"The Last King of Scotland"
Another film about Idi Amin
This is the title of a new film about Idi Amin.
I have not seen it but the tail-end of a radio review that I managed to catch suggested that it is well made, with the actor who was playing Amin could well be in line for an Oscar nomination. Amin is not an easy character to portray on the screen and I guess the film has done well to attract such reviews. I would welcome some discussion on the film here.
I say that much as people try to ridicule Idi Amin and his throwaway one-liners and the easy aspects of his character, he remains a complicated person to play.
The film is shot partly in Kampala. It would be good to see scenes of my birthplace again.
However, one of the most harrowing memories that I have of my childhood is how we saw a dead body on the road to Entebbe Airport. It was being hit repeadtedly by passing cars travelling at such great speeds and those who did not see it in time had no chance of avoiding it. This goes back to 1971, a few months before the expulsion of the Asian community.
There was also a problem with law enforcement. A driver who was involved in an accident on Uganda's roads dared not stop after hitting anything - another person, a dog or a farm animal. A large collection of local people would converge on the accident spot in no time and provide summary rough justice. Many drivers who stopped after an accident were assaulted with vast compensations being demanded by the roadside at any time, even before the matter had been reported to the police.
This is the title of a new film about Idi Amin.
I have not seen it but the tail-end of a radio review that I managed to catch suggested that it is well made, with the actor who was playing Amin could well be in line for an Oscar nomination. Amin is not an easy character to portray on the screen and I guess the film has done well to attract such reviews. I would welcome some discussion on the film here.
I say that much as people try to ridicule Idi Amin and his throwaway one-liners and the easy aspects of his character, he remains a complicated person to play.
The film is shot partly in Kampala. It would be good to see scenes of my birthplace again.
However, one of the most harrowing memories that I have of my childhood is how we saw a dead body on the road to Entebbe Airport. It was being hit repeadtedly by passing cars travelling at such great speeds and those who did not see it in time had no chance of avoiding it. This goes back to 1971, a few months before the expulsion of the Asian community.
There was also a problem with law enforcement. A driver who was involved in an accident on Uganda's roads dared not stop after hitting anything - another person, a dog or a farm animal. A large collection of local people would converge on the accident spot in no time and provide summary rough justice. Many drivers who stopped after an accident were assaulted with vast compensations being demanded by the roadside at any time, even before the matter had been reported to the police.
posted by K Singh Ajimal at
1:02 am
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