Nme special issues ultimate music guides history of rock. I found it to be a wonderful portrayal of a tragic story. As a yank, the story of ian curtis and joy division was not one i was familiar with. Control tells story of joy division s doomed ian curtis. Ian curtiss story has become rock legend but his three bandmates. Anton corbijn and based on deborah curtiss touching from a distance, control is the story of the late joy division singer ian curtiss life. This soundtrack captures the mood and tone of the era that surrounded joy division and the tracks by the actors are impressive. Curtis was known for his bassbaritone voice, dance style, and songwriting typically filled with imagery of desolation, emptiness, and alienation. Jon savages documentary joy division is a mustsee music. The film expands on deborahs touching from a distance book, which was a personal account of her life with ian curtis, to give a fuller account. Anton corbijns control is about the troubled life and times of postpunk legend ian curtis, the lead singer of joy division, who killed himself in 1980 at the age of 23, depressed by his epilepsy. A profile of ian curtis, the enigmatic singer of joy division whose personal, professional.
Control tells a sad story that is also a chronicle of success, and it declines to find an easy moral either in joy division s rapid rise or in its lead singers early death. Natalie curtis, daughter of joy division singer, ian curtis, went on set, camera in hand, to find out. Anton corbijn directed it, who was a good choice because he. Ian curtis, we are shown in a new film, was one of those introverted teenagers. Based on the book of the same name, the first of control s many successes is to make prior knowledge of the subject matter unnecessary. In 1970s england, troubled musician ian curtis sam riley rises to fame as lead singer of the band joy division. A profile of ian curtis, the enigmatic singer of joy division whose personal, professional, and. Aug 10, 2016 documentario diretto da grant gee del 2007. The last true story in pop by grant gee and control. Performed by joy division courtesy of london records 90 ltd, a division of warner music uk ltd. If on one side joy division are a legend for the added value of their music, on the other side corbijn knew too, that a work of art, in order to define it in this way. Dead souls control the life of ian curtis 2007 youtube. In this time we see curtis grow from david bowieinfatuated teen to sex pistolsinspired punk, and eventually to rising new wave star. Oct 07, 2007 ian curtis, the frontman of the beloved postpunk british band joy division, has been dead 27 years, longer than he was alive, but his moment in the film spotlight has only now arrived.
Jul 20, 2017 comparisons between the movie control 2007 and scenes from the shows of joy division. Married young, with a daughter, he is distracted from his family commitments by a new love and the growing expectations of his band, joy division. Anton corbijn, about the life of ian curtis, leader of joy division. Ian kevin curtis 15 july 1956 18 may 1980 was an english singersongwriter and musician. As a huge fan of joy division, i was really hoping i would enjoy this film. And since his early death is so wellknown, the movie consists of a progression, not a progress. Jan 14, 2015 control is the biography of joy division lead singer ian curtis, taking his story from schoolboy days of 1973 to his suicide on the eve of the bands first american tour in 1980. Ian curtis has aspirations beyond the trappings of smalltown life in 1970s england. A husband and father, curtis begins to feel the strain of his bands growing fortune, his crumbling marriage to wife deborah samantha morton. This movie begged to be filmed in black and white, and thankfully anton corbijn had the good sense to do it. Although the pair gave the anton corbijn movie control a huge thumbs up, morris said that many of the facts were.
Riley portrays ian curtis of joy division, who committed suicide in 1980. I had occasionally wondered what had happened to joy division, and this film told me the story. Anton corbijns glorious biography of joy division singer ian curtis is the film of the year. If you have interest in music or want to see a well made bio pic, watch control. Lyrically he was inspired by, among others, w s burroughs, j g ballard and david bowie. Control is a film about ian curtis, the lead singer of the band joy division, people expecting an indepth film about the band will be a little disappointed because this is the story of their lead singer, a troubled young man who just couldnt face it anymore.
