The rage of a maniac... the rape of a people!

While Idi Umin Dada terrorized Uganda with a barbaric, 8-year, depotic rule, he portrayed himself to the world at large as a fat buffoon, albeit in military garb. How the press corps managed to perpetuate that image in the face of his army's rampage against an estimated 500,000 Ugandan victims of murder, torture, and imprisonment is unfathomable. This historical docudrama relates how Imin came to power, and does not spare the audience when it comes to exposing his barbarisms (dismembering his wife's body and forcing her children to look at it is one example of several). As the story of his rule unfolds, the world eventually "discovers" what the Ugandans have known all along, and Tanzanian forces oust Imin in 1979, saving the lives of countless prisoners and other victims of his unbridled violence. Although the movie portrays the horrors of his reign, the violence that is shown is an accurate view of reality, and far from the exploitative gore of a Hong Kong or Hollywood slasher flic.

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, 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.

As a promotional gimmick, cardboard cutouts of Idi Amin were put in theaters showing the movie, where patrons were encouraged to throw bean bags at them. The gimmick was promoted in newspaper ads for the movie with the slogan "Vent your spleen! Bean Amin!"

Release Date: March 1982

Distrib: Almi Pictures