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Manipulation In The Last King Of Scotland

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The Last King Of Scotland Politics is always an act of manipulation and there may be a dissonance between the public persona of a leader and the ruthless actuality of their lives. Kevin Macdonald’s 2006 political biopic film The Last King of Scotland is based on political and personal events throughout the narcissistic Adi Amin’s despotic, traumatic and destructive rule of Uganda during the 1970s. It shows two different representations of Amin: one that manipulates his public persona as someone who works for and with the people and the other as someone ruthless who will manipulate anyone to stay in power. The film is also an act of manipulation as we witness these events through the perspective of the politically naïve and altruistic eyes of Nick Garrigan. The director aims to manipulate the audience to see Amin through fresh eyes as we simultaneously witness Amin’s attempts to position the people of Uganda. In the opening sequence we see the main character, Nicholas, a newly graduated Scottish doctor, shown as a political outsider oblivious to the …show more content…

Pursuing an mishap alongside a cow, Garrigan treats Amin – who looks like he is concerned, till Garrigan reveals his Scotland football shirt. “Scottish?” chirps Amin. “Why didn’t you say so? Let me tell you, if I could be anything instead of a Ugandan, I would be a Scot.” This empathy influences us to view Idi Amin’s as a man with charm, despite his contemporary reputation as a psychotic. Amin’s charisma is also very well portrayed during his speeches to a large mass of people, where he exhorts them, “together we will make this country better… and stronger … and FREE”, as the camera pans over adoring faces.When he speaks it seems that he has been in people’s shoes: that’s why they love him so much and choose to only look at his exterior

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