The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Trivia
The Times journalist is played by Dr. Dick Stockley, a British doctor who lives and works in Kampala, Uganda.
On the DVD director's commentary, Kevin Macdonald states that during filming of Idi Amin's visit to the village near the mission, many of the local extras thought it was the real Idi Amin on stage giving speeches.
In an early scene, Idi Amin playfully trades sparring punches with a group of Ugandan boys. It isn't mentioned in the film, but Amin was a champion boxer. He was Uganda's light heavyweight champion from 1951 to 1960.
Director Kevin Macdonald and his producers met Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni to get permission to film in Uganda. "He really responded to the idea that we wanted to make a film about Ugandan history in the same way that everybody we met responded," recalls Macdonald. "They wanted this story to be told. They didn't feel prejudiced against us because we were foreigners wanting to tell their story - they were very generous, and the president gave us carte blanche and even allowed us to film in the parliament building while parliament was in session. We also had the co-operation of the army and we were allowed to close down the main street in the city."
Idi Amin's full title is as follows "His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular".
The black Mercedes presidential limousine used in the film had actually been Idi Amin's.
Amin had several British doctors in real life, but not a Scottish one. The character Dr. Nicholas Garrigan is loosely based on Bob Astles, a British soldier and diplomat who was one of Amin's confidants, but who fell out of favor with him, and was temporarily sent to Makindye Prison, one of Uganda's most brutal prisons.
"The Last King of Scotland" is a moniker that Idi Amin bestowed on himself.
According to Forest Whitaker, he stayed in character as Idi Amin even when he was not on the set.
The movie was based on the book by Giles Foden, who also cameos as a British Journalist at the press conference held by Amin.
It is the first Western production shot in Uganda since Mississippi Masala (1991) in 1990.
One of the pins on Idi Amin's uniform has wings. It is actually an Israeli Defense Forces paratrooper's pin.
Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.
Forest Whitaker's Best Actor Oscar win was this film's only Oscar nomination.
In the first scene in the village, where Idi Amin does his speech one of the spectators can be seen wearing a Scouts Canada uniform. The uniform can be distinguished by the Canadian flag above the left breast pocket.
Although no where in this film is the title explained to the viewer, the film has this title because in the 1970s Amin declared himself King Of Scotland.
