Diary entries forSoundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Étatis a hypnotic film, one that has quick and dizzying editing, but manages to pack an impactful punch. Focusing on the world relations with the Congo, this film shows the lengths that foreign governments will go to so they can ensure their interests are met. It’s an eye-opening examination of modern colonialism, which weaves well-regarded jazz artists and their impact on the world within the confines of this clash of global powers. I’m not versed in the CIA’s history of coups, so this documentary does a great job at making this difficult subject consumable, while not neglecting to leave out the grisly details. A massive endeavor, but one that is an absolute must-watch.
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
89/100 Check out my 2024 ranked - boxd.it/shaTi (https://boxd.it/shaTi) I seldom watch documentaries these days but from what I have in the past, this has to be the most well-researched and arduous documentaries ever made. The amount of quotes from several journals and books with the hundreds of clips tied together at relevance is a masterclass in organisation, collection of thoughts and editing. You have to pay complete attention for 2 and half hours and not for a moment will you be bored or turn away. You might wanna pause at times because there’s just so much to take in but it’s a documentary, watch it at your leisure. I have stayed in DR Congo for a couple of months and my parents stayed there for almost 4 years and I’ll tell you this, from what research I’ve done and what I have seen in such a large country, I can only imagine what would’ve been if Patrice Lumumba had held through or should I say was allowed to hold through. What a marvellous country it would’ve been. Not to quote fiction at this time but this is what Wakanda is, a Congo that survived the white men, that survived the influx of white influence and greed of the white power; it is the embodiment of them being by far the richest country in the world in terms of natural resources whilst having the resources to exploit it for their own betterment. At the very least, they could’ve built roads, yes there’s no road access between major cities and even if there are routes, they’re not “safe” so you know what that means. But what keeps the great African nations from rising above dirt are not the white people at all, it is the black people who would choose money over freedom, it is the same black people who would betray their own powerful revolutionary leaders for personal opportunities, it is jealousy, corruption and a lack of forward thinking, it is the embodiment of submission. These men are who killed Lumumba, these men are who doomed Congo. Now we’ve got China, Russia and hell even India exploiting Congolese politicians for resources and what’s changed for the country? Nothing. The people remain the same and the fight is just with other nations if not Belgium and the US or the United Nations. If there is one thing this documentary highlights, it is the importance of a UN secretary general, his integrity and ability to make the correct decisions because without that, you’re left with the US who will always destroy the world around it. They abstained from the “end colonialism” movement vote along with Belgium, this was started by Russia mind you, no matter the intentions of Nikita you can’t argue he was wrong with this proposition. That tells you all about the US and how it’s been a leech for the past century. I have mixed thoughts on the use of music in this doc because while I understand its importance in that era, its influence being used as a wall for illegal activities by the CIA, the importance of the jazz artists just doesn’t seem all that great to me. Sure they had a following and perhaps in some places even a devotion but nothing they did had any significance in this Lumumba saga or the Congo Crisis as a whole. I’d totally respect the use of jazz throughout this doc as a homage to the music of that era but citing so many musicians for certain lyrics about independence, black freedom and the struggle doesn’t move me and I’m sure it didn’t move many back then. With that being said, it’s an excellent documentary with a deep dive into an unfortunate part of the world terrorised not in the traditional sense by the West who we continue to idealise because we choose to remain ignorant to the past. And while No Other Land is probably a moving documentary and talks about an important issue in the current climate, I am absolutely certain it cannot have been better than this film but as I’ve heard on a Grace Randolph live recently, the Oscars aren’t the awards for the best media in each category but the award for what Hollywood wants to be known for right now.
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴, 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴: 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦.” - Octavio Paz, 𝘛𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘮 How I want my obituary to be made. For jazz enthusiasts and a film Godard would’ve loved. There’s enough spirit in the splice of the cut, in song, in hushed suspense between speech and title card that offers worlds. History, breathing. Commas in places to sustain the very act of archive as art. Spirited. Dire. Truth stacked by facts in its most poetic form.
