Customer Reviews

Out of Africa [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This is a movie like "The English Patient" that successfully mingles sweeping vistas and larger-than-life events with the small and human things that we can relate to personally. If we find ourselves in a sympathetic vibration with a character in a story, we can be thrilled by feeling closer to the bigger events which might not otherwise rock our personal worlds. These epic events also give a story a yardstick, something by which to measure the mettle of the characters.

Everyone knows something of love, of the joys and difficulties of marriage and the discovery--good and bad--of another person with whom we are intimately involved. This is our entry into the world of this movie. But how many of us have had the chance to, or have succeeded in, living life on our own terms and without compromise as Karen Blixen does? That she is a woman at the turn of the century is only icing on a cake of universal appeal.

This story (I will not detail the plot which others have already eloquently done) lets us watch an extraordinary person being placed in a fantastic, sometimes awkward but ultimately rewarding series of events and trials, and we are able to watch her rise to these occasions and meet life with the bit between her teeth. The backdrop is an entire continent, a setting so sweeping and vast that we can observe whole food chains or witness entire weather systems plying their trade. Karen Blixen is a character that appeals to something in all of us, and she does us proud as a representative of the human race in the continent's dramas.

I have always found Robert Redford thoughtful and engaging, and he does an excellent job here playing maybe the one person who truly understands our heroine and can meet her on her own terms and not be intimidated by her. But the real performance is Karen Blixen herself, played with such perfection, with such a wizard's breath of true life by Meryl Streep. I have never seen an actress more completely inhabit a character than Streep does here, and her virtuosity is breathtaking to watch.

I finish this movie each time feeling a bit worn out. After the roller coaster of exultation and abject loss, of intense love and apopleptic rage, of a woman young and naive grown old and frail, I am able to sleep soundly feeling I have not failed to glimpse ALL of life's secrets.

Highly recommended.

Reading some of the criticism of this film, I wonder if they saw the same movie that I did. This is an absolute masterpiece in every sense of the word! The photography is stunning, with virtually every scene presenting a sumptuous feast for the eyes. The soundtrack is heartfelt and magnificently blended into the story. The actors are superb, with notable performances by Meryl Streep, Klaus Maria Brandauer and Michael Kitchen. One of the deepest performances is turned in by Malick Bowens as Farah - so wonderfully sensitive. Those who knock Robert Redford playing a Brit would have also undoubtedly knocked him should he have affected a British accent. His performance, to me, was magnificently understated and on target. I find that a lot of guys have trouble with Redford - undoubtedly insecure egos.

Sydney Pollack deserves to have his face carved on the Mt. Rushmore of filmmaking for this timeless, romantic and deeply moving motion picture.

Based on the autobiography of Danish writer Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen), played by Meryl Streep, Out of Africa is nothing short of a masterpiece of photography, casting (Redford plays opposite Streep as her English lover/adventurer. She is married to the cloddish German baron who is rarely home - he'd prefer being out in the bush playing the great white hunter, and when he does come home, he gives her syphilis. Blixen spends her own money supporting her husband and their plantation while falling in love with the country and with Redford. It's a rite of passage of sorts, as she copes with the pressures of family, duty, and social convention, which all vie with her own free and passionate spirit. The scenes of the countryside, the native tribal structure, the love making between Streep and Redford, and the whole pre-war way of life in Africa are beautifully rendered.
This is a winner, one to own and keep and watch over and over.

This movie combines so many different emotions, and sets up a dreamworld and story for you to fall in love with. But if you're thinking of buying it, you've probably already seen it. The only reason to buy this DVD is if you want to see it over and over again, and if you want see the added features...which are interesting once. As far as the movie goes, I can do nothing but give it 5 stars.

If you know little about Isak Dinesen's story, this movie will enthrall you, and give you a good introduction to it. The actors, especially Meryl Streep, do a great job, and the vistas in the background are everything you'd expect in an ode to Africa: plains with buffalo, elephants, giraffe, and the mountains in the background.
However, if you've read anything about this, the movie may be a bit jarring. Specifically, Robert Redford is jarring. I'm sure he's a great actor, but he's just not playing the part of Denys Finch-Hatton. He portrays a Great White Hunter of the British Empire as a Great White Conservationist with a strong American accent. Words are put in Finch-Hatton's mouth that make little sense. Don't give up on the movie however, just concentrate on Streep.

This is indeed a beautiful movie. I saw it for the first time last night and its comparable to 'The English Patient' in more ways than one. Undeniably, it is Meryl Streep who holds the film together, as the supporting cast does her no favors. The direction is superb and the background score is very captivating. Universals' DVD presentation of the film is commendable, complete with an hour long documentary called 'The Song of Africa' which documents the crews' travails in the dark continent and also gives one some insights on how the film made it from page to screen.

However, Robert Redford ruins most of the film with his dull uninspired take as a British expatriate living and trekking in South Africa. I have never particularly liked any of this mans' performances, and his role here only serves to reiterate that he is one of the most overrated American actors of all time. I can even imagine Tim Curry or Danny DeVito doing a better job here than he does. His character is supposed to be British. Why on earth does he then sound as if he just stepped off a trailer in Mobile, Alabama? Did Mr. Redford do no research on this part? This is truly unpardonable and one of the reasons why I have to ultimately give this film only three stars. And they all belong to Meryl.

