Six dollars was the price I paid at the Times Square venue to see The September Issue, which offered an insider's glimpse into Vogue and the making of its largest issue. (In a neat twist, the theater is nearly two blocks from the headquarters of Condé Nast, which publishes the magazine. Even more ironic is the ticket price was only $1.01¢ more than a copy of the issue itself.) I took advantage of the A.M. Cinema program and attended the 11:20 a.m. screening with about a dozen other moviegoers. Observing Anna Wintour and her fellow fashionistas pour their energies into seven months of planning for this issue in 90 minutes' time gave me a greater appreciation for what they do -- even though I can't see myself working there.
I always sensed that Wintour wasn't the evil caricature portrayed in the media; she just plays into that stereotype because it keeps her name out there and adds to her legacy in the fashion world. While she may embrace the label of ice queen, The September Issue showed that she's mortal like everyone else. (If she was truly the boss from hell, she wouldn't have lasted two decades at her job -- I can't imagine any employee putting up with tyrannical behavior for that long.) Unfortunately, she's the bad cop to Grace Coddington's good cop, and this study in contrasts serves as the heart of the documentary. Coddington's story intrigued me because, unlike Wintour, she wielded her influence without appearing heavy-handed. Not only that, but as a former model, Coddington understood that fashion is an art form as well as a business.
Speaking of art, I went to see It Might Get Loud in Brooklyn. The venue sells $6.50¢ tickets for all showings before 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (and all day Tuesdays and Thursdays), so I joined a handful of other moviegoers at the 3:20 p.m. screening. The documentary opens with Jack White building a makeshift guitar with wood, nails, strings, and a bottle, which sets the stage for he and fellow musicians Jimmy Page and the Edge to discuss the power of music and the instrument's iconic status for the next 97 minutes.
They explore the technical elements of crafting a song (U2's "Get On Your Boots" is an example) and share the paths they took to rock stardom. The Edge's story was the most compelling because he (and his bandmates) embodies the idealism of rock 'n' roll saving the world. I respected each man's contributions ... but I would've liked to have heard from other virtuosos, like Carlos Santana (or even a female guitarist, like Bonnie Raitt).
Movies can be a tool for capturing reality or a means of escaping it. It Might Get Loud and The September Issue pulled off both feats, but only one did it with style and grace -- no pun intended.
No comments:
Post a Comment