Rating: 
Summary: The romance with Africa as well as the romance with the man
Review: I saw this film when it first came out in 1985. It was a romance set in Africa and starred Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. At the time, I thought it was two long and couldn't understand how it won seven academy awards. Well, time marches on. I read "Out of Africa" and "Shadows on the Grass" just a few weeks ago and loved them, and knew that I had to see the video through fresh eyes. When I saw that it would be a full two hours and 41 minutes, I must say I was a little put off. I've been known to fall asleep during boring videos. But I decided to take a chance. I sure was in for a surprise, because not only did I stay awake throughout, I also enjoyed it completely.The film is based on several works of Karen Blixen, who wrote under the pen name of Isak Dinesen after she returned to Denmark from Kenya in the 1930s. In Africa, she had a loveless marriage to a cousin, a coffee farm that failed, and lived through WW1 there and the resultant changes it brought. In the book she didn't go into any detail about her relationship with the Robert Redford character, Denys, except to talk about how he stayed at her house and the way he loved hunting and flying a plane. It was in her other writings that she described their romance, which is the focus of the film. Meryl Streep is a fine actress and was excellent in the role, and the director, Sydney Pollack did a wonderful job of evoking the essence of the Africa that Karen Blixen knew. Robert Redford is a good looking man, but he can't do an English accent or stop being Robert Redford, and I never really understood what made him tick. The film was more than just about their romance though. It was about Ms. Blixen's romance with Africa and that is where the beauty came in. I recently read a book entitled "Rules of the Wild" by Francesca Marciano, about modern white Kenyans, and how they romanticize Ms. Blixen's experiences, watching the video "Out of Africa" over and over and deploring that the farm that was so dear to her heart is now a shopping mall. It's too bad this film didn't go into more detail about the Africans as there was a lot in the book that could have been included. But the Hollywood writer opted for the romance between Streep and Redford instead. I let myself relax though, enjoying the film for what it was, letting myself learn about her relationships with the men in her life, which were only hinted at in the book. Quickly, I found myself identifying with her as a woman. And I now well understand why the film was such a success. It brought me right into a world that doesn't exist any more. And let me experience the person that was Karen Blixen. I therefore do recommend this video. It might be long, but it needed all this time to tell its story. Coming from me, that's a big compliment.
Rating:
Summary: Favorite Movie of All Time
Review: After seeing this movie for the first time a month ago i must say it is now my favorite movie and have seen it many times since. This being probably because i have been to Kenya twice. This true story is great and the cinematography is excellent, especially of the scenes of the land with the train and my favorite scene with the plane flying. The score throughout the movie is great and got the well deserved oscar. The story is excellent about her life as a coffee farmer and her encounters with the natives she learns to love and also her love for a man. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford are fine actors and did a great job of portraying the real people. I would recommend this highly and is a true story which adds a lot for me.
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous Meryl!
Review: Streep is my favorite actress, mostly because of this particularly stunning portrayal of the Baroness von Blixen. Her performance is one of the finest--if not the finest--I have ever seen: the accent, the movements, the emotional ups and downs that makes this character, one whose home is in Europe and whose heart is in Africa, her best. Although she has two Oscars to remind her of her brilliance, Meryl should have also won for this one! And Redford, well, he can't speak with a British accent, but I don't care. He's worth looking at any day of the week and twice on Sunday; he simply let Meryl steal the scenes, which only a great supporting character can do. This film, with its sweeping scenery and authentic rendition of a writer's life, is not one to be taken lightly. It's a "tearjerker" that isn't sappy--it's just a heartbreaker. Pollock's best, Meryl's best, 1985's best!
Rating:
Summary: Definetly the best movie of 1985
Review: This deserved every oscar it got especially the best picture one. It is an awesome movie.
Rating:
Summary: Meryl Streep's Finest Film
Review: This love story brought to film will delight many teenage and adult viewers. It is fantastically beautiful! Winner of many awards, little money was spared in filming it. The landscape of Africa is photographed as it appeared in the early 1900's. The viewer is taken into the world of luxury and privilege, and also heartache and pain. Meryl Streep moves with grace through the various scenes, with Robert Redford playing his usual dapper character. The contrast between the wealth of the white settlers and the poverty of the black Africans is accurately depicted. One comes away from the movie with a better understanding of a society in Africa that existed at one time, but fortunately has evolved into a more equal union.
Rating:
Summary: beautiful movie
Review: This is definately a classic one could watch over and over again. The acting is supurb, the soundtrack blends perfectly with the movie and the scenery is amazing. I was in Kenya for a couple of months and this movie made me miss Africa more than any other movie or book I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent DVD!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Don't see this
Review: I saw the movie in the theater. My wife put it on the video not long ago for the relatives. The opening line... "I had a farm in Africa" made me start crying - just knowing what was coming. I had to leave the room and read a book instead.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite movie of all time!!
Review: I saw this movie for the first time at the age of ten and I have loved it ever since! Every scene radiates the wonderful feel of this movie. I understand that the real love story is between Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, but I found depth of emotion in many of the relationships presented in this film, whether love interests or friendships. The entire cast is truly remarkable. The score by John Barry is just incredible and the ending is pure poetry on film. I loved this movie and it's worth seeing time and time again! A true modern film classic!
Rating: 
Summary: Go for the scenery
Review: I'm probably going to outrage a lot of this film's fans, but I want you to consider a different point of view before buying this video. The cinematography is absolutely wonderful. The music is sublime. The story, however, has some serious flaws which caused me to enjoy the film less and to take the time to caution you before you spend your hard-earned money for a $50 million travelogue. Streep is great as always, but Robert Redford's participation in this project throws the whole plot out of balance. The affair between the Streep and Redford characters is a subplot. A minor part of the storyline which begins and ends in act two. Without giving too much away, we don't even see Redford's exit - we're told about it. The very worst way to do something in a movie. But because the performer is a major star, suddenly this subplot blows itself all out of proportion and throws the whole story out of kilter. The love story is between Streep's character and Africa. Redford distracts us from that relationship. It makes the film seem to be made out of several stories that don't fit together rather than forming a seamless whole. I left it feeling less-than-engaged with the characters and felt the one redeeming quality was the cinematography - certainly not enough to recommend it to you. Maybe you'll love it, but at least don't buy it thinking it's going to be a Streep-Redford love story set in Africa!
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