Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Hollywood and the White Man's Burden

I watched four films about Africa in the last week.

The Last King of Scotland: A white man in Uganda becomes ring-side spectator to the excesses of the psychopathic dictator Idi Amin.

Blood Diamond: A white man in Sierra Leone searches for a precious diamond as the horrors of a mad war (financed by diamonds) unfold around him.

Lord of War: A white man sells guns to mad African dictators and warlords (among others).

Hotel Rwanda: A black hotel manager tries to protect refguees in his hotel as genocide rages outside. All the white people have to be evacuated, see.