A Master Builder: Ibsen Re-Staged by Shawn & Gregory

Critics generally rank The Master Builder not far below Hedda Gabler and A Doll’s House in Henrik Ibsen’s oeuvre, but it is revived far less frequently. Notable past productions include a 2008 Malayalam film adaptation, a 1992 Broadway revival featuring Lynne Redgrave, and a 1960 television special starring E.G. Marshall. That did not leave a lot of iconic baggage for André Gregory to contend with when he staged a modern translation penned by his frequent collaborator and dinner companion Wallace Shawn. Their take on Ibsen’s somewhat autobiographical play now hits the big screen, but the original’s Scandinavian angst remains unmistakable in the Jonathan Demme helmed A Master Builder (trailer here), which opens this Wednesday at Film Forum.

Halvard Solness is probably dying and his former mentor Knut Brovik most certainly is. Before his imminent demise, Brovik would like to see Solness make some sort of affirmation of his son Ragnar’s talents. However, the celebrated architect refuses to do so, preferring to keep the junior Brovik under his thumb as his draftsman. Frankly, he is afraid the son might usurp his position, just as he unseated his father. It also suits Solness to maintain a high degree of control over Ragnar, considering he has taken the young man’s fiancée Kaya Fosli as his mistress.

Solness’s relationship to his wife Aline is even more complicated than his dealings with the Brovik family. It seems he feels profound guilt over a shared tragedy from their past that will be revealed over time. The catalyst for his subsequent revelations and soul searching will be the arrival of Hilde Wangel, a free-spirited young woman, who was quite taken with Solness as a teenager. Evidently, he made some rather inappropriate advances at the time. Yet, it was the vision of Solness laying a wreath atop her village’s newly erected church steeple that really made an impression on her.

It will be Builder’s curse to be inevitably compared to Louis Malle’s classic career coda Vanya on 42^nd Street, but that is a ridiculously high standard to be measured against. It is impossible replicate the evocative vibe of the gutted New Amsterdam Theatre in which it was mounted and Joshua Redman’s smoky harbop musical interludes are also sorely missed. Instead, Demme doubles down on intimacy, focusing on his actors and their human frailties.

As an acting showcase, Builder is still considerable, particularly Shawn, who gives full voice to Solness’s guilt and arrogance. He is a complex but manipulative character, who must be one of the great late-career challenges a stage actor can tackle. While it is a smaller role, Gregory cuts an acutely tragic figure as the physically and emotionally ailing Brovik. It is also good to see Broadway and Vanya veteran Larry Pine return as Dr. Elert Herdal. While it is smaller part, he has a very nice scene drawing out Solness’s initial first act confession.

Although Aline Solness’s preoccupation with obligation is difficult to re-contextualize in a modern production, Julie Hagerty still manages to flesh out a multidimensional portrayal. However, Lisa Joyce never successful integrates Wanger’s contradictory aspects. As a result, she largely remains a destabilizing cycher, periodically stirring matters up, apparently because that is what she does.

Builder is a serious and sensitive interpretation of Ibsen, but it does not have the timeless élan of Malle’s Vanya. At times, it is almost too respectful, allowing the string ensemble soundtrack to underscore the pathos of it all rather than injecting a little energy. Recommended for those who appreciate highly literate stage drama, A Master Builder opens this Wednesday (7/23) at New York’s Film Forum.

Enzo Avitabile: Multi-Instrumentalist, Multi-Fusions

It is a bit surprising Enzo Avitabile has yet to record a session either as a leader or a guest artist for ECM.  His multi-hyphenate world jazz fusion ought to appeal to label founder Manfred Eicher’s distinctive aesthetic.  He seems to be doing just fine regardless.  Having achieved material success through music, he now gets the musical documentary treatment courtesy of Jonathan Demme’s Enzo Avitabile Music Life (trailer here), which opens today in New York.

