Intrada announces an expanded edition of what is regarded as one of John Barry's finest: the Oscar-winning music to the 1985 Universal Pictures film Out of Africa. It is also one of the last albums produced by Doug Fake, to whom this release is dedicated. The lengthy film is sparsely scored, especially considering the expansive nature of the film and beautiful scenery. The 37-minute score is just all the more powerful when it does appear, including the spectacular "Flight Over Africa" sequence. Included in this release are themes and ideas not present on the original MCA album released at the time of the film, premiering some true Barry gems.
The release was mastered by Doug Fake and Chris Malone and features liner notes by Barry expert Jon Burlingame. The complete soundtrack is sourced from Dan Wallin’s original half-inch 15 I.P.S., Dolby-A-encoded three-channel stereo mixes made on November 4, 5, 6 & 8, 1985. After the regular scoring sessions were completed, Barry had one last pickup session to record two additional alternate cues. Barry also supervised the traditional African piece and the other source cues.
Out of Africa, directed by Sydney Pollack, is a romantic drama based on the autobiographical book by Karen Blixen. The film stars Meryl Streep as Blixen, a Danish woman who moves to Kenya in the early 20th century to run a coffee plantation with her husband, played by Klaus Maria Brandauer. The story follows her personal journey as she navigates the challenges of life in Africa, forms deep relationships with the locals, and embarks on a passionate affair with a British hunter, played by Robert Redford. The film explores themes of love, loss, and the beauty of the African landscape. It won seven Academy Awards in addition to Best Score: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Sound.
