic past. Also, amazing how Israel always gets a mention in everything (Amin played a part in dealing with the Palestinian Entebbe Hijacking of an air France plane which Israeli troops later stormed and rescued the Israeli and Jewish passengers).
So, thats my recommended movie from on top of the world this week.
2 comments:
Long live Israel...Gillian Anderson was an Israeli spy...
By the way: Amin was a real wanker (apologies for my language, but its true) - especially because of the way he treated Israel. Israel and the UK were the first countries that acknowledged him as the new leader of Uganda. Israel even tried to help his regime by supplying him with weapons etc. After a short while though they had to realize that Amin preferred to support the Palestinians and therefore treated Israel like an enemy...
Also, his reaction about the Air France kidnapping wasnt really "helpful"...but at least Rabin made Amin look like the fool he was when he asked him how the Israeli hostages were - after the IDF has released them already....
Whittaker deserved the oscar, but I did not like the DR. I found his character difficult to believe as genuine. There is no way he would ever attempted saying no to Amin.
I was upset that the movie did not properly explain Amin and his atrocities and also that they did not focus more on his eccentricities.
EG, on Lake Victoria he renamed an island-Cape Town. He hated SA, he used to sit at his holiday house and watch the island get bombed for fun.
He also once sent Golda Meir a telegram during the Yom Kippur war, simply entitled " I demand you surrendur!"
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