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This short documentary of the making of the movie Out of Africa and what the life of Karen Blixen a.k.a Isak Dinesen was about was presented as an extra on the DVD. Director Sydney Pollack, leading star Meryl Streep, score writer John Barry, Dinesen biographer Judith Thurman, and screenwriter Kurt Luedtke are among the interviewed. Meryl herself is pretty entertaining when doing sounds of vehicles or animals. So they talk about their experiences during the shoot and what they think of the times and attitudes of the period they covered in the movie. And about Blixen's relationships with the various people she shared her life with during her time in Nairobi and other places in Kenya. Nothing more to say except A Song of Africa is a very worthy view on the DVD.

Last fall, Mom and me visited the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. While in Denmark, the female tour guide on the bus pointed out the house of Isak Dinesen or Karen Blixen as she was previously known as. She mentioned this movie to remind us who it was about. So nearly a year later, I felt the need to check this out from the library so I can find out about this woman with Mom viewing it with me. We both were enchanted by the African landscapes depicted throughout the narrative. Meryl Streep gives another fine performance as Blixen with a perfect Danish accent. If director Sydney Pollack hadn't insisted his friend and frequent collaborator Robert Redford ditch his attempt at a British accent, it would have possibly been a perfect performance from him as well. As it is, the audience wouldn't at least be too distracted by that accent as Pollack was reportedly concerned about. Both Ms. Streep and Klaus Maria Brandauer got deserved Oscar noms and it was nice for Pollack to get his two wins for both direction and picture as well as John Barry for his sweepingly touching score. It's possible some passages made the movie a little meandering resulting in a pretty long movie. Still, Out of Africa was quite an enjoyable and touching ride.

When Alan Arkin died several weeks ago, I had a feeling I'd watch this again having previously seen it in 1986 on HBO and remember thinking how funny it was then. It's a lot funnier now watching some of the scenes I recall laughing at then and now seeing through older eyes some scenes I didn't remember but glad to discover and find hilarious for the first time! Arkin plays a dentist who meets his potential brother-in-law Peter Falk-who works for the CIA-at a pre-wedding dinner. Falk's son is scheduled to marry Arkin's daughter in a few days but Falk is on an assignment that he inadvertently involves Arkin in. I'll stop there and just say this was nearly funny from beginning to end especially when a scene involving the word "serpentine" comes on. I also loved the sequence involving Richard Libertini. I think my mom liked it too though she didn't laugh as much as I did. Be that as it may, we both highly recommend The In-Laws.