The Fidel Castro Tapes

The 56-minute narrative follows Castro's career as leader of Cuba's revolution in fairly objective fashion that favors no partisan side in the long stuggle against foes both domestic and foreign. Starting with the 1953 Castro-led gueriila revolt against the Batista regime, the narrative highlights major events up to and including his ill-health resignation in 2008. Among these events are his beginnings in the Sierra Maestra, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the nuclear missile crisis, the Mariel boat lift, and others, including relevant excerpts from foreign dignitaries such as Nixon, Kennedy, Reagan, and Kruschev. On the other hand, there's no real mention of Castro's personal life, nor are ideological issues of socialism and capitalism delved into. Thus, viewers seeking an analytic or partisan account are likely to be disappointed. Nonetheless, the narrative clips amount to an interesting sketch of one of the most important leaders of hemispheric affairs, one that even now remains view worthy .