The September Issue (2009)

A documentary chronicling Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's preparations for the 2007 fall-fashion issue.

Director:

R.J. Cutler

Stars:

Hamish Bowles, Sarah Brown, Charles Churchward

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hamish Bowles	...	Himself
Sarah Brown	...	Herself
Charles Churchward	...	Himself (as Charlie Churchward)
Oscar de la Renta	...	Himself
Patrick DeMarchelier	...	Himself
Jill Demling	...	Herself
Edward Enninful	...	Himself
Brian Fee	...	Himself
Filipa Fino	...	Herself
Tom Florio	...	Himself
Jean-Paul Gaultier	...	Himself
Nicolas Ghesquiere	...	Himself
Tonne Goodman	...	Himself
Laurie Jones	...	Herself
Karen Katz	...	Herself

Storyline

The September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine weighed nearly five pounds, and was the single largest issue of a magazine ever published. With unprecedented access, this film tells the story of legendary Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and her larger-than-life team of editors creating the issue and ruling the world of fashion.

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Plot Keywords:

fashion | month in title

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Taglines:

Fashion is a religion. This is the bible.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 2009 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Untitled Anna Wintour Documentary

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$220,416 (USA) (28 August 2009)

Gross:

$3,820,700 (USA) (12 February 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

A&E IndieFilms, Actual Reality Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Tom Florio: Nobody was wearing fur until Anna put it back on the cover of Vogue, back in the early 90s. And she ignited the entire industry. If we get behind something, it sells.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 12 September 2009 (2009)

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Soundtracks

"At Sea"
Written by Verity Susman, Emma Gaze, Mia Clarke, Rosamund Murray
Performed by Electrelane
Courtesy of Too Pure Ltd.

User Reviews

A missed opportunity

The world of fashion is glamorous, absurd, and nowhere more so than at Vogue magazine, where legendary editor Anna Wintour rules with a famously frosty demeanour. 'The September Issue' follows the creation of Vogue's largest ever issue - which sounds as if it should be interesting, but which actually feels like a lost opportunity. There's no analysis of the finances or logic of fashion; no discussion of Vogue's rivals; or any attempt to debunk the myth of Wintour as ice-queen. Maybe this is because the myth is reality; but there's also a strong sense that director R. J. Cutler hasn't tried very hard, that he had his story before he started and was quite happy to shoot it deferentially. Wintour herself provides few real clues in some unrevealing interviews, and while she is plainly tough, she glides through an affluent world apparently insulated from anyone in whose interests it might be to answer her back, so it's a limited sort of toughness. Certainly Cutler doesn't challenge her; and his film, though watchable, ultimately has very little to say.