Product Details

• Actors: Che Guevara
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: White Star
• DVD Release Date: April 15, 2003
• Run Time: 150 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00007IDY3
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,838 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Che Guevara, the man with the beret with the star, embodies one of the strongest myths of the 20th century. He was a combination of a saint and an adventurer; somewhere between Don Quixote and a latter-day Jesus Christ. In his relations with Fidel Castro, he is the hero of a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. Che Guevara became a symbol of an entire generation. Today he is a myth. Some still draw inspiration from him - others condemn him; sometimes bitterly. For all, he is a subject of controversy and passion. This film examines the myth, and contains: His voyages of discovery through Latin America, the meeting with Fidel Castro, when an instantaneous friendship was born, his travels around the world, and footage of his tragic end in Bolivia at age 39.

Special Bonus Feature: Tracing Che. In this documentary, a Canadian film director goes in search of the man behind the myth, re-creating the legendary road trip through South America on an old Norton motorcycle that Che documented in The Motorcycle Diaries. On his way, he encounters many of Che's family and friends - including the friend who took the trip with him - who shed light on the truth behind this icon of the 20th century. This is a film that discovers the humanity, the passion, and the free spirit of a young 22 year old whose eyes were forced open on a relentless road trip.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you ever wanted to know..., February 7, 2001

By	"ohlefty" (Silver Spring, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: El Che: Investigating a Legend [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Trust me, this documentary is worth the price and then some. For those who don't know much about Che Guevara, it's perfect, an engaging and thorough synopsis of his entire career, with a pretty good explanation of the background of his political theories. For those who think they already know the man's complete life story (like me, at least before I watched "El Che"), it's packed full of interesting facts that aren't usually included in condensed tellings of his biography. Examples: Certain difficulties he faced during his various official terms in Cuba; some additional reasons that the Bolivian mission was doomed from the start; insight into his relationship with Fidel, which is still under debate by historians. This film contains extensive (and I mean EXTENSIVE) firsthand film footage of absolutely everything it covers, plus the added bonus of interviews with Fidel. It only strenghtened my admiration for Che and my belief that the world lost a genius and a true revolutionary idealist when he died. My only wish is that the narrator have been a bit less melodramatic and drippy at certain points, as Che's life is enough of a saga in and of itself. But it's really a small price to pay. Definitely watch this one!

47 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars El Che Vive, February 11, 2004

By	Zouhair Issa - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This DVD contains a fairly detailed account (for a film) of the life of Che Guevara, it follows him from his Argentine birthplace to his eventual death in Bolivia. It also contains many interviews from people who either knew Che personally or had even fought against him. In once instance there is even an old interview with a CIA agent in Bolivia as they are tracking down Che. If you want to learn about Che Guevara but for some reason do not have the time, or do not want to put forth the effort, to read his biography, then this DVD is the perfect alternative. The film is also great if you have already read one of his biographies and are looking for an audio/visual companion.

In addition to Che's biography, the viewer is also treated to a short film about a man who takes a similar Motorcycle trip as Che did. He follows the exact same path and tries to see what Che saw. Of course many of what Che saw on his trip was missing at the time of the filming, but the viewer can get and idea of what the Argentina/Chile portion of the trip was like for him.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kalfon's version of Guevara, May 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: El Che: Investigating a Legend [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is the film version of French biographer/diplomat Pierre Kalfon's book "Che -- Ernesto Guevara, a Legend of the Century" (as yet unavailable in English, though Amazon sells the French & Spanish versions.) Made by Canal +, it is certainly the best thing available in video on the subject for English-speaking audiences. Beginning with the famous Carlos Puebla "Hasta Siempre, Commandante" song, it covers his military/political life with reasonable thoroughness and restraint, giving a strong, clear-eyed picture of the public man while still managing to remain sympathetic overall. It has quite a bit of good footage of Che as well as interviews with various friends and associates (esp. the then recently defected Col. Dariel Alarcon Ramirez, aka "Benigno", who served with Che in the Sierra Maestra all the way through to the bitter end in Bolivia), though Che's US TV interviews and his memorable appearance on "Face the Nation" are missing. But at the very least, this film has the guts to point its finger at Castro as Che's ultimate betrayer, something Jon Lee Anderson, in his massive and massively footnoted bio, couldn't bring himself to. However, the tone here comes off a bit stodgy and superficial with very little info or insight into Che as a human personality. Also, as one earlier reviewer put it, the BBC-ish narration is indeed a little "corny" (though said reviewer should be made aware that when the narrator compares Che to "Rambo", he is not referring to the movie super commando but to the French poet Arthur Rimbaud, famous for his wandering.) Overall this is by no means the definitive last word on Che, such a documentary film has yet to be made. But take it all around it rates a very solid 4 stars.