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The True Story of Che Guevara on DVD
by Reg Seeton
 For anyone unfamiliar with late revolutionary Che Guevara, History Channel and A&E serve up another quality educational DVD that focuses on one of the 20th Century's most mysterious rebels. And by mysterious I mean how Guevara's image has become a misunderstood brand of "cool" that has appeared on everything from T-shirts to posters to coffee mugs when most people buying the Che Guevara image couldn't tell you who he is. They may know his name but that's probably about as far as it goes. For anyone who doesn't know who Che Guevara is yet you're wearing a T-shirt that looks exactly like the DVD cover, at least pick up the DVD to give your coolness a back story.
Although the History doc touches on Guevara's life from his birth in Argentina to medical school and his work in Guatemala where a United States backed overthrow of the government sparked lifelong disdain for the U.S., which in turn gave rise to Che Guevara the revolutionary, History picks up the pace when Guevara joined Fidel Castro and his revolutionary rise to power in Cuba. For some, the legacy Che Guevara left behind is one that many without voices in the jungles of the world related to during the pre-Cold War era of Cuba. Guevara earned the respect of many for his unwavering convictions and his determination to die for what he believed in.
Although Castro bridged a gap between revolutionary and politician to command a seat at the international table, Guevara was much more raw and aggressive in his ideology as a rebel. At a time when Central America and Cuba felt the western encroachment of the White House, it was easier for revolutionaries like Castro and Guevara to look to the ideals of Marxism as a way of preserving their way of life. However, the controversy surrounding Guevera is rooted in the fact that the revolutionary was responsible for the chilling deaths of many while working to bring about a global war in the name of socialism. The A&E released History documentary is clear to show that Guevara's life also included the blood of others and a darker side that involved killing under the umbrella of heated revolutionary dialogue. And it was the aggressive and overtly rebellious nature that became a concern for Fidel Castro and his newly formed government who, at the time, worked to build relations with Russia as an ally.
Featuring old footage of Guevera intercut with interviews of his former rebels, associates, friends, Guevara biographer Jon Anderson, and a highly credible figure in Guevara's final days, The True Story of Che Guevara is a digestible boot camp for those who want an overview of Guevara's life. While History focuses on the revolutionary aspects of his life that so many rebels connected with, the documentary also covers the downside of Guevara's life after he left Cuba at Castro's urging. Guevara attempted to kick start rebellions in the Congo and Bolivia but couldn't find the same footing. Instead they kick started his own undoing.
The True Story of Che Guevara shows the power of a revolutionary at a time of change but also shows his vulnerabilities in his own post-Cuba era. Like I mentioned, if you don't know who Che Guevara is yet you're wearing a T-shirt that looks exactly like the DVD cover, grab The True Story of Che Guevara so you don't look like a complete buffoon when you meet a girl and she says, "Tell me about the guy on your T-shirt." At the very least check out the time-line of Guevara's life in the bonus section.
STUDIO: A&E
RELEASE DATE: September 23, 2008
GENRE: Documentary
FEATURES:
Timeline Of Che Guevara's Life
Bibliography Of Che Guevara's Works In English
RUN TIME: 91 Minutes
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