Che Guevara: Where You'd Never Imagine Him

Cuban filmmaker Manuel Pérez follows the rise and fall of Ernesto “Che” Guevara (1928-1967)—who brought a sexy credibility to Marxist revolution that still resonates to this day—in this hour-shy documentary that unfortunately breaks little new ground in its Cliffs Notes-worthy profile of the man. As a Cuban government-sponsored production, the film—not surprisingly—presents little that would tarnish Guevara's image, instead focusing on various incidents that shaped his political persuasions, including his upbringing in Peronist Argentina, his famed cross-continental motorcycle trip (effectively dramatized in The Motorcycle Diaries), and his collaboration with the Castro brothers in their struggle against the Batista dictatorship in 1950s Cuba. Missing or marginalized, however, are Guevara's severe failings—he was muscled out of the decision-making process by Fidel, was unable to generate a Marxist revolution in Congo, and finally made a disastrous journey into Bolivia that resulted in his capture and execution by government forces working under the supervision of CIA operatives. Still, despite the obvious shortcomings of this production, it's hard not to get caught up in Guevara's enigmatic yet hypnotic charisma. DVD extras include four short films, the most notable of which is “A Photo That Travels Around the World,” charting the history of the iconic image of the beret-wearing Guevara that has been reproduced on countless posters and T-shirts. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)