Fresh Air, Ridley Scott and Martin Meredith

Director Ridley Scott and journalist Martin Meredith on this edition of Fresh Air. Ridley Scott has received an Academy Award nomination for Best Director for his film Black Hawk Down. The film, based on the best selling book written by Mark Bowden, is an account of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia, in which 19 US solders and some 1000 Somalis were killed. Scott also received a nomination for best director last year, for his film Gladiator. Gladiator won the Oscar for Best Picture. Scott's other films include Hannibal, Thelma and Louise, Blade Runner, and Alien. Martin Meredith's new book is called Our Votes, Our Guns: Robert Mugabe and the Tragedy of Zimbabwe. Later this week, Zimbabwe holds presidential elections, which means Mugabe's presidency is in jeopardy. The book chronicles Mugabe's transformation from political visionary to violent dictator. Meredith has now spent many years writing about Africa - first as a foreign correspondent for the London Observer and Sunday Times, and now as an author and commentator. His other books include, In the Name of Apartheid: South Africa's New Era and Nelson Mandela. (Broadcast Date: March 6, 2002)