Top 10 Dictator Movies
To get you into a tyrannical type of mood, here are ten lovely bedfellows you can cozy up with in preparation for this latest dictator flick.
10. THE LAST EMPEROR
Bertolucci’s portrait of a monarch ‘dictator’—whose power is absolute but confined to a very elaborate prison—starts in early childhood. The first third of this film is pure magic, and the rest ain’t too bad either. The 1987 Oscars sweeper features still today one of the most evocative and breathtaking film scores, not to mention stunning photography.
9. BANANAS
This is what we mean when we say, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to.” Woody Allen’s hallmark of sheer irreverence introduces us to Fielding Mellish, a nebbish New Yorker (one of the first of many by Mr. Allen) who ends up becoming the leader of an unstable South American country to impress a girl (the lovely Louise Lasser, of REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and HAPPINESS fame). The film, which was mostly improvised, still stands the test of time as a truly hilarious romp, ranking as number 69 on AFI’s list of 100 Years, 100 Laughs.
Author: Dan Heching8. DOWNFALL
This 2004 German film going into Hitler’s bunker at the close of World War II was well received, and WINGS OF DESIRE’s Bruno Ganz was lauded for his portrayal of Adolf. No one expected, however, that the pivotal scene in which he realizes the war is lost would become such rich source material for countless Youtube spoofs. As Hitler rages at his generals, bored people all over the internet have changed the subtitles of his German tirade to reflect fury at any number of injustices, from the large (the housing bubble crisis of 2008) to the very small (Dobby's death in the end of HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART I).
Author: Dan Heching7. MAX
Speaking of Hitler - Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt creatively frustrated. Now, raise your hand if you’re…arguably the most reviled dictator of all time? The recounting of a frustrated young artist named Adolf Hitler, and the Jewish art dealer that attempts to steer him in the right direction (i.e., not towards world domination and widespread genocide). This was a passion project for recent Hollywood Walk of Fame star recipient John Cusack, who took no salary for his portrayal of Max Rothman.
Author: Dan Heching6. THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
Forest Whitaker’s Oscar-winning portrayal of insane Ugandan leader Idi Amin was unique in that the film makes sure to include Amin’s crowd-pleasing charm, which early on helped him to score points with his contemporaries both at home and abroad. As things went from bad to worse, however, none of the horror of Amin’s regime is brushed aside either, and the film’s climax serves as a gripping parallel to what happened on the ground leading up to Israel’s Operation Entebbe, which overthrew the hijackers of an Air France plane that originated in Tel Aviv and landed in Uganda (dramatized a bit less successfully by the Charles Bronson film RAID ON ENTEBBE) in 1976.
Author: Dan Heching5. THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE
Aside from Dominic Cooper’s—at times—tour de force, Sadaam (the remarkable Philip Quast) was portrayed here as a totally ruthless but also long-suffering and indulgent father. This was a family that had no boundaries.
Also gotta love the pimpin’ gold poster.
Author: Dan Heching4. THE WAVE
The 2008 German film that explored the nature and mechanics of mass brainwashing (a good skill to have if you wanna be a dictator) is technically a remake of a television film made in 1981, which in turn is based on the true story of a Palo Alto high school teacher who played mind games with his students in 1967!
Author: Dan Heching3. THE KING AND I
Yul Brynner makes quite an entrance as the hardened King of 1862 Siam in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1956 musical, looking practically extraterrestrial. Of course, its inclusion on the Dictator List is questionable, but regardless of its lightness, THE KING AND I is a fascinating exploration of power. And those costumes…
Author: Dan Heching2. DZI CROQUETTES
Part PARIS IS BURNING, part CABARET and mixed with a fair share of biting political satire, this wallop of a documentary explains how a feverishly talented group of avant-garde performers inspired national resistance to Prez Artur da Costa e Silva’s harsh and far-reaching military censorship in 1968 Brazil. With “their non-violent celebration of individual freedom,” according to press notes, the heavily drag-influenced group was also particularly ahead of its time in terms of any outwardly recognized ‘gay movement’. Armed with gifted American choreographer Lennie Dale and riding the wave of Bossa Nova, Dzi Croquettes exploded internationally, at one point slated to open on Broadway (everyone from Omar Sharif to Liza Minnelli, who is gleefully present throughout this doc, were vocal fans). As the most awarded documentary in Brazilian history, DZI CROQUETTES deserves its place here, not only for the enthralling performance clips, but also as a film detailing what to do to combat those pesky despots!
Author: Dan Heching1. THE GREAT DICTATOR
Charlie Chaplin’s first true talking film stirred the nation, and can be considered a significant cultural reference point that served as inspiration to everything from Mel Brooks’ THE PRODUCERS to Ivan Reitman’s DAVE and even Quentin Tarantino’s INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. If for nothing else, re-watch this seminal comedy for the climactic speech at the film’s conclusion, a moment when a legendary silent film star steps out of character and truly finds his voice, and a chillingly apt (but sadly ignored) call to action at a pivotal time in history—1940.
POST NOTE: In case you were keeping track, Hitler scored a grand total of 4 films on my list, either as depicted figure or source of inspiration/point of departure, and is the dictator to beat! (The Asians and South Americans clock in with 2 each, Africa and The Middle East a paltry 1 each.)
Author: Dan Heching
