Cheap Fidel (DVD) (Estela Bravo) Price

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Customer Reviews of Fidel

Well done but *too* biased
I liked this movie for its interviews, footage, insights, commentary... However, there is a major perspective missing: mainly the lack of freedom of speech, association and press inside Cuba. I agree Fidel has done many good things, but completely ignoring the darkside of this experience is a mistake. It seems like the only complaint this movie can think of about Fidel's dictatorship is that "he doesn't know how to dance" (as Alice Walker laughs.) While I agree with many that the Miami "Mafia" (los gusanos) has carried out atrocities against Cuba and their viewpoints are completely skewed and off-course--and I agree that the US has tortured this small country with intervention and embargo for 45 years (while supporting dozens of horrible dictatorships around the world), I still see no reason to completely ignore the well-known problems of Cuba. Not only is it deceptive, it also will cause people to question the entire documentary's accuracy (which they should not.) While a focus on the positive is necessary to counteract the lies of the American media, this movie is a well directed and filmed valentine letter to Fidel Castro. I'd suggest watching it and then doing some indepedent reading on the matter.

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Destined To Be Considered Heretical
This DVD will be considered heretical by some because it dares to present the idea that not only is there a perspective behind Cuba's communist leader but there is also an individual man.

Here you will see a review of Castro's life, his rise to power, his huge significance for third world countries, his essential contribution to freedom in South Africa, his conflicts with the USA, and (another heresy) his conflicts with, and independence from, the erstwhile Soviet Union. There are more heresies as well. Viewers will be surprised to see Castro publicly admit to mistakes, awkwardly avoid questions about his romantic life because he believes that private lives are not anyone's business (a socialist thinks that--imagine!), his notorious competitive side in sports and games. The film accomplishes this through many interviews with him, old footage of Castro, and interviews with his friends and compatriots. I was most surprised about how shy Castro seemed one-on-one.

I highly recommend the film because it dares to show a picture of Castro that observers rarely get in the USA. I haven't seen a better film on Castro than this one.