Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #578 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-11-01
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Swahili
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 154 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Out of Africa seems to have slipped more readily from public memory than other comparably lauded films. Yet Sidney Pollack's panoramic treatment of Karen Blixen's novel has retained its atmosphere and slow-burning emotion, and deserves reassessment. Meryl Streep is in her possibly most involving starring role as Baroness Karen Blixen, Danish free spirit whose ill-fated venture at the beginning of World War One to run a coffee plantation in Kenya is overlaid by her intimate yet distant relationship with adventurer and idealist Denys Finch Hatton, unselfconsciously portrayed by Robert Redford. Klaus Maria Brandauer puts in a rare and convincing English-language appearance as the amoral but charming womaniser Baron Bror Blixen. The film is tellingly held together by Kurt Luedke's finely honed screenplay, and John Barry's sumptuously expressive score.

On the DVD: The anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen format reproduces superbly, as does the 4.1 discrete audio. 18 access points are provided, with printed and aural subtitles in English only. Pollack's feature commentary is amusing enough on a single run-through, but an on-location documentary would have been preferable. Production notes and biographies are very adequate, though the theatrical trailer reproduction is notably inferior. No matter, this is a major film, well worth the transfer to DVD.--Richard Whitehouse

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Feature Commentary with Director Sydney Pollack
Production Notes
Cast and Filmmakers Biographies
Theatrical Trailer
Universal Web Links
English Dolby Digital 4.1
Subtitles: English
Dual Layer
Anamorphic 1.85:1

Synopsis
Adapted from Isak Dinesen's novel, OUT OF AFRICA plaintively tells the story of two troubled adults who meet and fall in love in the African wilderness. Karen Blixen-Flecke (Meryl Streep) is a modern woman, caught in the shortcomings of a practical marriage. Finch Hatton (Robert Redford) is a gallant British hunter, lonely, but unable to commit. As they two meet and begin a torrid affair, they set out on an epic adventure in the badlands of Africa--an adventure that real-life Blixen-Flecke would later put to paper under the pen name of Dinesen. Sydney Pollack's opus is a full, visually compelling film. Its storyline evokes a plethora of emotions, ranging from fear and loathing to hope and the elation of love. Redford and Streep are electric as the two damaged infidels in love. A key American film, OUT OF AFRICA is not to be missed.

Customer Reviews

Sydney Pollack's opus
Having watched The English Patient a few times recently I was looking on Amazon for something along similar lines, and luckily i discovered the Best Picture of 1986--Out of Africa. "A classic along the lines of The English Patient" I mumbled to myself as i placed the dvd into the player and cracked open a bottle of red wine.

The slow pace of the movie put me off, and all we learn in the first hour is that Meryrl Streep contracts shyphillis from her cheating husband in Africa, and then Robert Redford enters the scene with a dodgy English accent and saves her from boredom and a sham marriage.

John Barry's score is one of the films highlights. The cinematography is excellent but the directing is poor. Pollack, the director, must have wanted the audience to feel something by watching it so...., well my opinion is that you should get ready for bed because it really is that boring.

Of course Pollack's multiple-Oscar winner is sumptuous, however it is not emotionally satisfying. The story is about Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), who lives in Kenya with her German husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) but falls for an English adventurer (Robert Redford-- the gallant hunter unwanting to commit to a relationship). The film is slow in developing the relationship, it almost stops. But it is rich in beautiful images of Africa and in the romantic tone surrounding Blixen's gradual discovery of her life and voice. Another hilarious downside: Redford is as convincingly British as Kevin Costner is in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

As the Academy found before awarding it seven Oscars, it is easy to be seduced by the lush cinematography and Barry's score. More difficult to tolerate is the slushy love story between Streep and Redford, she with another atrocious accent, while he's just a wimp.
Selah, Dr Bee Clarke.

A Baroness in Africa among men & Kikus
This film depicts the African Kenya in the 1910s. The main character of the film is a noble girl from Danmark. She marries a friend for a title and estate. They do not marry out of love. In the following events this causes huge upheavals in their lives. They pursue different things in their lives and try to get a meaning of their lives in African Kenya. Some personal disasters and natural disasters pass by. Our main character Karen eventually falls in love with an adventurer and wants to settle down with him which he refuses. The drama nears to a close by a wild fire destroying all the farm and leaving Karen with no choice to return to Danmark. But will Denys come along?

The film had won 7 Oscars so no need me to praise it. The musics are sweeping and hearing Mozart in the middle of the Kenyan plains should be very entertaining. The wildlife is pictured very beautifully, the pet owl is so cute.

The Baroness faces several social problems of her time first hand. The situation of slaves, the discrimination against women by men, the problems of colonialism, the education problems of local people (Kikuyu in the film) by Christian missionaries, the hunting of wild animals freely and needlessly just for fun and so on...The film carefully depicts these troubled times. One can wonder what a carefree life can one live. Karen the baroness gains our sympathy by defending the troubled and poor, facing the opposition at very dire consequences etc. generally not expected from her social strata.

All in all a good film worth watching...Not a happy ending Hollywood film, be warned!

Starts off with ' I Had a Farm in Africa' ...So moving
What a memorable gem of a movie!! I thought this film deserved every one of its seven Academy Awards it got. After viewing this film again I'm just stupefied why didn't Meryl Streep win Best Actress in this movie. The role of Karen Blixen was very complex and she performed it beautifully. This is probably right up there with "Sophie's Choice" and "Kramer vs. Kramer" both Award winning performances for her and this is right there with "Bridges of Madison County" and "A Cry in the Dark".

Syndey Pollock hit the nail right on the head with this classic beautiful cinematography. The acting is excellent by Streep, Redford, and Klaus Maria Brandeur. I liked the scene when Karen (Streep) wants her servant to address her by her name and he said "You are Karen, Sabu". I also loved the owl that she had in her room - it was a small one, but it was so cute and I loved it.

If you have a chance to rent this movie, please do - it is a classic. I love the beginning line "I had a farm in Africa" it was so moving!!