SEPTEMBER

"September" is Woody Allen's most shamefully underrated film and one of several masterpieces that he has made. Except for the chosen few it seems to be universally hated, (Allen disliked his original cut so much he shot the entire film over again with an entirely different cast), but I think this beautifully written chamber piece (much more Chekov than Bergman this time round) is one of the very finest films of the eighties.
Unusual for Woody, not in its seriousness, (though I seem to find much more humour in the picture than most people), but in that he moved slightly out of his comfort zone to base a movie on an actual event, in this case the Lana Turner/Johnny Stompanato murder trial, though, of course, he creates an entirely fictitious take on the case. His characters, (it's basically a six character piece), may still be embedded in Woody's world of artists and writers and actors etc but I think the writing here is much more fluid than in many of his other pictures. Gorgeously photographed, too, by collaborator Carlo Di Palma in what is basically one set, (had he not already used it "Interiors" would be a great title for the film), and magnificently acted by everyone.