Conservatory trained, Avitabile was initially drawn to funkier rhythms before incorporating classical Neapolitan traditions and wide ranging world music influences into his compositions and recordings.  Taking advantage of Demme’s cameras, Avitabile stages a number of special “with friends” performances, featuring a globally diverse cast of musical collaborators, the best known probably being jazz-fusion percussionist Trilok Gurtu.

There are a number of evocative instrumental performances, but good golly, are Avitabile’s lyrics ever didactic.  Considering his tremendous technique as a multi-reed-multi-instrumentalist (particularly on tenor), Avitabile’s frequent vocal turns do not exactly play to his strengths, but they let him make his political points in no uncertain terms.

Arguably, Avitabile was born to be a celebrity.  He obviously enjoys talking, but he never reveals anything outside of his standard press kit.  As far as viewers can tell, Demme never pushes him either.  While the silent observer approach has its merits, the execution here feels tightly controlled, even scripted, resulting in an extended publicity film for the Music Life sessions.

There is some elegant music in Music Life, but none of the melodies really linger in the inner-ear once the film is over, except perhaps the catchy groove of “Mane e mane.”  Frankly, Demme misses an opportunity to persuasively introduce Avitabile to larger American audience.  Instead, Music Life is a film for the established faithful.  It is reasonably pleasant once you get past Avitabile’s songs dedicated imaginary countries in the Middle East, but it never engages on a deeper level.  For pre-existing Avitabile fans, it opens today (10/18) in New York at the Angelika Film Center.  However, patrons of music docs might give higher priority to the Margaret Mead Film Festival, which screens As Time Goes By in Shanghai and This Ain’t No Mouse Music over the weekend.

Neil Young Journeys: Another Demme Concert Film

Toronto’s Massey Hall was the site of a now legendary bebop concert, producing the only live recording cut by the all-star quintet of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach, and Charlie Mingus.  That was in 1953.  A lot of headliners have played the storied hall since then, including native son Neil Young, whose rather workaday 2011 homecoming solo sets are documented in Neil Young Journeys (trailer here), his latest concert film directed by Jonathan Demme, which opens this Friday in New York.

If you like distortion, these were the Neil Young shows for you.  Despite the presence of greatest hits like “Hey Hey, My My,” Young draws fairly heavily from his then latest CD, Le Noise, as rockers are apt to do.  It is not called “The Noise” for nothing, but the hard rocking vibe helps compensate for the whininess of his more activist fare, like “Ohio.”

Surprisingly, some of Journeys’ strongest scenes feature Young talking rather than playing.  Cruising to the gig in a vintage 1956 Crown Victoria, the rocker discusses growing up in Omemee, Ontario and his father, the late sportswriter (most notable hockey, but of course) Scott Young for Demme’s camera. He even gives viewers a drive-by of the elementary school named for his father.

If nothing else, one thing comes through loud and clear during Journeys: Young is very definitely still stuck in the 1960’s.  Granted, fans will expect to hear “Ohio,” but the Kent State A-V guilt trip (the only time Demme departs from his intimate, in-his-grill focus on the guitarist) is more than a tad heavy-handed, not to mention disproportionate, compared to scope of subsequent tragedies, like September 11^th.

By and large, the concert footage’s saturated neon colors are reasonably cinematic, while cinematographer Declan Quinn and his mike-cam capture all Young’s stubble and spittle (for real).  Though it is unlikely to win over a host of converts, Young fans have probably been psyched for it, ever since it played Toronto and Park City.  In point of fact, several online sources currently misstate Journeys’ festival credentials, confusing Sundance (where previous Demme-Young docs screened) and Slamdance (where this one had a special featured screening earlier in the year).  Regardless, this is one largely for the faithful.  It opens this Friday (6/29) in New York at the AMC Empire and Landmark Sunshine.  The Quintet’s Jazz at Massey Hall by contrast, is recommended for wide audiences and is available from all quality online retailers.