Joy Division- Film & Documentary

Anton Corbijn's 2007 biopic film Control is, without doubt, at the top end of my list of favourite films. I could watch it repeatedly with its mix of music performance and story based on the life of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. Sam Riley's performance as Curtis garnered wide critical acclaim on its release at the Cannes film festival. The film charts the life of Curtis as he grows up in Manchester, leads the band from 1977-1980, to his suicide on the eve of Joy Division's first U.S. tour in 1980.


This year a documentary entitled Joy Division, based on the Manchester band, has been released. Directed by Grant Gee and featuring archive footage of the band in their prime, Joy Division recalls how the band was formed, their musical progression, the tragedy that ended it all and the legacy that survived. It also contains present-day interviews with the band looking back over the critical moments in the Joy Division story. The revelation by the other members of the band that they did not attend Curtis' funeral came as a shock to me but shows the mixed emotions at the time and how young they all were at their peak. The documentary also explores the almost instant formation of New Order and their rise.

Both of these releases are compulsive viewing. If you are not already a Joy Division fan you will be on watching these. Just try and stop yourself listening to their music afterwards. It's not possible. As the annual month of abstinence continues you could do worse then spend a Saturday night in, exploring the rise and fall of Curtis & co.

Joy Division - 'Dead Souls'