The Movie:  The Last September is a period film set in the southern Ireland of 1920 when the Irish working class rose up to reclaim their land from a gentry quintessentially English in style. Starring Keeley Hawes as a young 19-year-old of the period, The Last September examines the difference between two groups who have so much in common, separated by blood alone. There's no doubt it's a period piece, which might turn some people off, but the movie itself is just downright beautiful. The setting of Ireland is gorgeous, and the acting, by Keeley especially, really makes this a great film to watch. It's not just about the differences between these two cultures, but also about love, discovery, and freedom.

The Picture:  While not anamporphic, the picture is extremely beautiful. I saw no problems with artifacs, and only slight pixelization during solid black screens. The colors are surprisingly vivid and play an important role in this colorful film that makes use of wide panoramas showing off the beautiful Irish countryside.

The Sound:  The sound of this film mainly dialogue based with a few hints of ambient sounds, but without any major special effects, the sound cannot really be tested to it's fullest extent. The dialogue is clear though, and easy to understand - no complaints here.

Special Features: Trailer, Interviews with cast and director, Dramatic reading by cast member.

The Extras:  The extras on this disc are quite minimal, but it's better than nothing. The disc features interviews with the director, Deborah Warner, mainly talking about the directing process and her transistion from directing plays to movies. She also discusses different aspects of the filming process, including working with the actors and such. There is also an interview with actor, Fiona Shaw, in which she discusses working in Ireland, and making a film set in the county that she is from. She also talks about the book, and it's background. There is also a dramatic reading with Fiona Shaw, in which she reads from the book, for a group of people, which stay off camera. It's an interesting addition, and an interesting extra to watch.

The Insert:  Unfortunately there is no insert included with this disc. Alternatively, the chapter listing is printed on the back cover of the DVD.

Conclusion:  In conclusion, this disc is mainly to be purchased for the movie, and maybe for the extras. The movie is just beautiful and able to capture the essence of the book that it is based on. The acting is superb throughout the movie, especially from Keeley Hawes, and reason in and of itself to purchase the DVD. The extras seem to be added on as an afterthought, with some footage that was archived somewhere, as these two people talk about the movie itself, along with the dramatic reading. If you enjoyed the film, you will not be disappointed with the DVD, but I wouldn't suggest buying this DVD without having seen the movie first.

Genres: Drama
Rated: R | 103 minutes
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Catalog #: VM7440D | ISBN: 1-57362-972-3