Product Details

• Format: Black & White, Color, NTSC
• Number of tapes: 1
• VHS Release Date: February 1, 1998
• Run Time: 57 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0970636601
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #175,623 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This documentary, which is something of a companion piece to the book Black Hawk Down by Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Mark Bowden, chronicles the American military intervention in Somalia. In the waning days of the first Bush Administration, in 1992, American troops were sent to Somalia to assist in distributing food during a famine. Film clips from early in the operation, including scenes of President Bush in fatigues visiting the troops, show the altruistic enthusiasm of that period. But soon things turned bad, as skirmishes with Somali warlords and their followers turned increasingly bloody. True disaster struck when a unit of elite Army Rangers was attacked and surrounded in a disastrous raid on October 3, 1993. Veterans of that bloody action, including Rangers, a member of the secret Delta Force (who is filmed in shadow to hide his identity), and even Somalis, provide their recollections. Also shown are films shot from U.S. helicopters during the lengthy urban firefight, during which the encircled Rangers waited for hours for United Nations ground troops to reach them. This video, which was produced in association with the Philadelphia Inquirer, was not elaborately produced, but it does a fine job of telling the story of the fierce fight the Rangers found themselves in and the increasingly muddled policy that placed them in a hellish predicament. --Robert J. McNamara

Product Description

"Black Hawk Down: The Official Documentary" (formerly titled "Somalia: Good Intentions, Deadly Results) is the uncut version of the CNN program co-scripted by Mark Bowden, author of the companion book. This Emmy Award-winning program takes you behind the lines of battle and includes chilling US military radio transmissions, Pentagon video clips and interviews with soldiers and commanders on both sides of the conflict.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Much New in Video, June 14, 2001

By 

A. Cowell (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Somalia - Good Intentions, Deadly Results (Black Hawk Down Official Companion) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Like most people, I really enjoyed reading "Blackhawk Down," and was excited to find out about the accompanying video. However, I would only recommend this to the most devoted fan. There's not much new information in the video. There is some actual video and audio from the operation, but they are short and extremely poor quality. Most of the video is of the primary building, with dark blobs moving that you assume must be men. Even the maps shown on the video are poor in quality and lacking nearly any detail. What you do get that is perhaps worthwhile are interviews with a few Rangers, a few Somalis, and a member of Delta Force, and a few decent images of Somali people and militias on the ground. Most amusing moment: a Somali technical speeding along as a militia member tries to dismount and goes for a tumble. :-)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Money, March 25, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Somalia - Good Intentions, Deadly Results (Black Hawk Down Official Companion) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

After seeing The History Channel's excellent recent documentary on Black Hawk Down, I didn't know what to expect from this video. However, although I didn't learn a lot of new things, this video was worth the money for the interviews with the combatants (both sides) and the combat footage (from the command & control helicopter, though a bit murky) and news footage--all of which really add to the printed pages of Black Hawk Down.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good information but nothing new., December 11, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Somalia - Good Intentions, Deadly Results (Black Hawk Down Official Companion) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A great documentary, but the "never before seen" video clips and radio messages are nothing spectacular, and you probably seen them all before if you've ever looked into this incident. The whole American's in Somalia chapter of our history in one video. Overall a good documentary.