Out of Africa
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 ofOut 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 documentaryA Song of Africahas 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