A Master Builder
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.
Director-Approved Special Edition Features
- High-definition digital master, supervised by director of photography Declan Quinn, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
- New interview with director Jonathan Demme, stage director–actor André Gregory, and writer-actor Wallace Shawn, conducted by film critic David Edelstein
- New conversation between actors Julie Hagerty and Lisa Joyce
- New program featuring Gregory, Shawn, and their friend the author Fran Lebowitz in conversation
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film critic Michael Sragow
New cover by Riccardo Vecchio
Collector's Sets
Collector's Set
Collector's Set
Director-Approved Special Edition Features
- High-definition digital master, supervised by director of photography Declan Quinn, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
- New interview with director Jonathan Demme, stage director–actor André Gregory, and writer-actor Wallace Shawn, conducted by film critic David Edelstein
- New conversation between actors Julie Hagerty and Lisa Joyce
- New program featuring Gregory, Shawn, and their friend the author Fran Lebowitz in conversation
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film critic Michael Sragow
New cover by Riccardo Vecchio
Cast
- Wallace Shawn
- Halvard Solness
- Julie Hagerty
- Aline Solness
- Lisa Joyce
- Hilde Wangel
- Larry Pine
- Dr. Herdal
- André Gregory
- Knut Brovik
- Emily Cass McDonnell
- Kaia Fosli
- Jeff Biehl
- Ragnar Brovik
- Joanna Howard
- Nurse Nora
- Winsome Brown
- Nurses
- Marjorie Graham
- Sheilagh Weymouth
Credits
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Executive producers
- Ronald M. Bozman
- Executive producers
- Beau Willimon
- Executive producers
- Jordan Tappis
- Executive producers
- Declan Quinn
- Executive producers
- Scott Griffin
- Co-executive producers
- Caroline Baron
- Co-executive producers
- Anthony Weintraub
- Co-executive producers
- Annette Solakoglu
- Co-executive producers
- Kemal Solakoglu
- Produced by
- Rocco Caruso
- Produced by
- André Gregory
- Produced by
- Wallace Shawn
- Based on the play “Master Builder Solness” by
- Henrik Ibsen
- Translated by
- Wallace Shawn
- Created for the stage by
- André Gregory
- Screenplay
- Wallace Shawn
- Director of photography
- Declan Quinn
- Film editor
- Tim Squyres
- Production designer
- Eugene Lee
- Costumes
- Dona Granata
- Music
- Zafer Tawil
- Music
- Thom O’Connor
- Music
- Suzana Peric