Oct 05, 2007 director anton corbijn was one of the few people to know joy division s ian curtis. Former joy division members peter hook and stephen morris have claimed the forthcoming ian curtis biopic is inaccurate. Finally, the control script is here for all you fans of the ian curtis joy division movie. Starring samantha morton minority report and alexandra maria lara downfall and featuring an incredible performance from newcomer sam riley 24 hour party people as ian curtis, control documents the relationship with both his wife and his girlfriend, his battle with epilepsy and the road to success with this band, joy division. It is a story of youth culture, a love story and a tragic tale of a life lost too soon. Joy division is a 2007 british documentary film on the british postpunk band joy division, directed by grant gee the film assembles tv clips, newsreel, pictures of modern manchester and manchester in the late 1970s, and interviews. As control comes to mubi this week, joy division fans around the world have been marking the 35th anniversary of ian curtis s death. Surrendering to the weight on his shoulders, ian s tortured soul consumes him. The extraordinary achievement of control is that it works simultaneously as a musical biopic and the story of a life. Joy division were an english rock band formed in salford in 1976. He meets a girl named debbie whom he promptly marries and his band, of which the name in the meantime has been changed to joy division, gets more and more successful. Curtis died, is how to tell this story of great promise and early death.
Oct 25, 2007 the extraordinary achievement of control is that it works simultaneously as a musical biopic and the story of a life. Control tells the story of ian curtis sam riley, the troubled lead singer and lyricist of the late70s band joy division. Official trailer for the movie control by anton corbijn. Ian curtis was born in old trafford, manchester, at the memorial hospital. The time was the late 1970s, and the postpunk explosion was just gaining momentum. Control tells the story of ian curtis rise to fame from humble beginnings in macclesfield through to his tragically young demise. Nov 12, 2007 jon savages documentary joy division is a mustsee. The life story of one of british rocks most tragic figures ian curtis of seminal manchester band joy division is stunningly rendered in majestic monochrome, in the debut film from famous photographer anton corbijn. Many of joy division s songs were written in the house in barton street, and ian had a stock of notebooks into which he jotted ideas as they came to him. Directed by acclaimed photographer anton corbijn and based on deborah curtis s touching from a distance, control is the story of the late joy division singer ian curtis s life, from the bands rise to fame to his tragic suicide.
After the success of control, joy division has a new lease of interest behind it. Control tells a sad story that is also a chronicle of success, and it. Comparisons between the movie control 2007 and scenes from the shows of joy division. Ian curtis, as played by the very talented sam riley, was too smart for the situation he was born into, but he managed to turn his talent into writing thoughtprovoking and outre lyrics for the songs joy division put together. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the postpunk band joy division and recorded two albums with the group. The awardwinning drama marks the feature film directorial debut of acclaimed photographer and visual artist anton corbijn and stars sam riley ian curtis, academy award nominee samantha morton deborah curtist and alexandra maria lara annik honore. I believe ian chose his deadline, deborah curtis writes of her husbands suicide on may 18, 1980 in touching from a distance. Its possibly the only straightup biopic about ian s life that isnt a documentary. Control 2007 anton corbijn synopsis, characteristics. Ian curtis is a quiet and rather sad lad who works for an employment agency and sings in a band called warsaw. We search near and far for original movie trailer from all decades.
Control tells story of joy divisions doomed ian curtis. There are a number of films attempting to relate the tortured story of ian curtis and joy division but i really like how this one lets the music do much of the storytelling. Curtis, along with mates peter hook joe anderson, bernard sumner james anthony pearson, and stephen morris harry treadway formed joy division initially called warsaw in late 1977. While joy division s first recordings were heavily influenced by early punk, they soon developed a sound and style that made them. May 02, 2008 grant gees inventive and honest documentary about joy division is not just a fine example of nonfiction filmmaking, but of filmmaking, full stop. Musicians have long proven to be a well of inspiration for film makers, and so it proves again with director anton corbjn s telling of the story of ian curtis and joy division, control. Control tells the story of ian curtis, the enigmatic lead singer of influential british band joy division. It is the first feature film directed by anton corbijn, who had worked with joy division as a photographer. Control is a 2007 biopic about ian curtis and joy division, directed by anton corbijn who had worked with the band as a photographer as his directorial debut.
