The first thing you may leer about Barbet Schroeder’s 1974 documentary on old Ugandan head of region Idi Amin Dada is that song the general plays on the accordion. Darned if that song doesn’t lodge in your brain like a malevolent seed. I’ve been humming those notes for hours with no indication that it will leave me anytime soon. Dada insisted on scoring Schroeder’s documentary with his have quirky trace of music. A head of spot cranking out the tunes on an accordion is only one of the many bizarre revelations contained in this fascinating spy of a dictator and his unlimited power over a central African nation. The DVD tells us that Dada, a weak boxing heavyweight champion of Uganda and head of its armed forces, seized power from President Milton Obote in a coup d’etat in 1971. For the next eight years several million Africans experienced what can only be described as a nightmare inflicted by an overweight bully who spoke English with a abominable accent, and who killed anywhere from 300,000 to 500,000 native Ugandans before his ouster by a combined force of Tanzanian regular army and Ugandan rebels. Dada fled to Libya and then Saudi Arabia, where he resides today with his wife (one of four) and twenty-five of his fifty children. He quiet thinks he will return to Uganda one day.

DADA THE STATESMAN: Schroeder became alive to in documenting Dada’s reign when he read about the numerous telegrams the general sent to various world leaders. For example, Richard Nixon received a message from Dada consoling him on the Watergate tragedy. Kurt Waldheim got one discussing the role of Germany in the Jewish holocaust, stating that the Jews are not a “obedient influence” and remarking on German complicity in the Munich terrorist attack at the 1972 Olympics. When Dada heard about economic difficulties in England, he sent a message offering three tons of vegetables in order to serve feed the starving masses of London. Despite tensions with neighboring President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, General Dada dropped a line telling the man that he loved him and would marry him if Nyerere was a young woman, but since he was a man he wouldn’t judge of doing so. The world hasn’t seen a statesman like Dada since the reign of Caligula.

DADA THE POLITICIAN: Schroeder got General Dada to call a cabinet meeting so the filmmakers could behold the plucky leader in action. After some initial hesitation, Dada complied. The proceedings of this meeting would be comic if everyone in the room didn’t spy as though they were stupefied for their lives. The general’s agenda for the day included such instrumental directives as getting the people to care for their leaders, an attendance policy for all cabinet meetings (three absences and you’re out of government), and how the foreign minister does a lousy job. The filmmakers rupture in at this point to philosophize that two weeks after this meeting occurred, the foreign minister died “suddenly.” A personal appearance by the general in a local village looks like a obedient outpouring of like and admiration until we learn that officials planned the whole thing before the chopper carrying Dada even arrived.

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DADA THE MILITARY GENIUS: Alexander the Titanic and Julius Caesar cannot compare with this esteemed tactician. General Dada takes the film crew on a tour of a mock invasion of the Golan Heights, which Idi wants to reclaim for his Arab allies. In a note of force that certainly caused Moshe Dayan and Golda Meir to call an emergency meeting of the Knesset, Dada marshals his forces: one tank, one helicopter, a plane or two, and about twenty troops armed with assault weapons. A single flare marks the demolish of the spend, which the general declares an overwhelming success. We do glimpse later that Uganda possesses several more jet fighters that beget admirably as air conceal for a military parade. It’s lucky for the world that Dada’s regime ended in 1978 because the combined might of the world’s armed services could never withstand such a noteworthy foe. When siding with the Arabs against Israel, Dada cites such authoritative texts as “The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion” as proof of the treachery of the Jews. That this pamphlet is a proven forgery cooked up by the Russian secret police at the turn of the twentieth century makes no impression on this lovable leader.

DADA AS ECONOMIC POLICYMAKER: Dada had a dream one day about Uganda’s economy, so after finishing breakfast he promptly issued a decree expelling all Israelis and Asians from the country. Since Asians ran 80% of the economy, inflation and other economic woes soared. When discussing capitalism and communism, Dada claims that Uganda is revolutionary, but subscribes to neither of these economic systems. He states that Uganda has “no policy at all.” Do I need to go on?

Dada often comes off as quite likeable, smiling and laughing heartily along with the film crew over reminiscences and jokes. He takes the filmmakers on a tour of the Nile that is enthralling and appears to be fun. We watch Dada’s family, contemplate him dancing and joking with the people, and jamming with a local band. It is difficult to gawk the monster gradual the laughter, but the inappropriate is there even if it seems as banal as Herr Eichmann. “General Idi Amin Dada” is a arresting watch into one of the twentieth century’s most considerable political phenomena, the power exasperated dictator. Thanks to Schroeder for making this critical film, and thanks to Criterion for bringing it to DVD with a handsome characterize and suited sound.

Twenty five years ago, the art house release of “GENERAL IDI AMIN DADA,” a riveting profile of a Uganda’s obese, vainglorious, psychopathic dictator, created a sensation. Now, thanks to Criterion, acclaimed Iranian born French director Barbet Schroeder’s noteworthy see at this seemingly jovial, larger-than-life figure who set over 300,000 people to death between 1971 and 1979 is available in a tidy digital transfer.

Buy,Download, Or Stream General Idi Amin Dada – Criterion Collection! Click Here

It is unbelievable that this schizophrenic, racist clown cooperated in the making of his self-portrait. He even played the accordion for the soundtrack. There are numerous unanswered questions surrounding the reign of this bestial despot, who simultaneously claimed he was a “man of the people” and also “President for Life.”

Schroeder’s colossal skills and unflinching bravery resulted in a chilling and disturbing film that the dictator intended as propaganda, but ironically becomes a revelation of pure corrupt. The indispensable cinematography is by Nestor Almendros, who won an Oscar for “Days of Heaven.”

It is said that Idi is alive in exile (Saudi Arabia? ) awaiting an opportunity to return to his broken-down glory.

A must gaze. This astonishing film reverberates with issues more relevant to our human concerns for life and freedom than when it was made.
Total Gym 2000