Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

Documentary filmmaker Lee Hirsch's Amandla! (which means  "power" in the Xhosa language) is an extraordinary and tremendously moving exploration of the role music played in defeating the apartheid government of South Africa. Hirsch interviews world-famous musicians, including singer Miriam Makeba and trumpeter Hugh Masekela, as well as locals, combining their reminiscences with archival footage from the apartheid years, resulting in an intimate and often heartbreaking portrait, suffused with extraordinarily potent songs. When Hirsch talks to piggish former apartheid cops who laugh uneasily about how they were terrified when they were confronted with hundreds of people dancing and singing in protest, you can believe it: there's such vivacity and determination in the music that it truly does seem to have the might to move mountains…or overturn repressive political systems. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Lee Hirsch and producer Sherry Simpson; a 21-minute Q&A interview with Hirsch, Simpson, and musician Vusi Mahlasela,  the 14-minute live performance “Vusi at Joe's Pub”; a 14-minute interview with Dave Matthews about the music of the film; 19 deleted scenes (45 min.); sing-alongs for four songs (with onscreen lyrics); text production notes (including a director's statement); and trailers. Bottom line: an excellent extras package for a wonderful film.](M. Johanson)