Review: Eddie Izzard (one of the greatest comedians of all time) once marveled at the sheer ecstasy he witnessed within the gospel services of communities once dominated by slavery and oppression. What he witnessed, I very well believe was something quite similar to what Lee Hirsch captured in Amandla! A Revolution in Four Part Harmony. This is one of those films that sticks in your head and starts to inspire you from the very second it starts. To the surprise of most, this is Hirsch’s first feature length documentary and he jumps right in developing a fresh approach to a subject most know about but few appreciate. This is not a Ken Burns special. There are no monotone, archival heavy info-fest that leaves you knowledgeable, Amandla! develops much like a well orchestrated concert, leaving the conductor’s voice out of the performance and letting the performers sing. The result is a film that pulls the audience in, and moves their hearts and minds. Music, to most, is nothing more than a thing developed by men and women for a single moment. But to the people of South Africa, in their struggle against Apartheid, it was something else entirely: it was hope, power, love and inspiration. Hirsch understood this and Hirsch captured it, not only in his interviews, but how he structured the film itself. It is chock full of songs from the revolution, presenting them in their true intention (though they appear to be uplifting, there were many that argued for revenge and murder). Songs though, are not just background noise, but are rather pieces sung by all the interviewees as Hirsch weaves them all together. In fact, it is very possible that one man may begin a song, only to be joined by the voices of two women from an entirely, only to be drowned out by the voices of a community choir performing in front of the camera. Sounds confusing on paper, but seeing it on film is breathtaking. What’s most surprising about Amandla! is how it manages to instill hope in our own lives while discussing the realities of oppression, repression, strife and death. These subjects would be gut wrenching, but Hirsch’s documentary recalls them as terrible vices that were ultimately overcome because the South African community drew hope and inspiration out of song. Is it a perfect film? No. But I doubt you will find much fault here, especially since you just might be singing and clapping along with the film’s performers. Review by Matthew Abshire Informative: 5- a great summary of the struggle and amazing coverage of a little known aspect of South African culture at this time Entertainment: 5- you just might stand up and start clapping and singing along with the film Technical: 5- so many things done right; pacing, text, mixing interviews and songs Overall: 5- a beautiful summary of the struggle against apartheid that will certainly leave you inspired
 
Format: DVD Year: 2002 Running Time: 103 Min Distributor: Artisan Entertainment Producer: Lee Hirsch and Sherry Simpson Director: Lee Hirsch Date Reviewed: 1-26-2008 Story: The struggle to eradicate apartheid in South Africa has been chronicled over time, but no one has addressed the vital role music plays in this challenge. This documentary by Lee Hirsch recounts a fascinating and little-known part of South Africa's political history through archival footage, interviews and, of course, several mesmerizing musical performances.