Remaining Joy Division Members Give Biopic the 'Thumbs Up'
Remaining Joy Division members, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris, have given director Anton Corbijn's biopic of the band's late frontman Ian Curtis, Control, a big "thumbs up."
Speaking to XFM, Morris said that while he enjoyed the film, in his eyes "none of it's true."
It's good, very good. Its a bit hard to watch when you're involved in it as much as Peter and I have been though, but Anton's done a really good job, its not as funny as '24 Hour Party People' though. None of it's true really. Its sort of true but you have to take liberties when you're making a film because the truth is too boring."
Hook went on to agree with Morris in the interveiw, but conveyed feelings of discomfort regarding the audience's enthused reaction at the film's Cannes Festival premeire.
I really enjoyed it, but it was as I said like having your heart stamped on. The weirdest thing was at the end, when it really hurt and everybody started clapping. It would've been nice to have a dignified silence. You're sat there thinking Fuck me I lived that!' It was like being dissected.
The other surving member of Joy Division, Bernard Sumner, has yet to publically declare his feelings on the film. However, the ever-candid Hook revealed that Sumner took a short break during the film's screening.
Then I went to take a piss and Ian and Bernard Sumner were next to me... well the actors that played them and I was like that... 'Aaaaah!'. That was surreal.
The way I always like to look at it is that you can judge how good a film is by how many people go to take a piss during it, and only two people who went for a piss (during the film was) Bernard and a 70-year-old woman."
The film opens in U.K theatres on October 5th. Stateside audiences may have to wait a bit longer as no official date has yet been set by its U.S. distributor, The Weinstein Company.
Recommended Viewing:
Footage from Control, plus audience members' reactions.
First Peek at Ian Curtis Biopic
The first official peek at photographer/director Anton Corbijn's biopic of late Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, Control, has hit the net. The film, shot entirely in black and white, took home the prize for Best European Film at the Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered last week.
Corbijn put much of his own money into the measly six million dollar budget to ensure the completion of the daring film. But despite the picture being in the unpopular black and white format with miniscule funding and an unknown lead actor (Sam Riley), judges at Cannes were dishing nothing but glowing praise.
['Control' is] a very impressive and assured debut from a renowned photographer, but he never allows the look of the film, beautiful though it is, to detract from the powerful story and character development. The performances are all excellent, not just the leading characters. We feel that this is a film that will strike a real chord with audiences ...and not just with music lovers."
The film will feature a score by New Order (R.I.P.) as well as music by David Bowie, the Sex Pistols, the Velvet Underground and Iggy Pop.
Check out the trailer below.We like that it has the same look and feel of Corbijn's famous photographs of the group.
New Order to Re-Record Joy Division Tracks for Biopic
Dance/post-punk pioneers New Order have reportedly re-recorded several Joy Division tracks for Director Anton Corbijn's upcoming biopic on late JD frontman Ian Curtis. As previously reported, members of the band were butting heads with Corbijn regarding the direction of the film, entitled Control, but all appears well with the delivery of this news. In addition to New Order's JD reworkings and incidental score, the film's soundtrack will also feature current artists' versions of classic Joy Division tracks (including The Killers' take on "Shadowplay").
Apparently shot in Black and White, Control stars newcomer Sam Riley as Curtis (weirdly, Riley played Mark E. Smith of The Fall in 24 Hour Party People) and Samantha Morton as Deborah Curtis whose book the film is based on. The film will be released to theatres this fall.
Recommended Viewing:
A Dutch TV interview with Anton Corbijn concerning Control, incuding "behind the scenes" footage
A 2005 Live Version of Joy Division's "Transmission" by New Order
Joy Division Film Gets the Go-Ahead
The long-in-development biopic about the bands late frontman Ian Curtis has found a U.K. distributor.. The movie, called "Control," started filming yesterday in England with newcomer Sam Riley in the title role. Indie veteran Samantha Morton plays Curtis wife, Deborah.
Expanding on Deborah Curtis' memoirs, "Touching From a Distance," Matt Greenhalgh's script examines the musician's struggle between his love for his wife and for his girlfriend, his bouts with epilepsy and his performances with the band.
Photographer/video guru Anton Corbijn, who has worked with U2, D-Mode, and Nirvana, is making his feature directorial debut on the movie. And other bands are getting into the act, with soundtrack contributions reportedly coming from David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Roxy Music, The Buzzcocks and, yes, New Order.
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