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'Control' Has the Power to Touch
Directed by Anton Corbijn (2007)
Howard Schumann (howard16)     Email Article  Print Article 
Published 2007-10-02 14:20 (KST)   
©2007 The Weinstein Company
On May 23, 1980, just days away from embarking on a long dreamed about tour of the United States, Ian Curtis, the lead singer of the band Joy Division, hanged himself from a rope in the kitchen of his apartment. His suicide not only ended his promising young life but also the dreams of a generation. Twenty-seven years after his death, the eulogizing continues. Last year saw a documentary by Christian Davies: "Joy Division: Under Review" and this year has brought two more films: "Joy Division: The Last True Story in Pop" by Grant Gee and "Control," the winner of the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Based on the 1996 memoir "Touching From a Distance" by Ian's widow Deborah Curtis, the film follows Curtis' life from his teenage years to his tragic death at age 23.

Unlike conventional biopics such as "Ray" and "Walk the Line" with their star glamorizing propensities, "Control" delivers a three-dimensional portrait of a real human being and how his troubles affected the people closest to him. The film is directed by photographer and video director Anton Corbijn, a celebrated photographer who took some of the most recognized photos of Joy Division. Because he knew and worked with the band, the emotional connection to its subject is palpable. The film is shot in black and white and the choice underscores the grayness of Curtis' home town of Macclesfield, England and the grim mood of much of the work.

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The major reason for the film's success, however, rests with lead actor Sam Riley, who eerily recreates Curtis in appearance and voice. He performs all of the band's iconic songs such as "Atmosphere," "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and "Twenty-Four Hours" himself, using Curtis' robotic hand motions on stage to great effect. Another outstanding performance is that of Samantha Morton who plays Deborah Curtis, Ian's loving and patient wife, who is overwhelmed by her husband's success and her new responsibilities as a mother of their daughter. Married at a very young age, both husband and wife lack the strength to make a go of it, especially with the pressure of Curtis' epileptic seizures growing worse and his on again off again affair with Belgian journalist Annik (Alexandra Maria Lara).

Though the subject matter is melancholy, Matt Greenhalgh's script provides a light touch filled with trenchant one-liners from the group's manager Rob Gretton (Tony Kebbell) and witty remarks from band members Peter Hook (Joe Anderson), Bernard Sumner (James Anthony Pearson) and Stephen Morris (Harry Treadaway). Although Curtis has become one of rock's most mythologized figures, Riley plays him simply as a very innocent, down to earth young man whose talent was much greater than his ability to handle it. "Control" is an extremely moving experience whether or not you have foreknowledge of the events of Curtis' life. It is a film that has the power to touch and leave memories that are indelible.

A
©2007 OhmyNews
Other articles by reporter Howard Schumann

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