September 11th, 1973: The Last Stand of Salvador Allende 1998
Distributed by Filmakers Library, 124 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016; 212-808-4980
Produced by Macumba International (Montreal)
Director n/a
VHS, color, 58 min.
Adult
History, Latin American Studies
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Heather Munger, Health Sciences Library, University at Buffalo, State University of New YorkOn September 11th, 1973, Salvador Allende, the first democratically elected Marxist president, committed suicide at La Moneda, the presidential palace in Santiago, Chile, instead of surrendering to a coup d'etat lead by his own Commander-in-Chief, General Augusto Pinochet. September 11th, 1973: The Last Stand of Salvador Allende uses the events of one day to depict a political movement. The day is reconstructed through personal narratives and archival video and audio clips. There are dramatic accounts from the people who were closest to him and survived the coup. Allende's press attaché tells how Allende did not know Pinochet was involved. Allende's wife recounts escorting Allende's body to an unmarked grave and telling a cemetery worker to let the people know this is where Allende is buried. There are scenes of Allende's last public appearance and the presidential palace being bombed, and recordings of Allende's and Pinochet's public speeches and private conversations.
This documentary is a unique opportunity to explore a brief period in the history of Chile. Recommended for collections where there is an interest in the political and social history of Chile and South America.