Rise and Fall of Idi Amin
| Rise and Fall of Idi Amin | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Sharad Patel |
| Produced by | Sharad Patel |
| Written by | Wade Huie |
| Starring |
Joseph Olita Denis Hills Tony Sibbald |
| Music by | Christopher Gunning |
| Cinematography | Harvey Harrison |
| Edited by | Keith Palmer II |
| Distributed by | International Film Marketing[1] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country |
Kenya Nigeria United Kingdom |
| Language |
English Swahili |
| Budget | $26 million |
| Box office | $36 million |
Rise and Fall of Idi Amin, also known as Amin: The Rise and Fall, is a 1981 biographical film directed by Sharad Patel and starring Joseph Olita as Idi Amin.
It details the controversial actions and atrocities of the former dictator of Uganda, Idi Amin Dada, during his violent rise to power in 1971 until his overthrow in 1979 as the result of the Uganda–Tanzania War. Rise and Fall of Idi Amin was a co-production of the United Kingdom, Kenya and Nigeria, with most of filming done in Kenya,[2][3] less than a year after Amin's downfall.[4]
Despite being branded as an exploitation film, it is actually quite accurate with the facts and dates of the events depicted, including the Israeli raid, the war with Tanzania, and the capture and imprisonment of British journalist Denis Hills (who portrays himself in the film).[1] It does, however, take certain liberties, especially with the portrayal of Amin (such as being shown to be a cannibal, reflecting a popular rumor). For the most part, the film accurately portrays many real people, including Bob Astles, Amin's white advisor and assistant.
When released to international audiences, including in the United States, most of the voices were dubbed, due to poor sound production.[5] Joseph Olita also played Amin in the 1991 film Mississippi Masala.[6]
The film won five awards, including Best Actor, at the Las Vegas International Film Festival.[7]
References
- 1 2 Canby, Vincent (19 March 1982). "AMIN'S RISE AND FALL". The New York Times.
- ↑ Odhiambo, Nelcon (2 June 2014). "Star actor in the Rise and Fall of Idi Amin dies in Siaya". Daily Nation.
- ↑ Odhiambo, Nelcon (2 June 2014). "Star actor in the Rise and Fall of Idi Amin dies in Siaya". Daily Nation.
- ↑ Ashaba, Anita (3 June 2014). "Joseph Olita who Acted As ‘Idi Amin’ Passes On At 70".
- ↑ "‘Idi Amin’ actor dies aged 70 in Kogelo, Siaya". Kenya Satellite Network. 2 June 2014.
- ↑ Oloo, Eric (3 June 2014). "Idi Amin actor Joseph Olita dies in Siaya". The Star.
- ↑ Obituary: Joseph Olita on playing Idi Amin at YouTube