The Last King of Scotland (DVD Special Features)

Viewing The Last King of Scotland's Special Features section is a lot like stopping off for dessert at a fast-food restaurant after dining on a sumptuous five-course meal. In striking comparison to the feature film’s nail-biting tension and riveting drama is “Seven Deleted Scenes,” a special feature that is about as exciting as a bowl of boiled rice, and a nonessential theatrical trailer that should be fast forwarded. On the positive side, "Casting Session--The Last King of Scotland" is worth viewing if a behind-the-scenes peek at pre-production casting dilemmas is of interest. Fans of Forest Whitaker (and who isn’t?) will appreciate the "Forest Whitaker: Idi Amin Featurette," which highlights the artistic challenges presented by Whitaker’s demanding leading role. In it, the actor discusses the methodology behind his brilliant, Oscar-winning performance.

"Capturing Idi Amin" is a first-rate source of information for viewers desiring a crash course on Amin’s life and Ugandan politics. The mini-documentary features insightful interviews with key people in Amin’s life, interspersed with authentic film footage of Amin. Viewers can compare and contrast this nonfiction depiction of events and supporting characters with Director Kevin MacDonald’s cinematic interpretation of Giles Foden’s fictional thriller, on which The Last King of Scotland’s screenplay is based. Foden’s altered reality is mesmerizing, but reality is darned interesting too.

•