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joy division disorder (YTR) b/w control film?

edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
edited November 2007 in Strut Central
Bambouche throwing up joy division lyrics in the beef thread reminded me of this. and i'm not sure why this exists, but figure some would appreciate. it's well executed at least

i want to see Control. has anyone seen it?

  Comments

  • pjl2000xlpjl2000xl 1,795 Posts
    Bambouche throwing up joy division lyrics in the beef thread reminded me of this. and i'm not sure why this exists, but figure some would appreciate. it's well executed at least



    i want to see Control. has anyone seen it?

    good looking. I havent seen control but i heard its a real good bio on ian curtis. 24 hour party people only briefly focuses on Ian so its good to see that they made a proper bio for dude. I own the book that it was based on, Touching From a Distance, but never got around to reading it yet.
  • onetetonetet 1,754 Posts
    I saw Control a few days back. Honestly, I was disappointed. The film looks cool, and the actors do an amazing job looking and sounding like Joy Division. That said, the film has very little depth and as far as storytelling goes suffers from the same faults as 98% of all biopics -- episodic structure, by-the-numbers chronology, charicature instead of character development, etc.

    I felt very little of the anguish and confusion that Ian Curtis presumably felt, and the other band members barely register as characters, let alone as major contributors to this seminal music.

    Interesting, the film largely portrays Curtis as a guy who lived a rather mundane life yet created some exceptional music along the way. I found that perspective interesting, but then the film tries to have its cake and eat it too -- he's just an average dude, but then he's also tragic and glamorous and mysterious... that aspect just didn't add up.

    Still worth seeing, but for a current film with a tangentially related subject matter, I much preferred This Is England. That one really captured the look and feel of an early 80s Mike Leigh or Stephen Frears film.
  • diane_dianediane_diane 104 Posts
    i'm gonna go watch this over the weekend.

    maybe i'll love it now that my expectations are low.
  • edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
    i'm gonna go watch this over the weekend.

    maybe i'll love it now that my expectations are low.

    i don't know how to ask this, but is that a monkey with a mic wearing all over print in your avatar? because that is what i see. am i crazy
  • onetetonetet 1,754 Posts
    i'm gonna go watch this over the weekend.

    maybe i'll love it now that my expectations are low.

    don't get me wrong, it's a decent movie with a few exceptional qualities (cinematography, the "band"'s performances)... people had just overhyped it a bit, and also I'd specifically been told that the story unfolds in a more subtle manner than the usual biopic, which isn't true.
  • TabaskoTabasko 1,357 Posts
    The director is one of my favorite photographers: Anton Corbijn
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    I'm looking forward to seeing this early next week.
    I'm on vacation, and was psyched to see the Joy Division
    film as one of my daytrip options.

    Joy Division are on some serious GOAT status to me.
    From the day I painted my bedroom walls black (my Mom
    was in tears) back in 1986 right up until yesterday,
    Unknown Pleasures has been in heavy rotation for me.

    One great thing about JD/NO is that they were very high-profile
    for such a small band in such a remote scene ... point being, there
    are tons of youtube videos and live recordings for the faithful.

  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    I saw Control a few days back. Honestly, I was disappointed. The film looks cool, and the actors do an amazing job looking and sounding like Joy Division. That said, the film has very little depth and as far as storytelling goes suffers from the same faults as 98% of all biopics -- episodic structure, by-the-numbers chronology, charicature instead of character development, etc.

    I felt very little of the anguish and confusion that Ian Curtis presumably felt, and the other band members barely register as characters, let alone as major contributors to this seminal music.

    Interesting, the film largely portrays Curtis as a guy who lived a rather mundane life yet created some exceptional music along the way. I found that perspective interesting, but then the film tries to have its cake and eat it too -- he's just an average dude, but then he's also tragic and glamorous and mysterious... that aspect just didn't add up.

    Still worth seeing, but for a current film with a tangentially related subject matter, I much preferred This Is England. That one really captured the look and feel of an early 80s Mike Leigh or Stephen Frears film.

