Vanya on 42nd Street [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: Louis Malle Louis Malle

Overview

While the Beatles still largely stuck to love songs on Rubber Soul, the lyrics represented a quantum leap in terms of thoughtfulness, maturity, and complex ambiguities. Musically, too, it was a substantial leap forward, with intricate folk-rock arrangements that reflected the increasing influence of Dylan and the Byrds. The group and George Martin were also beginning to expand the conventional instrumental parameters of the {|rock|} group, using a sitar on {|"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),"|} Greek-like guitar lines on {|"Michelle"|} and {|"Girl,"|} fuzz bass on {|"Think for Yourself,"|} and a piano made to sound like a harpsichord on the instrumental break of {|"In My Life."|} While {|John|} and {|Paul|} were beginning to carve separate songwriting identities at this point, the album is full of great tunes, from {|"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"|} and {|"Michelle"|} to {|"Girl,"|} {|"I'm Looking Through You,"|} {|"You Won't See Me,"|} {|"Drive My Car,"|} and {|"Nowhere Man"|} (the last of which was the first {|Beatle|} song to move beyond romantic themes entirely). {|George Harrison|} was also developing into a fine songwriter with his two contributions, {|"Think for Yourself"|} and the {|Byrds-ish|} {|"If I Needed Someone."|} ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	02/28/2012
UPC:	0715515090919
Original Release:	1994
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	A
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:59:00
Sales rank:	16,119

Special Features

Documentary featuring interviews with André Gregory, that play's director; actors Lynn Cohen, George Gaynes, Julianne Moore, Larry Pine, Wallace Shawn, and Brooke Smith and producer Fred Berner; Trailer; Plus: a booklet featuring an eassay by critic Steven Vineberg and a 1994 on-set report by film critic Amy Taubin

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Wallace Shawn	Vanya
Julianne Moore	Yelena
Brooke Smith	Sonya
Larry Pine	Dr. Astrov
George Gaynes	Serybryakov
Lynn Cohen	Maman
Phoebe Brand	Marina
Jerry Mayer	Waffles
Madhur Jaffrey	Mrs. Chao
Andre Gregory	Himself
Joshua Redman	Composer

Technical Credits

Louis Malle	Director
Fred Berner	Producer

Editorial Reviews

While the Beatles still largely stuck to love songs on Rubber Soul, the lyrics represented a quantum leap in terms of thoughtfulness, maturity, and complex ambiguities. Musically, too, it was a substantial leap forward, with intricate folk-rock arrangements that reflected the increasing influence of {|Dylan|} and {|the Byrds|}. The group and {|George Martin|} were also beginning to expand the conventional instrumental parameters of the {|rock|} group, using a sitar on {|"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),"|} Greek-like guitar lines on {|"Michelle"|} and {|"Girl,"|} fuzz bass on {|"Think for Yourself,"|} and a piano made to sound like a harpsichord on the instrumental break of {|"In My Life."|} While {|John|} and {|Paul|} were beginning to carve separate songwriting identities at this point, the album is full of great tunes, from {|"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"|} and {|"Michelle"|} to {|"Girl,"|} {|"I'm Looking Through You,"|} {|"You Won't See Me,"|} {|"Drive My Car,"|} and {|"Nowhere Man"|} (the last of which was the first {|Beatle|} song to move beyond romantic themes entirely). {|George Harrison|} was also developing into a fine songwriter with his two contributions, {|"Think for Yourself"|} and the {|Byrds-ish|} {|"If I Needed Someone."|} ~ Richie Unterberger

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