THE BOOKMAN SEES TWO ABSORBING MOVIES

I am not a keen movie buff. They take up too much reading time for me but occasionally Annie manages to drag me along to The Academy, the Rialto, or one of the small appealing cinemas at Matakana. So it was something of a surprise when I ended up going to the cinema on Sunday evening and then again last night, Monday. Movies on two nights in a row, unheard of in our house.

Annie works in the fashion industry so was very keen to see THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE - Anna Wintour and the Making of Vogue.

Wintour is the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue where she has ruled for 20 years. She is regarded as one of the most powerful and polarising figures in the cut-throat and often catty world of global fashion.

The story is about the putting together of the September 2007 issue of Vogue (US) which remains the biggest selling issue ever, 13 million copies. Now that is an impressive number.

I found it absolutely rivetting and entertaining from the opening scene when ideas for the publication were being discussed rght through to the end of the movie as the magazine hit the streets.

This is a movie that every magazine, newspaper and book publisher should see, and of curse all of those interested in fashion. The deadline stresses were huge. Documentary film-making at its very best.

AN EDUCATION

This movie, about a teenage girl coming of age in suburban London in the 60's, and how her life is changed by the arrival of an urbane and witty man almost twice her age, is based on a memoir by Lynn Barber with screenplay by Nick Hornby. I figured with this writing pedigree it would have to be good, and it was, bloody marvellous actually.

I thought the performance by Carey Mulligan (I'd never heard of her before) as the 16 year old schoolgirl on the verge of womanhood was extraordinary but the entire cast was impressive and I went home thinking perhaps I should be less resistant to movies! Two winners on consecutive nights..............

Footnote:

We saw An Education as guests of WIFT (Women in Film & Television) so to them our grateful thanks.