Out of Africa [Blu-ray]

Director: Sydney Pollack Sydney Pollack

Overview

Out of Africa is drawn from the life and writings of Danish author Isak Dinesen, who during the time that the film's events occured was known by her married name, Karen Blixen-Flecke. For convenience's sake, Karen (Meryl Streep) has married Baron Bor Blixen-Flecke (Klaus Maria Brandauer). In 1914, the Baron moves himself and his wife to a plantation in Nairobi, then leaves Karen to her own devices as he returns to his womanizing and drinking. Soon, Karen has fallen in love with charming white hunter Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford), who prefers a no-strings relationship. A woman who prides herself on her independence, Blixen finds herself unhappily in thrall to an aloof man -- and doubly unhappy for living out such a cliché situation. Although Redford received a lion's share of criticism for his too-American performance, Streep has rarely been better, and the film's perfectly measured pace is complemented by David Watkin's stunning location photography. The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 7, including Best Picture, Best Director for Sydney Pollack, Best Adapted Screenplay for Kurt Luedtke, and Best Cinematography for Watkin.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/07/2019
UPC:	0191329100745
Original Release:	1985
Rating:	PG
Source:	Universal Studios
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	2:41:00
Sales rank:	18,048

Special Features

Song of Africa: An Original full-length documentary on the making of the film Deleted Scenes Feature Commentary with Director Sydney Pollack

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Meryl Streep	Karen Blixen
Robert Redford	Denys Finch Hatton
Klaus Maria Brandauer	Baron Bror Blixen-Finecke
Michael Kitchen	Berkeley
Malick Bowens	Faran,Actor
Suzanna Hamilton	Felicity
Michael Gough	Delamere
Rachel Kempson	Lady Belfield
Joseph Thiaka	Kamante
Stephen Kinyanjui	Kinanjui
Graham Crowden	Lord Belfield
Leslie Phillips	Sir Joseph
Mike Burgara	Juma
Shane Rimmer	Belknap
Mike Bugara	Juma
Job Seda	Kanuthia
Mary Selway	Actor
Mohammed Umar	Ismail
Donal McCann	Doctor
Kenneth Mason	Banker
Tristram Jellinek	1st Commissioner
Stephen Grimes	2nd Commissioner,Actor
Annabel Maule	Lady Byrne
Benny Young	Minister
Sbish Trzebinski	Beefy Drunk
Allaudin Qureshi	Rajiv
Niven Boyd	Young Officer
Iman	Mariammo
Peter Strong	Huge Man
Abdullah Sunado	Esa
Amanda Parkin	Victoria
Muriel Gross	Lady Delamere
Ann Palmer	Dowager
Keith Pearson	Missionary Teacher
Mike Burgos	Juma
Maryam D'Abo	Actor
John Barry	Composer

Technical Credits

Kurt Luedtke

Karen Blixen

David Rayfiel

Judith Thurman

Errol Trzebinski

Sydney Pollack	Director,Producer
Kurt Luedtke	Screenwriter
David Harris	Special Effects
Kim Jorgensen	Executive Producer
Peter Handford	Sound Mixer
Karen Blixen	Screenwriter
David Rayfiel	Screenwriter
Terence Clegg	Producer
Syd Dutton	Special Effects
Tom McCarthy Jr.	Sound Effects
Judith Thurman	Screenwriter
Errol Trzebinski	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

A lush and enthralling romantic drama drawn from uniquely fascinating source material, Out of Africa eschews most of the genre clichés and unfolds with refreshing respect for its audience. Meryl Streep is superb as Karen Blixen, the passionate Danish woman who marries for convenience at the beginning of World War I and moves to Nairobi with her husband (played here by Klaus Maria Brandauer). Before long, the marriage fails, leaving Blixen free to pursue her romance with an idealistic British adventurer (Robert Redford), who dearly loves her but balks at being tied to one place. Kurt Luedtke's script -- a synthesis of five books Blixen later wrote under the name Isak Dinesen -- tells the story at a leisurely pace, and some might think the film unnecessarily long at two and a half hours. But director Sydney Pollack re-creates time and place with such skill and accuracy that you'll find yourself drawn into the narrative and hanging on every word and expression. David Watkin's lush cinematography creates an otherworldly ambience that gives the Streep-Redford romance an oddly dreamlike aspect. Redford doesn't always convince us that he's an Englishman, but his scenes with Streep, whose work here ranks with her greatest performances, will melt the heart of even the most cynical viewer. Romantic epics rarely achieve a perfect balance between their technical and artistic ambitions, but Out of Africa is one such work.

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse

Out of Africa gives its audience one of the screen's great rarities -- an intelligent romance combined with the sweeping perspective of a great epic. Never mind that Robert Redford is much too American to be convincingly British, he conveys a stoic sense of adventurism that makes him an ideal screen match for the reserved passion of Meryl Streep. The film's tech credits are top-notch, particularly the cinematography of David Watkin, whose spectacular location shooting makes the film a visual treat. A clear favorite on Oscar night, Out of Africa took Best Picture, Best Director Sydney Pollack, and five other awards, including one for Watkin.

All Movie Guide - Richard Gilliam