Sunday, June 6, 2010

Out of Africa



"In the daytime you felt that you had got high up,
near to the sun, but the early mornings and evenings
were limpid and restful, and the nights were cold."
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen)

image


Her story is in my mind forever interwoven with the movie...


There are movies I watch every year, like visiting old friends... Out of Africa is such a movie. Karen Blixen wrote under the pen name Isak Dinesen and so essentially captured the spirit and times of colonial Africa wrapped in a timeless love story. Her story.

Blixen 1922 in Nairobi.

I’m sure I’m in good company when I say that I love that movie beyond reason. It’s three hours of yearning and passion and hardship and loss. My kind of film.
Meryl Streep and Robert Redford and are wonderful together...


The incredible designs - fashion and interiors have influenced me since I saw the movie the first time, many years ago. Since then I love the classic British colonial look. I really adore most of her dresses in this movie, especially the delicate dressing gowns and lace shawl things she wears while storytelling. The veils, gloves, khaki riding pants and dark leather boots.


And then there are of course the exteriors...and interiors! Not from the movie, but inspired by it and African colonial design. Images from here.

Seen at vignettedesign.blogspot.com

Seen at designspongeonline.com.
Around the world bed from here.

The following images are designs by the South African designer John Jacob. They are perfect modern interpretations of colonial design.





And while wandering through many sites probing Out of Africa interiors I stumbled upon this amazing place in ...Africa, the Royal Malewane & Africa House. A hotel which made my heart skip a beat...




Found here.

All interiors by Liz Biden.
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It's hot and I dream of Africa!


XX
Victoria



All pictures as indicated.

17 comments:

  1. I was so in love with the house in that movie.
    I located the floral linen used in the sitting room and used it in a client's home not long after. It was just as divine as I knew it would be.

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  2. My curtains in my New York apartment were inspired by that movie and I wanted an entire wardrobe of linen at that time. The ironing, oh dear!
    One of my favorite movies!
    I love the movies, they take you places.
    pve

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  3. The verse above reminds me of the sun in the West Indies. I saw the film on a rainy evening in last May - it was was quite a journey and I learnt a whole load of new things. These picture make me want to travel to a far-away island in the sun;-)

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  4. Now I must add Out of Africa to our Netflix queue. It has been years since we saw this movie in the theatre.

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  5. I was a student in Edinburgh with a part time job in the cinema when this film came out. At that time I used to have to sit in the cinema while the film was on so for almost three weeks I sat through this film two times a day. I remember enjoying the film (first few times - have never seen it since) but it is the music I remember most as I would take the opportunity whilst sitting in the dark to rest my eyes! I loved it.

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  6. Yes, this really is an outstanding film.

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  7. Victoria.... I so LOVE this incredible movie and also anything associated with colonial Africa and also colonial Australia.. A great deal of the styles and fashions are very similar as is the climate as the English also colonized Australia. I own 3 copies of this movie and watch it frequently just for the fashions and interiors and of course, the one and only Meryl Streep. Her riding outfit in the scene of "the lion being a bit interested" is absolutely exquisite! I actually do ride and I do have proper knee high riding boots and jodphurs! And what about the pearl ear-rings she wears!!! I still am in awe of the story and never tire of it. I was actually going to do a post one day on "Out of Africa" so we must have been thinking alike! This is a beautiful post and I especially adore the last interior with the black stripe rug and white bamboo chairs!
    Hope you are well!
    Hugs Frances

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  8. I am not surprised at the emotional reactions to the movie, you all are showing my own feelings towards Dinesen's story, the movie, the set decorations and fashions...and the music....
    So amazing! Rarely bring movies a book to life so perfectly. Well, there are a few...But this is a new post!
    Thank you!
    XX
    Victoria

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  9. I also love this movie. Streep is so stunning and yes her clothes are beautiful. It would be fun to walk around like that! I am also so very into period pieces with amazing scenes. I can't get enough of them! I am sure you have seen my posts on all of my favorite period drama's. If not look under BBC or period piece on my blog. I am sure you will find something to get lost in! Lovely post and the rooms are just so gorgeous! I think you must make a trip there!

    xojamilyn

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  10. Great, great movie. Another old African movie I love: The African Queen. Gotta love Katherine Hepburn & Humphrey Bogart.

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