    I agree with some of your points but I really liked this movie. Remember, it's not about the band it's about him. And it took a much more distant, fly on the wall, approach. So you weren't really able to get inside his head as much as I would like but overal I liked the approach.
  • onetetonetet 1,754 Posts


    I agree with some of your points but I really liked this movie. Remember, it's not about the band it's about him. And it took a much more distant, fly on the wall, approach. So you weren't really able to get inside his head as much as I would like but overal I liked the approach.

    I hear you... but even though it's his story, not theirs, I would have found his story more compelling if they made the band members more present and nuanced. The film made the point that Curtis was very emotionally distanced from everyone in his life -- wife, girlfriend, parents, child, bandmates -- but that point would have been felt more deeply IMO if more of those characters had been portrayed with more complexity.

    It also made the writing and recording of their music seem effortless, and only the live performances fraught with tension and difficulty. I'm guessing that wasn't the case...
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts


    I agree with some of your points but I really liked this movie. Remember, it's not about the band it's about him. And it took a much more distant, fly on the wall, approach. So you weren't really able to get inside his head as much as I would like but overal I liked the approach.

    I hear you... but even though it's his story, not theirs, I would have found his story more compelling if they made the band members more present and nuanced. The film made the point that Curtis was very emotionally distanced from everyone in his life -- wife, girlfriend, parents, child, bandmates -- but that point would have been felt more deeply IMO if more of those characters had been portrayed with more complexity.

    It also made the writing and recording of their music seem effortless, and only the live performances fraught with tension and difficulty. I'm guessing that wasn't the case...

    Yeah, definitely.

    It's worth saying tho that I pretty much dragged my girlfriend to see this (she's not really deep into music beyond Timberlake/Al Green) but she really liked it, to the point of looking JD stuff up on the internet for hours after we got home. So it seems to have some kind of universal appeal, not just for JD fans.
  • SIRUSSIRUS 2,554 Posts
    now,who up in this piece likes new order?
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    now,who up in this piece likes new order?

    Me. Everything from Movement to Low Life at least, with the
    "Everything's Gone Green" EP being my favorite.
  • BamboucheBambouche 1,484 Posts
    Bambouche throwing up joy division lyrics in the beef thread reminded me of this. and i'm not sure why this exists, but figure some would appreciate. it's well executed at least



    If you like that, check this out:
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ovvcrv3I-PA

    wtf?!




    i want to see Control. has anyone seen it?


    I have no desire to see this movie. Ian's widow endured a lifetime's worth of guilt and loss and grief and hatred, and the complexities that are no doubt abundant in that relationship I'm sure will be lost on this film. Plus, I'm "lucky," if I want to dwell on suicide all I need to do is call a friend.
  • karlophonekarlophone 1,697 Posts

    i want to see Control. has anyone seen it?

    I have no desire to see this movie. Ian's widow endured a lifetime's worth of guilt and loss and grief and hatred, and the complexities that are no doubt abundant in that relationship I'm sure will be lost on this film. Plus, I'm "lucky," if I want to dwell on suicide all I need to do is call a friend.

    actually his widow is a co-producer and wrote the book on which its based (though i guess you knew that), i didnt get an reductive vibe at all, in fact i felt all kinds of subtlety, despite the reserved fly on the wall treatment. I thought it was an excellent film, compelling and beautifully shot.
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    I saw Control a few days back. Honestly, I was disappointed. The film looks cool, and the actors do an amazing job looking and sounding like Joy Division. That said, the film has very little depth and as far as storytelling goes suffers from the same faults as 98% of all biopics -- episodic structure, by-the-numbers chronology, charicature instead of character development, etc.

    I felt very little of the anguish and confusion that Ian Curtis presumably felt, and the other band members barely register as characters, let alone as major contributors to this seminal music.

    Interesting, the film largely portrays Curtis as a guy who lived a rather mundane life yet created some exceptional music along the way. I found that perspective interesting, but then the film tries to have its cake and eat it too -- he's just an average dude, but then he's also tragic and glamorous and mysterious... that aspect just didn't add up.

    Still worth seeing, but for a current film with a tangentially related subject matter, I much preferred This Is England. That one really captured the look and feel of an early 80s Mike Leigh or Stephen Frears film.

