What did the American public really know about Saddam Hussein? We beat back his troops when he invaded Kuwait. Over a decade later we invaded Iraq and helped have him executed. Wed get quick stories of his evil ways, but rarely an entertaining narrative. His main impact in the media was a cameo in The Big Lebowskis fantasy sequence. Was he really such a bad despot? Or did we not understand his world? The HBO miniseries House of Saddam opens the doors to this former leader in the context of his family. Saddam was the Tony Soprano of the Middle East without the shrink appointment.
The four hour miniseries reminds us that Saddam (Yigal Naor) did not rise to power by shaking hands, kissing babies and promising chicken dinners. He took the presidency by executing the opposition and party loyalists that he didnt think were that loyal. He didnt mind pitching in with a killing or two. Why let everyone else have all the fun? We see that he really didnt enjoy being given bad news. Most of his officials preferred to lie since they know the truth would have them destroyed. If the truth came out, theyll still be killed. But at least they bought a couple weeks of breathing time. Saddam declared victory without any real proof of a win. This shown during the 80s when they battled Iran to a stalemate. He also declared victory when the US decides to stop their Desert Storm efforts at the Kuwaiti border. But no matter what goes on in the world, its the home life that kept Saddam completely insane.
His wife (Shohreh Aghdashloo) understood her husbands bloodthirsty way. She didnt get too hysterical upon discoveries that would normally call for a Jerry Springer Show response. She knew that her husband might not have too much of a problem using a 9mm instead of filing real divorce papers. She dyed her hair blond to look like his mistress. Uday Hussein (Philip Arditti) was the eldest son and the ultimate party boy. He loves nothing more than getting drunk and rocking the microphone. However he also had no problem shooting the band and guests if they arent happening. Theres a tender moment when dad explained to his son the difference in his mass executions and snuffing a drummer for missing a drum beat. This would have been a scene in the Sopranos is A.J. wasnt such a sissy. Saddam has trouble with his son-in-laws finking him out to the United Nations. He forgave them, but taught them the lesson of why hes the worst father-in-law in the world.
By the time in this series when President George W. Bush invaded Iraq, theres little sympathy for Saddam. If the U.S. hadnt attacked, in a few more months, Saddam would have run out of Iraqis to execute. There is no misunderstood statesman under his black beret and behind the mustache. Hes a beast and a terror to all except his mistress. House of Saddam gives us an understanding of his mindset without making us feel pity for his predicament. Even when he hides out, you dont root for an escape. He got what he was giving. This doesnt play like a bio-pic directed by Saddam. House of Saddam is not a place youll want to hang out with the family inside.
The video is 1.78:1 anamorphic. The fresh transfers bring out the dirty and dusty nature of the Middle East. The audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. The mix is crisp so you can hear the footsteps of the U.S. troops as they sneak through the field to capture Saddam. Theres also a Spanish dub track. The subtitles are in English, French and Spanish.
The Fate of a Dynasty (9:58) provides video clips of the actual Saddam during the time House of Saddam covers. The cast and crew explain the history behind the actual images. The cellphone footage of his execution is included. They explain how all of Saddams family tree was as twisted as the family in One Hundred Years of Solitude. No matter who married, they were related. We also learned what happened to the people who lived.
House of Saddam is an extremely frightening estate. This first class production from HBO/BBC gives a narrative form to his bloody rise to power and his equally brutal demise. The one thing it does not do is make us feel empathy for this despicable tyrant. We learn that his vicious nature started at home with his wife, kids and relatives. He didnt leave the bloodshed at the office. He wasnt Tony Soprano.
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HBO Films presents House of Saddam. Directed by: Jim OHanlon. Written by: Alex Holmes & Stephen Butchard. Starring: Yigal Naor, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Philip Arditti and Makram Khoury. Running time: 240 minutes on 2 DVDs. Released on DVD: April 14, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
