Review by Gary Tooze

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• New interview with director Jonathan Demme, stage director–actor André Gregory, and writer-actor Wallace Shawn, conducted by film critic David Edelstein (33:41)
• New conversation between actors Julie Hagerty and Lisa Joyce (33:09)
• New program featuring Gregory, Shawn, and their friend the author Fran Lebowitz in conversation (52:52)
• Trailer (2:14)
• PLUS: An essay by film critic Michael Sragow

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Description: Twenty years after their brilliant cinema-theater experiment Vanya on 42nd Street, Wallace Shawn and André Gregory reunited to produce another idiosyncratic film version of a classic play, this time Henrik Ibsen’s Bygmester Solness (Master Builder Solness.) Brought pristinely to the screen by Jonathan Demme, this compellingly abstract reimagining features Shawn (who also wrote the adaptation) as a visionary but tyrannical middle-aged architect haunted by figures from his past, most acutely an attractive, vivacious young woman (the breathtaking newcomer Lisa Joyce) who has appeared on his doorstep. Also featuring standout supporting performances by Julie Hagerty, Larry Pine, and Gregory, A Master Builder, like Vanya, is the result of many years of rehearsals, a living, breathing, constantly shifting work that unites theater, film, and dream.

 

 

The Film:

Excerpt from eCritic located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

A Master Builder looks authentic on Blu-ray from Criterion.  The film offers two aspect ratios: a 1.78:1 in the opening death-bed scenes and the bulk of the film is in a 2.4:1 widescreen ratio. Another modern film shot with the versatile Arri Alexa - Demme uses it with plenty of hand-held, intentional, jitter - perhaps adding a vérité 'live' theatrical sense. Lighting is at a low level and some sequences are quite dim. This is dual-layered with a reasonable bitrate and we can guess that it is a solid representation of the film. The frequent close-ups are impressive with a crisp sense of detail. This Blu-ray has no discernable flaws and supplies a wonderfully 1080P presentation with plenty of depth.

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Criterion use a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround at a strong 3436 kbps, although there is nothing in the way of aggression to export although the track handles the film's subtleties and dialogue with casual ease. I made some notes that I recall hearing some classical music - yet I can find no evidence of what it was. Perhaps I am mistaken? Anyway, there isn't a lot of separation and the robust transfer easily handles what the film requires. There are optional English subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'A' disc.

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BOTTOM LINE:
I can see why critics distanced themselves from A Master Builder, but I liked the long dialogue scenes and Wallace Shawn does require some suspension of disbelief as the love interest of the gals. Yes, it has an artsy-edge and the jittery camera movement and frequent close-ups may deter some - but I am okay with both. It's worth seeing in my opinion but it may not be a film one revisits often. The Criterion Blu-ray package offers a flawless a/v presentation with interesting and relevant extras. For those open to the artsy-theatre leaning - this is recommended! 

Gary Tooze

May 24th, 2015

Also available in Criterion package of André Gregory & Wallace Shawn: 3 Films (My Dinner with André, Vanya on 42nd Street, A Master Builder) also released on June 15th, 2015