General Idi Amin Dada

Year: 1974

Grade: C+

Country: France

Director: Schroeder

Review

a decent documentary that left me feeling that it could have been a lot better. schroeder takes a very hands off approach to his filmmaking, which for this kind of documentary is unfortunate. there are only a couple instances where he contextualizes what is being said or what is occuring. if there were more voice-overs/title cards explaining the truth of what general idi amin dada was saying, then i think the film could have been better. because of the lack of this kind of editorializing, the audience is forced to figure out who the general is on their own. i suppose, on one level, it may have more impact that way, but if you go into the film as ignorant of this guy as i did then it takes a while to see what this guy is about. i would have liked more special features on the dvd as well. criterion usually delievers, but here, where there is ample historical information that they could have provided, they give it the skimpy treatment. too bad. the film itself is good as a historical document and is important for that reason, but the way it’s constructed left something to be desired.