Général Idi Amin Dada: Autoportrait

General Idi Amin Dada: A Self-Portrait Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, January 14, 2018



The savior

The long statements delivered in awful broken English and the awkwardly timed casual laughs make large sections of the film look as if they have been extracted from a poor parody of some sort. But the more you listen to General Idi Amin Dada's ramblings, the more you begin to realize that he takes himself very, very seriously. In his mind he is a revolutionary legend, a grand savior who has been chosen by his people to transform Uganda into the jewel of Africa.Director Barbet Schroeder and his tiny team simply follow the General from one location to another and document his 'educational' descriptions of what Uganda was and what is becoming of it. At first it sounds like the General has a noble plan in place and he is working with his trusted assistants to make sure that it is implemented exactly as he has conceived it. He talks about revitalizing the local economy, empowering women, and improving Uganda's image on the international stage. He also reveals that he is retraining all military personnel and replacing outdated equipment. Uganda, the General proclaims, has all the riches it needs to be a prosperous nation.Out of nowhere the General throws a curve ball: When he is finished rebuilding the army, he is going to have his soldiers conquer the Golan Heights and then deal with the Jews -- once and for all, because they cannot be trusted.The lunatic hiding behind the big and warm smile that the General frequently has on his face slowly reveals himself and then gradually becomes bolder. When at one point director Schroeder calmly asks the General if it is true that he once said that Hitler did not kill enough Jews, he laughs and just as calmly replies that it is irrelevant if he did. Hitler is dead, what made perfect sense before no longer does, times have changed.During a cabinet meeting the lunatic quickly evolves into a dangerous psychopath and demands that his ministers teach the people the value of loving their leader. It is crucial for the success of his grand plan, and if there is anyone that disagrees with him then this person obviously does not have the right qualifications to be part of his government. A few are quietly taking notes, but most are terrified to look the psychopath in the eyes. His voice is like a whip that is becoming stronger by the minute.Amidst the sea of angry and delusional statements director Schroeder occasionally turns the camera away from the General and provides glimpses of the other Uganda -- a disturbingly poor nation of striking contrasts whose people barely make ends meet. It is the exact opposite of the underappreciated African paradise that the General insists it is; it is a borderline surreal place paralyzed by fear and slowly eroding from within. A few, director Schroeder confirms, have dared to publicly describe exactly what his camera has seen, but their bodies have turned up in the ditches. In a revolutionary paradise there is no room for non-believers.*Director Schroeder shot the documentary on location in Uganda with the great Spanish cinematographer Néstor Almendros, whose credits include such classic films as Kramer vs. Kramer Claire's Knee , and Maitresse