Product Description

Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 01/20/2004

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51264 in DVD
• Brand: Lions Gate
• Released on: 2003-04-01
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 63 minutes

From the Back Cover
Uncle Saddam is a satirical yet sobering look inside the world of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. Award-winning filmmaker Joel Soler, who is still under Government protection, risked life and limb to shoot and smuggle this strange and captivating footage out of Iraq. Featuring narration written by Scott Thompson of "The Kids in the Hall" and the voice of Wallace Langham ("Mark" on ABC's "What About Joan?", "Josh" on NBC's "Veronica's Closet", "Phil" on HBO's Emmy Award-winning "Larry Sanders Show") the film has the feel of an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" spotlighting, as is often the case, one of the world's most hated men.

Customer Reviews

Now more than ever...
I laughed all through the first half of this movie. It's not often we westerners get to see a medieval despot in action, and Saddam would have been right at home in the Middle Ages. Here's a guy who demands that his subjects kiss him on each armpit; who has Iraq's major newspapers run a front page photo of him every day of the week; who's favorite sport is fishing-with hand grenades(!); who allocates much of Iraq's limited wealth to build monuments to himself. I found myself not hating Saddam so much as I wanted to put him on display as a kind of curiosity, like in the Ripley museum.

The second half was much more sobering, focusing mainly on who was killing who to get ahead in the regime. All in all, you really have to admire the filmmaker (a Frenchman-Gasp!), who risked his life for the sake of ridiculing one of the most dangerous people on Earth. And for the record, I'm against the war, but that doesn't mean I don't think somebody needs to plug the S.O.B.

An amazing film...
First, it is simply amazing that this film was ever made. When you watch the film, and realize how the director managed to obtain the footage, you will be astounded. This film presents Saddam in a satirical light, yet still manages to portray the true evil of the man and his regime. It is especially chilling when you realize that several of the people depicted in the film were executed shortly thereafter. In addition to showing the evil side of Saddam, you get to see glimpses of his fabulous lifestyle. He truly lives the life of the "Rich and Famous." However, his opulence is shown to be tragic when you are shown the vast suffering of the Iraqi people. If you wonder why we overthrew the government of Saddam, watch this film. Highly recommended!

Uncle Saddam
Not only is Saddam a poison gas wielding monument building mass murdering dictator, he's a clean freak with a hat for every occasion. Good stuff.