2018’s rather drab Entebbe casts minds back to fondly reminisce about representations of charismatic mass–murderer Idi Amin, whose genocide made exploitation fodder for this lurid 1980 feature, a popular VHS video in the early 80’s when literally anything went in terms of home entertainment. Amin was played by the late Yaphett Kotto in 1977’s Raid on Entebbe, and was a regular feature on the council telly evening news, but Sharad Patel’s epic was arguably the authority on the subject until Kevin Macdonald’s Oscar-winning The Last King of Scotland
Played by Kenyan actor Jospeh Olita, Amin is a mischievous, brutal presence, seen at one point casually slicing off a mouthful of human flesh or opening a fridge where a supply of human heads are cooling within. There’s no whitewash here, or much searching for evidence, just the dramatization of tabloid headlines. And yet a plotline about Amin’s relationship with a British journalist, arrested and imprisoned by Amin’s regime in defiance of the UK’s interests, feels authentic, not least because the character is played by the actual journalist (Denis Hills) who crossed Amin’s path.
So here we see Amin’s rise, with help from his friends in the West, who turned against Amin when his methods in holding power led to actions beyond the pale. A war with Tanzania, the Entebbe raid, all get a portrayal here, but without much of the sanctimonious chat that usually goes with a war theme. Instead, it’s all blood and thunder, yet somehow cuts to the quick of what needs to be said.
Moments of Paul Greengrass-style verisimilitude adds vividness to the proceedings, but there’s also an admirable directness to the way Amin’s hubris and downfall are captured. Whether this all happened like this or not, and this critic isn’t suggesting for a moment that it was, it’s compelling to watch a film so contemporaneous as a primary source; Amin’s regime fell less that a year before the film’s release. And this is a film that could use a little modern excavation; it’s hard to believe Wikipedia’s estimate that the film cost $26 million, and that it supposedly made $36 million at the box office seems like the kind of fanciful lie that Amin himself would have approved of.
And this trailer is fairly full on, so be warned if you’re squeamish…
ps,
the big green “like” button isn’t showing up for me. Did you change something?
Never mind, it showed up on a refresh :-/
Too bad space monkey’s didn’t eat this guy before he did all the stuff he did. Maybe if I hadn’t killed it then it would have eaten Amin and we’d live in a world utopia. I feel so guilty now for killing the stinky space monkey 🙁
The trailer is a bit full on, and the blowing up of the village is hokey, reminded me of the Thunderbirds series.
I did warn you!
True.
I still am King of Scotland.
Who is the fantastical now, eh? Scared the Scottish bears will eat you? You’re the king of the puppet show, that is as far as your realm extends.
I’m getting a weird vibe of lèse-majesté around here. But I am a benevolent monarch. Carry on. We are amused.
Are you HRH Queen Victoria?
Le roi d’Écosse.
You don’t even know what country you’re in!
*sigh* Have you forgotten the Auld Alliance? So soon?
Are you Mary Queen of Scots?
I am King of Scotland. Sheesh. Jealous mucx?
Mucx?
Yes, you got it. Very mucx.
You’ll be mucx sorry if I find you masquerading as royalty in my comments section. Poor fraggle thinks your some minor French aristocrat, or Patrick Dempsey, or Paul Rudd, or something other than what you are. Is this the sum total of your insight into Idi Amin?
Masquerade? I was rightly acclaimed by all the lairds at Scone. Look it up.
I never met this Amin fellow. But it’s not right if he was calling himself King of Scotland. I could toss him like a caber.
Now that is an unfortunately use of words.
I can’t control into what dark, dirty corners your mind goes running into. Everybody knows the Scots love to toss the caber. I’m sure you’ve tossed yourself.
Very close to a red card, I may have to notify the authorities.
It’s a yellow card for persistent innuendo. Name goes in the book. No Slap Shot antics now, off to the sin bin to cool down. If it happens again, your coupon is going through the plexi!
🤣🤣
I don’t see what you’re going on about. All young men in Scotland toss the caber. And the lassies do the saber dance. There’s not a lot else for them to do.
Deflect away, you stand contaminated by the stream of filth that you have sullied my blog with.
I think I’ll always appreciate Richard Pryor’s take on Amin best. But then, I’m a bit of a Pryor devotee.
Oh, I like Pryor as well, was it an snl sketch or something? Sunset Strip was a favourite back in the day…
Wow, two reviews in one day. You need a new hobby, my friend. I love Yaphet Kotto. He’s one of the best characters in Alien, and up their with my favourite Bond villains. His recent passing was very saddening, and he’s an underrated gem of an actor.
I want to second the affection for Yaphet Kotto. His presence always lent an air of regal strength. He looked damned cool in sunglasses as one of Thomas Crown’s accomplices.
He was such a personable actor, sad he’s gone!
This one is a revising of a previously published piece. But yes, Kotto was cool, I mistakenly remembered him being Amin here and had to correct my own post…