Posted on 03/26/2009 4:44:00 PM PDT by bvw
The Last King of Scotland is a 2006 British drama film based on Giles Foden's novel of the same name.
The Last King of Scotland tells the fictional story of a young Scottish doctor who travels to Uganda and becomes the personal physician to the dictator Idi Amin. The movie is based on factual events of Amin's rule.
The film opens in Scotland in 1970 as Garrigan graduates from medical school. He journeys to rural Uganda to work in a missionary clinic.
Impressed by Amin's charisma and by his vision of an egalitarian golden age for Uganda, Garrigan accepts the president's invitation to become his personal physician and to take charge of modernizing Uganda's health care system.
Garrigan quickly becomes the president's trusted confidant and adviser. Although he is aware of the shootings and executions going on around Kampala, Garrigan accepts Amin's explanation that cracking down on Obote's insurgent supporters will bring about lasting peace.
However, the viewer sees that Garrigan has become an apologist for a repressive regime, and that his privileged lifestyle, a spacious modern apartment, a brand new Mercedes, and lavish parties at the presidential mansion, is being funded through the economic exploitation of the Ugandan people whom he came to the country to help.
Garrigan loses faith in Amin as he witnesses the president's increasing paranoia, brutality, and xenophobia.
Great movie.
I saw that movie. It was impressive. Forest wittaker is incredible.
I think he and randy quade should do a movie together...they are the two most underrated actors in holleywood, imo.
There’s “1984” of course, A Clockwork Orange is more relevant than ever, and an oldie: “Emperor Jones” based on an O’Neill play.
and a case can be made for parts of “The Birth of a Nation”, as well.
Honestly, it was a pretty slick movie. That scene where the kid doctor shoots the bull with Amin’s gun was potent!
Haven’t seen “Emperor Jones” thanks, gonna put that in the netflix queue.
I have to add that reading Burgess’s book “A Clockwork Orange” is an incredible experience - and one that germinated from a brutal assault on his wife.
Yep.
My favorite part was when forest runs all the middle eastern and indian merchants out of the country against nicholas’s advice. The economy tanks. THen he comes back and blames nicholas. Why? Because nicholas “told him the right thing, but didn’t make him believe it was the right thing. Part of your job, nicholas, is to convince me of the accuracy of your words.”...or something to that effect. I’m still waiting for my chance to use that logic on someone, LOL.
Then forest holds a press conference(at nicholas’s urging) and sweet talks all the western press whores and becomes an international celebrity. I LOVED THAT PART!
THE best, imo.
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