| Review:
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House of Saddam stars Yigal Naor, Shohreh Aghdashloo,
Philip Arditi, Said Taghmaoui, Christine Stephen-Daly, and
Aris Sahin. It first aired in 2008. ***
House of Saddam is a fact-based, four-part drama that
first aired in 2008. The series revolves around former Iraqi
dictator Saddam Hussein, and the events that have comprised
his life. While fleeing the palace during the days of Operation
Iraqi Freedom, Saddam flashes back to the events that lead
up to his current position, and to his ultimate fate – the
death penalty. ***
With all that has gone on in today’s world, “War in
Iraq” documentaries are out there in no shortage. House
of Saddam succeeds for a number of reasons that other documentaries/dramas
done on the same subject fail. First and foremost, this
documentary is told from Saddam’s point of view. Too many
documentaries and dramas on the subject fail because they
take the all-too-familiar American viewpoint on the subject.
Additionally, the performances in the series are excellent.
This is a four-hour series, but I assure you, it is more
compelling than any similar movie airing on television or
playing in theaters today. ***
I’m as tired of hearing and seeing about the Iraq War
as anyone else. But House of Saddam comes as a breath of
fresh air. By showing the dictator’s life, trials, and crimes
from his own point of view, viewers will get a new and different
understanding of this infamous historical figure. No, this
film won’t change your mind on the man and his exploits.
If you hate him now, you’ll hate him when you’re done watching
House of Saddam. But if nothing else, you’ll come away with
an understanding and a viewpoint you certainly didn=E 2t
have before viewing. That is why this feature is strongly
recommended. ---
Image and Sound:
As a recent, made-for-TV production, House of Saddam
looks and sounds great. The cinematography here is superb,
and the images clear and detailed throughout. The film creates
a believable middle-eastern setting, and it is reflected
beautifully in every frame of this production. Audio quality
fares just as well, but don’t expect it to rock your speakers
like a modern theatrical blockbuster. This is a drama, it’s
not the type of film that was ever meant to have sonic audio.
All in all, House of Saddam is a well-produced effort that
translates perfectly to home video. ---
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| Special
Features: |
The featurette "The Fate of a Dynasty" Includes Intervierws
with filmmakers and the cast and some archival footage of
the real events, but in this reviewer mind,its way to short
compare to all the original footage,they could have used,shame
on you HBO,for not giving us so much more
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