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.
The film 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. The film was a co-production of the
United Kingdom,
Kenya and
Nigeria, with most of filming done in
Kenya, less than a year after Amin's downfall.
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). 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. Joseph Olita also played Amin in the 1991 film
Mississippi Masala.
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