Out of Africa
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.63 You Save: $7.35 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $5.29 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Out of Africa
Movie Review: What can I say - " I had a farm in Ahf-rica ...."
Summary: 5 Stars
Having traveled extensively in the Nordic countries of Finland, Denmark, and Sweeden, and being a great fan of Isak Dinesen's (Karen Blixen) other books of letters and novels, I was impressed to find that this movie truly echoes many aspects of the culture of Denmark as well as the undefinable sprit of Isak Dinesen that comes through in her work. The movie was based on a compilation of Dinesen's letters and her book which is also called "Out of Africa". I was very surprised to find the movie to be a rather marvelous romantic and heartbreaking snapshot of the years that Karen Blixen spent in Africa. Streep couldn't have done a better job. I highly recommend this movie and that you also invest some time to read Isak Dinesen's book called "Letters from Africa" upon which much of the movie is based. You'll see how closely Merly Streep captures the atmosphere, cadence, and tone of Karen Blixen's writing in her speech. For those of you who have never read Dinesen, much of the pleasure in reading her work comes from the conversational nature of her writing. It's almost as if she's speaking to you as you read and you can hear the intonations in your mind as if they were written on the page. I say this based on having read her work prior to seeing the movie. Thus, while I've never been much of a fan of Streep - I can't think of anyone who I would have preferred in the role now that I've seen her in it. Amazing.Movie Review: Great, adult romance. Beautiful DVD.
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie puts Isak Dinesen's "Out of Africa" up on the screen, and for my money it is the finest filmed version of a book ever done. The reasons for this do not come from Sydney Pollack's vision of the book being "faithful" exactly (although it is pretty faithful). It is more that he perfectly captured the feel of Dinesen's Africa. The characters in the movie are all based on real people, primarily Isak Denisen (real name Karen Blixen), her husband Bror Blixen, and Denys Finch Hatton. Suffice to say that Meryl Streep, Klaus Maria Brandauer, and Robert Redford all give great performances. In real life both Hatton and Blixen were great white hunters who, despite sleeping with one another's wives and acquaintances, (including aviator Beryl Markham) somehow remained good friends. For me, despite great, intelligent acting from Streep and Brandauer, this is a Robert Redford film. Redford's intense, understated style was never put to better use (Pollack always seemed to know the best use for this actor) and it is a pleasure to watch the way he says so little, but you can see a rich, internal life happening all the time. Plus, it is a kind of kick to see Redford, a staunch conservationist and liberal, playing a great, white hunter in end-of-Empire Africa. Finally, if you own this film on VHS, it is worth going for the DVD. It is simply beautiful looking.Movie Review: Greatness undoubted, but something critical needs to be said
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, so many persons, Amazon.com included, moan about Redford's accentless--exactly which accent was he supposed to use: Highbury? Manchester, Bristol? The Counties (one hour north of London)? .... But then he would fit the bill since the Counties are known for their lack of an accent! Then again he should have said somehting like "bloody gut(good)." Enough trivialities, my major qualm with this film is its portrayal of Women and Empire. Its portrayal of women as participants is misconcieved, portraying Blixen (Streep) as the sole active female in the colony, which is absurd. Nevertheless, the film does touch on a number of historically relevant issues, ranging from single-female migration to the colonies, to the archaic belief that women nurses executed their duty in the name of reason contrasted to Africa's superstitions. Keep in mind that this is her story, with all of her biases intact. (If the subject intrigues you an entire literature has bloomed in the last fifteen years.) Furthermore, Blixens return to Denmark is marked by a distinct severing of ties with Africa. She may have Africa in her heart but Kenya's absebce is what draws out her story. One question: what about the massive Afro-Carribean and Indian population of London today? How did it get there?Movie Review: Excellent DVD!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great movie and a great DVD. Like most collector's edition DVDs from Universal, this DVD has an original documentary that is just AWESOME! It runs about 50 minutes and narrates the story of the real life Karen Blixen and how they adapted it for the movie. It features the director, Sydney Pollack, the composer, John Barry, Meryl Streep, and a Karen Blixen biographer. It doesn't go into much "behind the scenes" type footage (for which I'm glad) but instead tries to tell the story of Blixen, with input from the director, Meryl Streep, and the biographer. I especially liked how many excerpts from her actual writings are narrated throughout the documentary. There are also old photographs of Karen Blixen, the other major characters (mostly of Dennys and the people who worked on her farm), and the farm. And amazingly, they have video footage, taken recently it seems, of the real life boy who had the injured foot she took care of!The DVD also has a "funny" trailer full of 80s synthesizer music, some cast/crew bios, production notes, and audio commentary by Sydney Pollack. But overall, this documentary is the real highlight of this DVD. It is really awesome and is definitely a must have for any Out of Africa fan.
Movie Review: It Moved Me.
Summary: 5 Stars
A masterpiece of cinematic beauty. This film is based on Danish writer Karen Blixen's(Isak Dinesen)years in Africa. One of the great performances of Meryl Streep, in a career of many great performances.
The story of a strong, yet very sensitive woman who follows her husband to Kenya to start a Coffee Plantation. His philandering ways soon leaves her with syphilis. Of course their relationship ends, and she is romanced by the Brit' Denys Finch Hatton, played by Robert Redford minus an ascent. One of the few often heard complaints during the film's release. But their chemistry still makes for one of the great screen romances ever.
1985's Best Motion Picture Academy Award winner, a year that saw many superb films. One of my other favorites that year was "The Color Purple", either one of which was worthy of the award in my book. Sydney Pollack also received the Best Director Academy Award for some of his most ingenius work. One of the most beautifully photographed films is magnificently transferred to DVD, though if you've never seen it on the big screen don't miss the opportunity should it ever arise. And John Barry's musical score makes for an even more breathtaking experience.