I picked up a second hand copy of The Last King of Scotland the other day. Hey: 'Thrifty' is my middle name.
It's a film I'd long wished to see, but never got around to, so when I spotted it for £1 I pounced.
Of course we've all heard of Idi Amin and some of his ways, His expulsion of all Asian from Uganda in the early 70s (1974?) had a profound impact on England and the popularity of the National Front back then.
Folks around back then say Leicester (the town founded by Simon de Montfort who I understand banned Jews from it) became Asian overnight!
Anyways, with all this in mind I wanted to see this film, fiction though it is, to give me some insight into Africa in those days.
Well, if you get a chance to pick up a copy do so, because some of the background material is fascinating, esopecially the director's commentary.
As with so many despots and tinpot dictators before now, he makes it clear that Amin was backed by "the West" as an anti-Communist, at the height of the Cold War.
Or to put it better, he says that certain countries wanted to protect their business interests in Uganda (a prosperous and abundant nation).
And those nations backing a mass murderer?
America, Britain... and... er... Israel.
New World Order anyone?
Friday 22 May 2009
Idi Amin - A Zionist Plot?
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3 comments:
Funny how the mirror of what happened occured in Kenya under Kenyatta.
It's a very good film and one I was keen to see when it was released. However they took quite a few liberties with the historical facts, especially concerning the character played by James McAvoy, so it must be taken with a pinch of salt.
In fairness all those involved in the film say it is mostly fiction.
Yet the documentaries and director's guide to it do point out various historical truths, inconsistencies etc.
It seems that most Ugandans liked Amin as a kind of national hero who stood up to their enemies...
But the 'loveable rogue' became obsessed with plots against him, and went to great lengths to root out any opposition - real or imagined.
It's a shame the actor playing him had a gammy eye.
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