Saturday, September 19, 2009

'The September Issue' Review


Anna Wintour, in her signature sunglasses, in a scene from The September Issue. Next to her is Grace Coddington. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-september-issue/36395/main?icid=movsmartsearch

>>For those viewers who liked The Devil Wears Prada, this documentary is for you. Prada's tyrannical main character was wonderfully played by Meryl Streep and based on Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine. In this documentary we see the real Wintour at work. She's not as wicked as her movie counterpart but still evokes fear in getting things done her way OR ELSE!.
>>Watching Wintour oversee a large staff of prima donna-like models, editors, and photographers who think they know better than her is no easy chore so maybe that explains the way she is or has been portrayed in the press and in fiction (Prada was first a thinly disguised novel) and on film. She needs her steely reserve in putting together a monthly magazine as it's shown here to be hard work as deadlines must be met amid nerve wracking last minute changes. We get a good picture of the process and must credit Wintour for keeping Vogue a success for many years.
>>Regardless of her reputation, Wintour has strong support from her staff including Grace Coddington, a former model who's not afraid to challenge her boss if she thinks her ideas are better. She's given more screen time than Wintour and is not afraid to speak her mind about anyone who she thinks is not doing their best work. One wonders what her boss thought of the finished film, hearing Coddington and others' comments but seeing how Wintour seems invincible, she's probably smiling serenely behind her dark glasses... with her head held high above the fray... thinking 'It's good to be King' or Queen in her case. Long live the Queen!... of fashion.
>>Mom saw the Prada movie with a friend so this one was a good choice for her. She liked it too.

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