Control
A movie about the tormented singer, Ian Curtis
Control is a movie about the ex-Joy Division singer, Ian Curtis, who unfortunately took his life at the tender age of 23 years old. It was a complex and perceptive film, that is vivid in his sensitive nature and the affect that fame and fortune can have on someone, who was quite timid and not prepared for the responsibilities in life.
The film showed that how acting on impulses can be detrimental. He met his girlfriend, who was at the beginning of the movie his mate’s girlfriend, then he made the move, fell in love and proposed to her at the drop of a hat. For someone so young and shy it was a bold move to make. There are other instances in the movie where he makes some bold moves, that come to hurt him in the future. We get a glimpse of the frivolous nature of the music industry, and how it’s ruled by managers and their contracts that are forced upon bands and musicians.
This is evident early in the movie when Ian Curtis is disgusted by the fact that when his band’s cd is plugged on TV it hardly gets a mention. “The only way we are going to get recognised is for us to get on that show and that’s it!” he responds angrily. The next scene is poignant once again in the fact that we see Curtis being “curt” with the tv presenter presenting a card saying that “Joy Division thinks you are c**t,” which eventually sways his decision to put the band on his show.
Then enters the stereotypical “smooth talking” band manager who constantly takes his share of the money from the band, and dwindles it away. The modulating mood of the film aligns well with the strong themes and screenwriting genius. The movie fantastic in its raw and intense nature and the soundtrack is an eclectic mix of tunes to fit the retro musical era.
There are other views and values that follow the fall of Ian Curtis, and these are wonderfully portrayed by the actor. We see that he rushes into marriage, then his work, then the pitfalls of having epilepsy, and then the final blow of adultery affecting his marriage. To think that Ian Curtis is 23 years old when he eventually commits suicide, as he finally doesn’t feel omnipotent anymore, even though everyone idolises him so much.
The screenwriting and dialogue is fantastic and has an acerbic wit. Some of the most hilarious lines come from the band members themselves. Anniki, the reporter who Curtis eventually has an affair with, asks the band members what they think of the band called the “Buzzcocks”, and one of the members who continual line through the movie has the perfect timing, responds for at least the third time that he thinks it’s offensive because it has the word “cock” in it. This joke carries on throughout the movie, like when before Joy Division are to play on live on TV they are told not to use any swear words, and that “arse” classifies as a swear word. Unreasonable to most of the band members, Curtis negates the fact that it doesn’t really matter as he only cares about getting on the TV. The irony comes when the TV presenter announces the band on live TV as: “Just like The Buzzcocks this is Joy Division…”
I suppose you have to see it to enjoy it, but this actor’s indiscretion throughout the film is one of the highlights. Other members of the band are quite amusing. Like Curtis they are shy and innocent and the lead guitarist is one that is continually shown as a weak character. He gets a cold whilst travelling to a gig in London, grips onto his sleeping bag, and then a fight entails between him and Curtis. It is from this scene that we see Curtis suffer from his first epileptic fit, which worries the band. The lead guitarist by far the closest and most sensitive person towards Curtis, and even when he is quite unwell and has troubles with his marriage, he allows him to stay his house.
It is a tragic story to say the least, yet the powerful images and acting are definitely highlights that music lovers would like to see. A particular scene that sums up the movie, as I think it is a movie about fate, mistakes, and impulsions by Curtis, is when he makes a phone call to his wife confessing that he has had an affair. The narrator then poses to the audience how one misjudgement in life can bring a whole feast of poor events.
We see this throughout with Curtis. His melancholy songs like romantic ballad “Love will Tear us Apart” and “She’s Lost Control” juxtapose his real life experiences, the former being that he is torn between his wife Debbie and his girlfriend Anniki, and the latter relating to Debbie who is confused over her relationship with Curtis.
We see that Curtis himself who seems lost throughout the film. He doesn’t like where he lives, he doesn’t love his wife, and he has demands from the band. No wonder he becomes so self-destructive. On top of this is his acceptance of his terrible condition of epilepsy. He feels a great deal of shame, and feels that people have high expectations of him. He is stuck between many things in his life, in other parts of the film. We see a young Curtis who works at an employment office by day; and by night is a lead singer of a well known band. His supervisor eventually gives him the flick from his work, and we see a Curtis whose mistakes and impulsions take over him.
His words to Anniki that: “I hate where I live, I am not in love with my wife…,” show a Curtis who never feels that he is wanted, and that doesn’t want to hurt those close to him. Towards the end of the movie, we see a sad tale of a talented musician who can’t cope with life’s challenges. The best parts of the film, the music, the parties and the dialogue are intermingled with vivid and intense scenes of relationships, fate, and confusion.
Overall it’s a very gripping film, well worth all its good reviews, that would be perfect for those who are music lovers, those who would like to relive such a fantastic musical era, or those who know nothing about Joy Division, and their front-man Ian Curtis, but are in for earnest and intriguing portrait of wasted talent.
Peter Najjar, Friday, 9 November 2007, 7:33 PM
