Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

September Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Stephen Larson October 7, 2024

MGM's recent Blu-ray release of Woody Allen's SEPTEMBER (1987) has effectively replaced Twilight Time's BD-50, which is out of print. In English, with optional English SDH. Region free.

It's a rarity when a studio allows one of its directors to re-shoot an entire movie but that's exactly what happened in 1987 when Orion Pictures permitted Woody Allen a fresh "do-over" at Kaufman Astoria Studios to film September again. For this chamber drama, which is like Interiors (1978) but a little more lighthearted, Allen recast four of the principals. Maureen O’Sullivan, Mia Farrow's real-life mother, played the film's mother Diane to Farrow's Lane in the first version. But Allen didn't feel O'Sullivan was strong enough. It isn't common knowledge that Allen had another actress in mind before he offered the part to Elaine Stritch. In his biography of Allen, John Baxter writes that the writer/director sought Gena Rowlands but she declined because "the character’s showbiz extravagance would make it too great a stretch for her." Around the time Stritch accepted his offer, Allen decided to reassign Denholm Elliot to a different part. Elliot portrayed Lloyd, Diane's physicist husband in the first shoot. In the interview book Woody Allen on Woody Allen: In Conversation with Stig Björkman, Allen complimented Charles Durning for doing a "tremendous job" as Lane's neighbor Howard, who is in love with the Farrow character. But Allen felt that he had miscast Durning so he plugged Elliot into the role. The great character actor Jack Warden then stepped in to play Lloyd. Eric Lax wrote an article about re-casting September for the San Francisco Sunday Examiner & Chronicle and noted that Christopher Walken was initially cast as Peter, an advertising copywriter who's in love with Lane's best friend Stephanie (Dianne Wiest). But Allen said that Walken and him weren't "copacetic" about Peter's character during the first few weeks of shooting so Sam Shepard was brought in to replace him. Shepard finished acting the part during the initial shoot, which lasted ten weeks. However, Allen later told Stig Björkman that Shepard appeared more interested in using his acting paychecks to commission his plays. Shepard's lack of enthusiasm for acting, among other reasons, compelled Allen to recast Peter with Sam Waterston, who he worked with on Interiors and an uncredited role in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that the first version of September still exists. When queried by Björkman if he preserved it, Allen replied: "I haven’t, no. It’s gone."

Daughter confronts mother.

How well does the revamped cast fare in the second version of September? Pretty well. The actors can't overcome the "stage setting" that Allen has imposed on them, though. After all, the picture was shot entirely on a studio set. It takes place in a Vermont summer home owned by Lane (Mia Farrow). The characters never move outside of it and look stage bound. Allen said repeatedly in interviews that September was always conceived as a motion picture but Baxter revealed in his book on Allen that this was an old script which was originally intended as a play.

The main story event is a house party and the premise is very Chekhovian. (Commentators have compared the film to various works by the Russian playwright.) Lane is astonished that Peter (Sam Waterston) is considering ghostwriting the memoirs of her mother Diane (Elaine Stritch). Lane thinks her mom has led a frivolous existence and doesn't regard her life as book worthy. The two still have not reconciled over a fateful event that occurred when her mom was involved with a gangster while Lane was a young teenager. It helps Lane stress-wise that her good friend Stephanie (Dianne Wiest) is staying for an extended visit before Labor Day. "Steffie" is taking a break from her marriage to a radiologist husband. Complications occur because Lane is attracted to Peter, who has been renting a guesthouse on the property to write a book about his father. Peter is smitten with Steffie, who probably realizes that a romance with the writer could damage her friendship with Lane. The older Howard (Denholm Elliott), a retired university professor, has amorous affection for Lane. But she views him merely as a neighborly friend.

Much of September is about the characters projecting their neuroses and dissecting problems in their relationships. The acting is uniformly solid but Allen's writing, which is often sophomoric, isn't up to his usual high standard. The movie also isn't high on energy but fortunately, Elaine Stritch lights a fuse whenever she's on screen and gives it the vivaciousness and crude humor that it desperately needs.

September Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

We didn't review Twilight Time's Blu-ray from 2017 or Arrow Academy UK's box set, Woody Allen: Seven Films 1986-1991 (where September is included), which was released the same year. Based on my research, the 1.85:1 transfer for MGM's disc derives from the same master. It sports constant thick grain that's generally well-balanced. Cinematographer Carlo Di Palma's lensing for the all-interiors film sports an amber and light butterscotch look. I believe its appearance here is faithful to how it looked in theaters. Suzanne Moore remarked in her review in New Statesman & Society: "The sepia tones of the lighting match the brown and beige decor of the house." David Denby of New York magazine observed a similar color scheme: "The interiors are a uniform beigey pale yellow, and even the faces look polished with lemon oil." Between acts, the electricity goes out in Lane's home. Scenes shift to candlelight only for awhile. (See Screenshot #s 2, 5, 9, and 16-18.) I noticed a little video noise. MGM has used the MPEG-4 AVC encode. The BD-25 is really only 18.24 GB but MGM has given the video transfer a decent mean bitrate, which averages 26000 kbps. Twilight Time's average is comparable at 29963 kbps while Arrow's is the highest (37095 kbps).

The 83-minute feature has received nine chapter breaks, which are only accessible on the fly. (MGM does not provide any thumbnails or shortcuts on its menu.)

September Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

MGM has supplied a DTS-HD Master Audio Dual Mono mix (1820 kbps, 24-bit). I read a review in the Hollywood Reporter that September was recorded and presented in stereo but virtually all home video editions—from Orion's 1988 LaserDisc to the three Blu-ray editions—have presented the film with a monaural track. There's absolutely no sound to be heard on the surround channels. I found myself turning up the volume substantially on my receiver to hear the dialogue at a fully audible level. To MGM's credit, the studio hasn't done any EQing to the track but it's definitely mixed too low to begin with. There is no perceptible buzzing, humming, or dropouts. Allen incorporates a number of vintage jazz tunes, which are played on a phonograph in the film. Those sound fine. Overall, the mix is rather unremarkable.

MGM's subtitle track covers all spoken words. There's one passage where a bit of dialogue seems rearranged on the subs. The track often translates the names of the jazz songs.

September Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Extras are nil.

September Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I regard September as a companion piece to Interiors but the earlier film is superior in every area. Even though this is third-tier Allen, he gets a great performance from Elaine Stritch. This was a comeback movie for the comedic actress. (She hadn't appeared on the big screen in a dozen years.) Stritch is the primary reason to watch September. MGM's video and audio presentations are most likely replicas of the Twilight Time and Arrow editions. But if you don't own one of those, then this is worth consideration. RECOMMENDED to Allen's fans.