Vanya on 42nd Street (1994)

Director:

Louis Malle

Writers:

Anton Chekhov (play)
David Mamet (play)
(more)

Release Date:

19 October 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

New York actors rehearse Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" in a rundown theater.

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Grandmother Granddaughter Relationship | Gun | Illusion | Sleeping

Awards:

8 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Phoebe Brand	...	Nanny
Lynn Cohen	...	Maman
George Gaynes	...	Serybryakov
Jerry Mayer	...	Waffles
Julianne Moore	...	Yelena
Larry Pine	...	Dr. Astrov
Brooke Smith	...	Sonya
Wallace Shawn	...	Vanya
Andre Gregory	...	Himself
Madhur Jaffrey	...	Mrs. Chao
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Oren Moverman	...	Flip Innunu (uncredited)

Directed by
Louis Malle

Writing credits
Anton Chekhov		(play "Dyadya Vanya")
David Mamet		(play adaptation)
Andre Gregory		(screenplay)

Produced by
Fred Berner	....	producer
Alysse Bezahler	....	associate producer
Beverly Karp	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Joshua Redman

Cinematography by
Declan Quinn

Film Editing by
Nancy Baker

Production Design by
Eugene Lee

Art Direction by
Daniele Perna

Costume Design by
Gary Jones

Makeup Department
Sharon Ilson	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gary Marcus	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Joel Holland	....	sound recordist
Tod A. Maitland	....	sound
David Platt	....	boom operator
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Philip Stockton	....	sound editor
Steven Visscher	....	foley editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer
Richard Dobbs	....	dolly grip
Clay Liversidge	....	second electric
Don Muchow	....	gaffer
Mark van Rossen	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sue Gandy	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Donna Donato	....	assistant editor
Michael Yetter	....	negative cutter

Other crew
Louis Katz	....	production physician
France Lachapelle	....	script supervisor
Gen Max	....	production assistant
Kim Yu	....	publicist: Canada

Thanks
Anne Dillon	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Channel Four Films
• Mayfair Entertainment
• The Vanya Company

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• Civite Films (1994) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Concorde-Castle Rock/Turner (1995) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (1995) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Betta Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2005) (Spain) (DVD)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic material

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:PG | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

New Amsterdam Theater - 214 West 42nd Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Channel Four Films

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Melinda and Melinda (2004)

Remarkable filming of a play

The idea of filming a play gets turned upside down as we see the players before and after the (rehearsal) performance, essentially as themselves. One remarkable scene shows the cast during intermission chatting with each other and audience members while munching on goodies from a caterer. It gives the experience of watching a play in an old, run-down theater, including comments from the director.

The play itself is no less remarkable. Shawn is a gifted actor, one of the few who can bring his entire body into a role. The rehearsal atmosphere takes some getting used to - it's hard to tell when real life ends and the play starts. There are no costumes, little in the way of sets, but it all works because the performances are so compelling. And Chekhov's Uncle Vanya is surprisingly relevant 100 years after it was written.