    I agree with some of your points but I really liked this movie. Remember, it's not about the band it's about him. And it took a much more distant, fly on the wall, approach. So you weren't really able to get inside his head as much as I would like but overal I liked the approach.

    Ditto. It's flawed but I enjoyed the movie and Sam Riley as Curtis was truly great.
  • DocMcCoyDocMcCoy "Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
    i want to see Control. has anyone seen it?

    Yeah, I saw it early last month. I likeded it.
  • diane_dianediane_diane 104 Posts
    i don't know how to ask this, but is that a monkey with a mic wearing all over print in your avatar?

    not a mic...lollipop.



    thanks for everyone's input...i'm excited to see the film!
  • puchitopuchito 374 Posts
    IThis Is England.

  • onetetonetet 1,754 Posts
    IThis Is England.


    what didn't you like about it?
  • DocMcCoyDocMcCoy "Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
    This Is England.


    I could imagine that something like this mightn't travel well, but I think it's a great film. Same director did this, which I think is the best British film in years.

  • diane_dianediane_diane 104 Posts
    I thought it was an excellent film, compelling and beautifully shot.

    i really enjoyed the flick too! visually it was beautiful...it was so stark and desolate. it really made me feel curtis' isolation.

    i enjoyed the jokes about the buzzcocks and the fall.

    tragic. sigh.
  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts
    I saw Control a few days back. Honestly, I was disappointed. The film looks cool, and the actors do an amazing job looking and sounding like Joy Division. That said, the film has very little depth and as far as storytelling goes suffers from the same faults as 98% of all biopics -- episodic structure, by-the-numbers chronology, charicature instead of character development, etc.

    I felt very little of the anguish and confusion that Ian Curtis presumably felt, and the other band members barely register as characters, let alone as major contributors to this seminal music.

    Interesting, the film largely portrays Curtis as a guy who lived a rather mundane life yet created some exceptional music along the way. I found that perspective interesting, but then the film tries to have its cake and eat it too -- he's just an average dude, but then he's also tragic and glamorous and mysterious... that aspect just didn't add up.

    Still worth seeing, but for a current film with a tangentially related subject matter, I much preferred This Is England. That one really captured the look and feel of an early 80s Mike Leigh or Stephen Frears film.


    ^^^I agree, saw it last night and wondered where the magic went. Def a must see for fans of the music though. What's up with that crazy Bob Dylan movie???
  • onetetonetet 1,754 Posts
    I saw Control a few days back. Honestly, I was disappointed. The film looks cool, and the actors do an amazing job looking and sounding like Joy Division. That said, the film has very little depth and as far as storytelling goes suffers from the same faults as 98% of all biopics -- episodic structure, by-the-numbers chronology, charicature instead of character development, etc.

    I felt very little of the anguish and confusion that Ian Curtis presumably felt, and the other band members barely register as characters, let alone as major contributors to this seminal music.

    Interesting, the film largely portrays Curtis as a guy who lived a rather mundane life yet created some exceptional music along the way. I found that perspective interesting, but then the film tries to have its cake and eat it too -- he's just an average dude, but then he's also tragic and glamorous and mysterious... that aspect just didn't add up.

    Still worth seeing, but for a current film with a tangentially related subject matter, I much preferred This Is England. That one really captured the look and feel of an early 80s Mike Leigh or Stephen Frears film.


    ^^^I agree, saw it last night and wondered where the magic went. Def a must see for fans of the music though. What's up with that crazy Bob Dylan movie???

    I saw it and posted some (rant-related) thoughts here:

    http://www.soulstrut.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=990678&an=0&page=3#Post990678

    In summary:



    Control is definitely a class act by comparison.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    I saw this last week, and thought it was fantastic. Certainly
    Sam Riley's performance was phenomenal no matter what, but I
    also felt watching the film that if you aren't a fan of Joy
    Division, it may seem dull and pointless to you. A great film
    for fans of the band/Manchester scene, but maybe irrelevant to
    anyone else. For this reason, I had problems recommending it to
    anyone except my fellow JD fans, although some film buffs could
    appreciate it for the gorgeous photography alone.
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