Directed by acclaimed music photographer anton corbijn and based on deborah curtis touching from a distance, control tells the story of the late joy division singer ian curtis, from his bands rise to fame to his tragic suicide. Jan 17, 2018 thats what identifies ian curtis, joy division, and their music. Wanting to emulate his musical heroes, such as david bowie and iggy pop, he. Because i was interested in the story of ian curtis. To achieve this, writer matt greenhalgh interviewed all the relevant people including an.
It is an unforgettable, brilliant memoir to ian curtis. Theres no ragstoriches clichemongering, because for ian, even the riches were sackcloth. Control is the biography of joy division lead singer ian curtis, taking his story from schoolboy days of 1973 to his suicide on the eve of the bands first american tour in 1980. It bids farewell to the 1970s as fiercely as withnail did the 60s. Anton corbijns stunning and profoundly moving biopic of joy division front man ian curtis sam riley, a tortured soul who committed suicide on the eve of the bands first us tour. He grew up listening to the who and the rolling stones, and other heroes of his teenage years included david bowie, jim morrison, janis joplin, iggy pop, lou reed, and james dean. This is a must see film for any admirer of the seminal band joy division. A sequence taken from the movie control the life of ian curtis 2007 by. Ian curtis and joy division, written by ian curtis widow deborah curtis, inspired the movie control, explores manchester, england postpunk singer ian curtis quickly earned fame as lead singer and lyricist for the band joy division, and his immaturity andor mental illness that may have led to his death at 23. And since his early death is so wellknown, the movie. Control was a biopic about the lead singer of the band joy division, ian curtis, that came out back in 2007. Shes lost control ian curtis peter hook stephen morris bernard sumner. But in anton corbijns new film, control, curtis, joy division and their.
Standard musical fixtures of early gothic rock bands included highpitched post joy division basslines usurping the melodic role and vocals that were either near operatic and teutonic or deep, droning alloys of jim morrison and ian curtis. Sep 06, 2007 official trailer for the movie control by anton corbijn. Apart from my personal memories and admiration for the band, this is a dark, draining film to watch. Control is a film about ian curtis, the lead singer of the band joy division, people expecting an. Joy division was a band i grew up on, ian curtis s death was a tragedy to my age group as jim morrisons death was to the age group before me. Sam riley in control 2007 anton corbijn in control 2007 sam riley in control 2007 control 2007. It felt like someone had ripped out my heart music. Joy division, formerly known as warsaw, was a brilliant rock group that served its time and something that has lived through decades with the help of their songs, love for fans, and legendary performances unfortunately for his bandmates and singer ian curtis, this pictureperfect scenery was cut short. But thats not the essential component of control, the movie that anton corbijn dedicated to them in 2007. The film expands on deborahs touching from a distance book, which was a personal account of her life with ian curtis, to give a fuller account of the man and his life. Watch control starring sam riley in this biography on directv. This puppy is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of the movie.
In his debut film, control, about the last seven years of mr. Ian curtis has aspirations beyond the trappings of small town life in. Members of joy division talk about ian curtiss dancing lost in music duration. Members of joy division talk about ian curtis s dancing lost in music. John cooper clarke, david bowie, joy division, new order. Control is the biography of joy division lead singer ian curtis, taking his story from schoolboy days of. Many of joy division s songs were written in the house in barton street, and ian had a stock of notebooks into which he jotted ideas as. As well as being joy division s vocalist, ian curtis also wrote the song lyrics. The group consisted of vocalist ian curtis, guitaristkeyboardist bernard sumner, bassist peter hook and drummer stephen morris sumner and hook formed the band after attending a sex pistols concert. Ian curtis, lead singersongwriter for joy division, tragically ends his young life just as one of the most influential postpunk uk bands from the late 70s begins their climb to fame. Control is a 2007 british biographical film about the life of ian curtis, singer of the late1970s english postpunk band joy division. His account of his life features an extraordinary performance from sam riley, writes sukhdev sandhu.
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