Product Details

• Released on: 2005-02-01
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC, Import
• Original language: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 161 minutes

Additional Features
Sydney Pollack's approach to audio commentary for DVD editions of his films is different from that of most other directors. Instead of detailing each scene of Out of Africa, for example, Pollack paints in broad strokes, talking about cinematic themes and in particular the translation of Karen Blixen's life in Africa from book to film. The fan of flubs and trivia won't find Pollack making any cute remarks, but he's certainly interesting for the run of the film, describing the location shooting in Africa and how he dealt with Robert Redford's casting and lack of accent. The new 45-minute documentary A Song of Africa has old and new interviews with Pollack and Meryl Streep, who clearly should have shared the film's commentary duties; she's insightful and quite fun to listen to. The documentary also includes new interviews with composer John Barry and Blixen historian Judith Thompson. --Doug Thomas

Amazon.com Essential Video
Sydney Pollack's 1985 multiple-Oscar winner is a sumptuous and emotionally satisfying film about the life of Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), better known as Isak Dinesen, who travels to Kenya to be with her German husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) but falls for an English adventurer (Robert Redford). The film is slow in developing the relationship, but it is rich in beautiful images of Africa and in the romantic tone surrounding Blixen's gradual discovery of her life and voice. One downside: while we may all love Redford, he is as convincingly British as Kevin Costner is in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. --Tom Keogh