Rating: 
Summary: Informative documentary that'll change your mind...
Review: This documentary was aired in november on cinemax probally 3 times. What a shame. Every american, no matter what thier stance with iraq, should watch this. It totally changed my mind. It is a complete documentary of the man. It is a shame that men had to die in order for this to be made. That's right: people died in order for you to be able to see it. I won't tell you what my stance is, and the reason why is that you owe it to yourself to find out how you feel given this rare glance into his world. I've read 3 biographies of the man over the years, and this is a good documentary.
Rating: 
Summary: On This Day After Saddam Was Captured
Review: This is a remarkable documentary to watch, especially since I watched it the night before Saddam was captured. This was definitely one of the most egotistical dictators on the face of the planet, focused largely of himself and little on anyone else. It is this reason that dictators of this sort loathe listening to different points of view; to them, it is a sign of weakness to admit that they are wrong. They hide in caves or a rat hole, in the case of Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein is no different than any other dictator: larger than life when in power, nothing but a meek, self-seeking flaterrer in captivity. A brutal, ruthless man. Yet this documentary is certainly not the best portray of what happened, nor is it of high quality. Still, it is a start. It was rather odd to watch as they interviewed people such as the woman running the Saddam Hussein art musuem. You could tell that she was tired of seeing Saddam's face everywhere, but couldn't freely state that she was tired of him. This documentary certainly shows what it is like to live in an unfree state and have everyone meekly agreeing with the ruthless dictator, even though, deep down, they deeply disagreed with his idiotic policies. Michael Gordon
Rating:
Summary: On This Day After Saddam Was Captured
Review: This is a remarkable documentary to watch, especially since I watched it the night before Saddam was captured. This was definitely one of the most egotistical dictators on the face of the planet, focused largely of himself and little on anyone else. It is this reason that dictators of this sort loathe listening to different points of view; to them, it is a sign of weakness to admit that they are wrong. They hide in caves or a rat hole, in the case of Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein is no different than any other dictator: larger than life when in power, nothing but a meek, self-seeking flaterrer in captivity. A brutal, ruthless man. Yet this documentary is certainly not the best portray of what happened, nor is it of high quality. Still, it is a start. It was rather odd to watch as they interviewed people such as the woman running the Saddam Hussein art musuem. You could tell that she was tired of seeing Saddam's face everywhere, but couldn't freely state that she was tired of him. This documentary certainly shows what it is like to live in an unfree state and have everyone meekly agreeing with the ruthless dictator, even though, deep down, they deeply disagreed with his idiotic policies. Michael Gordon
Rating:
Summary: bizarre and riveting
Review: Undoubtedly the strangest documentary I've ever seen, the footage of Saddam is more like watching a comedian do a "dictator skit" in the manner of Charlie Chaplin's Hitler, than an actual human being. In an array of ill-fitting hats, we see Saddam at rest, at play, and having lots of fun dancing. He looks totally insane, and most likely on some serious "medication". It also goes through the family tree, some of whom we are familiar with because they have graced the famous "deck of cards". Son Uday obviously either had the same genetic madness, and/or the same chemist.
French filmmaker Joel Soler risked his life to get this footage. Using the subterfuge of making a documentary on Iraqi architecture, he gained rare access into many areas not normally shown to anyone with a camera. We do get to see the many astounding, grandiose palaces, which he contrasts with the filthy conditions in the Children's Hospital, where the flies are fat, and the children skeletal.
One of the more bizarre sections is the "Saddam Art Center", which contains nothing but wall-to-wall portraits of the Evil Madman, and all the tours are led by glassy-eyed fawning subjects, full of praise for their fearless leader, and who would dutifully kiss him in his preferred spot, his armpits, which brings about Saddam's lecture on hygiene and body odors. One has to wonder how anyone retained their sanity surviving decades of this man's iron-fisted rule, and how those born under it, who have known nothing else, can learn to live in the real world.
Interspersed throughout are flashes of the true horror behind this veil of Saddam's happy Iraq, and commentary by exiled Iraqis of their experiences.
The musical choices for the soundtrack are excellent, and if you like Arabic music as I do, you'll find the score enjoyable.
This is a riveting documentary, totally unique in its presentation. A true-life black comedy, and a rare piece of filmmaking. Total running time is approximately 63 minutes.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to watch history lesson
Review: What a maniac. Saddam's egotistical cruel and downright nasty legacy that he's left so far is interestingly portrayed in an MTV generation fashion. Not that his legacy has been an laughing manner, but there's something very satisfactory about watching a shameful humiliating portrayal of someone so awful. Humiliating because the filmaker simply edited Saddam's words next to his (Saddam's) actions, and it causes Saddam to convict himself as the insane and evil dictator he is.
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