bluheron1
I know this is a minority opinion, and I think if I was South African I would have been very moved by the film. But I just did not understand the issues well enough or know the history and weight of the people interviewed, except for Miriam Mekeba and Hugh Masekela. The film would have worked better for me if it had provided more background and focus for an uninformed American. It certainly never answered the first question I had: how can an entire nation sing so beautifully in four-part harmony? It must have seemed so normal to the filmmakers that they never even noticed that question. But for me, in a world where very few non-professional people know how to sing harmony, it's a stumper.
gemmarebeccafield
I rented this film a few days ago, its not something I was looking forward to watching, as its a documentary, a genre I don't generally enjoy watching, but after I had actually tried to make an effort to learn about my countries history, I cant say I regretted it. Amandla! takes you through the lives of several people, black and white, and their different views of Apartheid, an Afrikaaner Separatist movement which started in 1948, and only ended in 1994. this film shows us the mistake humanity has made, and what it has done to those involved. The picture is considerably less than perfect, but as it is a documentary, such a fault can easily be overlooked, and often the interviewees are hard to understand and I must admit, it is not in the same league as some other South African films like "Yesterday" and the Oscar winning "Tsotsi", but nevertheless, it is still something one should watch if you've seen the other two.The interviews, however difficult to here, make their subject's opinions very clear, some of which are actually rather alarming. Yet, I feel obligated by a patriotic spirit buried deeply in my brain, so I will give this film 6/10
Lee Eisenberg
Sometimes, we seem to forget that apartheid was only eliminated in 1994. "Amandla! A Revolution In Four Part Harmony" tells of how the black South Africans used music to help them overcome the Draconian oppression installed by the white population. Naturally, we get to hear from Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela, and Miriam Makeba, but also from ordinary people, and how they individually used music. One of the most chilling scenes was the footage of Hendrik Verwoerd, who was prime minister of South Africa from 1958 until his assassination in 1966. He said in the interview something to the effect of: "People have misunderstood apartheid. It's really a policy of good-neighborliness." As you might imagine, the black population had plenty to say (and sing) about him.I actually used this documentary as one of the sources in a paper that I wrote for an assignment in German class in Lewis & Clark College in spring, 2004. I had watched the documentary in a class called Introduction to World Music. In the German class, we were talking about various aspects of the Third Reich. I explained in the paper that apartheid's policies were basically the same as the Third Reich. I made double sure to cite the interview with Hendrik Verwoerd to show just how vile these people were.
juan_dollapotz
An excellent blend of archival footage/music and interviews to impart a powerful message and involving film. Lee Hirsch and his team have done an amazing job in cataloging the music and passion of the freedom movement in South Africa during apartheid. Whether one is a fan of music, a documentary enthusiast, has an interest in the anti-apartheid movement or in post colonial Africa, AMANDLA! is a must see piece of film making.
AD
