I was hesitant to go see The September Issue when I saw that the documentary wasn't narrated by Morgan Freeman. How interesting could a movie starring a group of editors, of all things, possibly be without his silky tones adding enticing commentary? Penguins were barely interesting with Freeman's help, and I don't even deal with their ilk on a daily basis.However, since I want to make a life out of journalistic pursuits, I decided it was an important part of my career-related research to see the film and thus get an idea of the blood-sucking, salad-sans-salad-dressing-eating people I might be working for one day.

After viewing The September Issue, which details the development of Vogue magazine's anticipated September 2007 installment under the iron hand of editor in chief Anna Wintour, I came to two conclusions: (a) My working under Wintour would result in the untimely demise of one or both of us at the hands of the other, and (b) The September Issue is as well put-together as one of the fashion models featured in the film.

The film begins with icy-eyed Wintour provoking tremors from hapless editors and being praised as the "most powerful woman in America," and I came under the impression that I was about to view an hour-and-a-half-long film based on a society's idolization of a fashion editor. However, once the documentary gets past this initial bout of Wintour worship, it offers a surprisingly perceptive and occasionally personal look into the world of fashion and Vogue magazine.

The September Issue's exploration of a hidden subculture is in part what makes the documentary so fascinating. When the film looks at the prominent figures of the fashion industry-people you and I may not have heard of but who are champions among their peers-and at the intensity with which those in the industry approach fashion, it is an astounding reminder of the communities that exist outside our own and of the idea that many of us will never see or be aware of such subcultures. And this latter idea is especially dumbfounding after viewing The September Issue, as the film depicts an industry that operates at such a high frequency that one is amazed the passion of fashion devotees doesn't leak into every news medium.

For it seems as though the employees of Vogue magazine are everywhere, always pursuing the perfect couture gown or the ideal setting for the next photo shoot. Over the course of the film, editors, photographers and an assortment of the magazine's other staff members visit locales such as Paris and Rome in the name of their craft, and they spend an equal amount of time tearing apart the projects of their coworkers and fellow industry members in a delightfully fickle manner. One Vogue magazine persona, editor at large André Leon Talley, disparages a Calvin Klein line for being too "clinical," but praises the work of designer Isabel Toledo later on for featuring the aforementioned quality.

However, the effects of criticism are also surprisingly serious on occasion. For instance, when Wintour cuts several photos from the September issue that were favorites of the magazine's creative director, Grace Coddington, the effect on the latter is startling; Coddington is initially indignant but then becomes visibly distraught over the loss of her work. Indeed, many of Coddington's coworkers display a similar emotional toll when they find their efforts tossed aside. Some of those that appear on camera regularly boast darkly circled eyes and constant anxiety over an upcoming review of their projects by Wintour.

Another serious aspect of the film is Wintour's and other fashion fanatics' self-consciousness; those who are heroes are aware that they are only heroes in their own world, and it is evident that they, along with others in the industry, feel like outcasts. A scene in which Wintour's daughter labels the fashion world as excessively strange for her tastes is followed by one in which Wintour disappointedly describes her siblings' low regard for her chosen profession, and it makes for an expectedly poignant juxtaposition.

However, The September Issue isn't devoid of brighter tones: A side story involving an up-and-coming designer named Thakoon provides an interesting and joyful look at the development of talent in the fashion industry, and the inclusion of the documentary's film crew in a photo shoot makes for a fun, comical demonstration of Coddington's resourcefulness.

If The September Issue were an article of clothing, it would be draped across the cover of Vogue magazine and labeled as the must-have fixture of the season, a piece well-suited to all those who take the time to seek it out; in fact, the film will prove enjoyable for even those most fashion-phobic among us. However, if you're looking for an extended episode of America's Next Top Model, look elsewhere; the only aspect of fashion The September Issue does not touch up on are the models that grace Vogue's pages, except to show how they eat fruit pies while on photo shoots.