Mildly recommended.

This review refers to the Universal Widescreen "Collector's Edition" DVD of "Out Of Africa".....

"Out Of Africa" not only takes my breath away, but for 2 hours and 40 minutes I am transported to another time and place. A beautiful story in a wonderous setting will have you mesmerized as well. No matter how many times I view this film, I never tire of the gorgeous cinematography,the lulling music, the compelling story and of course the superb acting all brought together by the wonderful direction of Sydney Pollack.

Based on a true story, it depicts the life of Karen Blixen(who wrote under the name of Isak Dinesen) She marries a philandering Baron, and gains a title but discovers he has squandered her money on a coffee plantation in Kenya. Left to run it on her own, she befriends the local residents "The Kikuyu", offers them education and medical help, survives on her own strong willed nature and falls in love with the country, the people and local hunter Denis Finch Hatton.

The story is told in narrative by Karen, as she is now an old woman, thinking back to this time of love, passion, adventure and loss. Meryl Streep, Robert Redford and Klaus Maria Brandauer are masters of their craft as they bring these characters to life. The film was honored with several academy awards including Best Picture(1985),a well deserved Best Director for Pollack, Best Screenplay by Kurt Luedtke, Orginal Score for the genuis of John Barry, and one for the gorgeous Cinematography among others. I loved the music so much, which includes many works by Mozart, I just ordered the soundtrack!

The DVD transfer by Universal is outstanding. All the colors and sounds of Africa, seem to come alive right there in your living room. The growl of a lion, the texture of the landscape, the music all magnificent. The picture is presented in anamorphic widescreen(1.85:1), and the dolby digital 4.1 surround sound is perfect!. The extras include commentary with Sydney

Pollack production notes, cast bios,captioning, and a not to be missed documentary "Song of Africa" where you will find interviews with Pollack, Streep, and John Barry discussing the film and the music. This a great DVD buy at a great price.

Enjoy this very romantic film over and over again.....Laurie

This Sydney Pollack film is a work of sumptuous beauty, the colors of the vast land that is Africa a backdrop to an equally gorgeous romance that itself is tied to a continent. This is Karen Blixen's true story of her time in Kenya and her romance with a mecurial hunter who lives with Africa, rather than in it. Karen would leave her spirit and her soul on the wide open plains of this beautiful land, which is the real star of this lush and most romantic of films. Robert Redford and Meryl Streep are both marvelous in this elegant banquet of love and beauty.

Karen embarks on a journey to Africa after a marriage of convenience to an old friend, which will turn sour shortly after their arrival to their coffee plantation, payed for with her money. His unfaithfulness will bring about an illness that will force her to return home for treatment, or go insane. She has met Dennis already, however, and fallen in love with a land and its people, and knows she must come back.

The romance of Karen and the enigmatic Dennis is languid, like the plains, and their differences vast, like the orange evening skyline. She starts a school to teach the tribal children english and feels ties to her coffee farm, but he has been in Africa a long time, and knows all those there are just passing through. He roams the plains and knows no ownership, at least not the kind Karen needs.

A flight over Kenya set to John Barry's beautiful Oscar winning score is one of those magical moments in film never to be forgotten. Karen, who would later write of these things under the name, Isak Dinesen, would describe it as "A glimpse of the World from God's eye." This majestic offering has a breathtaking scope only a handful of films can compare to. It is a visual feast for the eyes, and the answer for the hearts of all those wondering where romance has gone.

This film is just plain lovely to look at. Streep does a star turn and Redford is affable if totally unbelievable as a Brit.

Can a prudish countess find passion and heartache amidst the wild safaris of Africa? Meryl Streep and Robert Redford illustrate in "Out of Africa" a sweeping love story set against the backdrop of colonialist turmoil and civil unrest. This is one of those big, BIG character driven melodramas that, for some inexplicable reason, Hollywood has stopped producing. Based on a true story - "Out of Africa" follows the exploits of Karen Blixen (Streep), a headstrong woman who is determined to find adventure and meaning in her life. She allows herself to be swept under by the passion of a notorious womanizer, Baron Finecke (Klaus Maria Brandauer). However, once in Africa, and infected with syphilis by her philandering husband, Karen is left to fend for herself against the violent backdrop of tribal unrest and British colonization. Enter Denys Finch Hadden (Redford), a game hunter with a penchant and a passion for all the things that Karen has dreamed of. The two begin a passionate affair that culminates in tragedy and despair. This is a film of surreal and genuinely haunting beauty coupled with a story that will surely enthrall.

Universal Pictures has given us an adequate print of the movie, considerably cleaned up and remastered for DVD. However, there are several occasions where pixelization, edge enhancement and aliasing problems genuinely distract. Colors can seem a bit muddy at times. The cinematography is breathtaking and quite often presented with exceptional clarity and depth. However, there are cases where a soft haze seems to intrude. Black levels are generally solid though here too, occasionally there is an excessive amount of film grain noticed. The soundtrack is 2.0 surround and well represented for its age. Extras include a wonderful "making-of" and some snippets and interviews and a trailer.