Ian Curtis's Biopic is Genius and Here's Why 

The sad fact about this movie is that Anton Corbyn had to sell his house in London after the movie was not as commercially successful as expected. He had to move back to the Netherlands. That is particularly sad since he moved to London because he loved Joy Division and wanted to become a music photographer and therefore moved to London to pursue his dream. The shots he took of Joy Division were some of the first he made and sold to newspapers. I believed he shot another movie with Robert Pattinson after this but has gone back to Photography and music videos.

Please Hollywood never ever do a Nirvana biopic. Great breakdown btw.

One of the other aspects that set Control apart from other music biopics is that the actors are actually singing and playing the instruments, zero miming.

Sam had Ian's mannerisms on stage spot on. I loved that they also used Barton Street in the movie. Macclesfield is actually really depressing and cold. I also like that the last scene of the movie pans upwards from the exact spot where Ian's grave is located in the cemetery.

Control is a brilliant piece of art. So perfectly made. The band is mesmerizing. So realistic.

This is brilliant, especially the analysis of the camera work and how it conveys Ian's isolation. I can't believe the director hadn't done a feature film before... wow this is a really good video you've brought many things to my attention

I appreciate biopics that are willing to show the warts and all of the subject’s character. A biography is not a hagiography, it should deal with fallible humans who make mistakes. On the other hand, the audience needs to feel some empathy and should understand where this person is coming from. To me, one of my favorite biopics is “Raging Bull”, which is unflinching in depicting the worst elements of boxer Jake LaMotta. Yet, you understand the brutality of LaMotta at the same time.

I wish this vid was longer... great job

This was the first biopic of a band/artist that I watched. This movie solidify my love for Joy Division even more. I saw scenes of the movie before I got it and when I got it, it didn’t disappoint. I was in awe of how really moody and dark the movie was and that’s the reason I love it so much. I haven’t watched any other music biopics yet but I don’t there will ever be a music biopic that’ll top Control for me.

40 years! Wow. Em, this is wonderful, so poetic, insightful, and thoughtful. Ian created such a legacy. You’ve rekindled memories of his brilliance, struggles, and yearnings. The genius of Ian is with you!

just found a way to finally watch this and i was in tears by the end of it. never had that reaction to a musical biopic before and i can't regret not watching it sooner enough. thank you for giving me a new favourite movie :)

The really dark thing about Ian Curtis is that he didn’t have that out of the ordinary childhood no dark past or hidden trauma so all that darkness in his songs come from within him not a horrible tragedy in his youth it was his relatively normal life which is probably why he was so obsessed with the darker side of literature

It's like you took the words right out of my mouth and said them a whole lot better! Thank you!

"Control" is the most objective biopic I have ever seen. Never read the book, but did read a number of customer reviews. Most readers felt Ian's wife was being fair. I agree. Even though I have limited information. Because she was involved with the movie, and find it could not be more even handed. There is no romanization, or exploitation in this movie. Must be a reason why these two people wound up married to each other. She was just more grounded than Ian. This movie is the exact equivalent of Joy Division's music. Stark, black, white, and gray. All conveying Joy Division's music of touching from a distance. To be fair to other biopics, the singers or bands depicted, tend to be more upbeat. Known more for joy than division. But they sure could stand to be less saccharin, no doubt about it.

Thank you, Emily. I’ve been waiting for this video for a long time. It’s like you knew him.

I watched this film's premiere at a festival in Montréal...and somehow ended up walking past a church and actually stepping inside for a moment. It was completely empty and I just had to sit for a moment. Not sure what to make of that. Thank you for this one. Oh, and one interesting fact: the actors did play their instruments on film!

bought the DVD when it came out, Sam did a fantastic job of playing Ian, it's one of the best music films I've ever seen

Sam Riley was brilliant in this role, like really brilliant. I feel he was underrated. Ps: I am so glad I found your channel, it really is quality content

Love this video. Have bin listening alot to Joy Division this week and yeah just bumped on this video and yeah love it and i love this movie. Saw it in a movie festival in Canada while i was traveling around the world. Gonna check out more of your videos 👍😊

it’s unbelievable how much of a fan of joy division’s you are. this is amazing

For me this is less of a music bio and more of a psychological thriller about a man's descent into madness.

As a big fan of Joy Division I loved everything about the movie even Ians last song atmosphere make's me cry every time I hear it.

This is probably one of the best video essays I’ve seen yet.

Wow, I really like how analytical you got here! Don't think I really would've been able to have eloquently said, like you did, why Control is such a fantastic film (especially in comparison to other music biopics).

Control and Love and Mercy(the biopic from Brian Wilson from Beach Boys) are the best biopics ever made.

Just brilliant, Emily! Beautifully expressed, heartfelt and so insightful.

The difference between Control and other music biopics is that the director was extremely passionate about the band rather than seeing it as just another film.

I get the feeling that I will be revisiting this perfect video essay often. Thank you for covering this masterpiece, all of the points you made grounded my adoration for this film in the healthiest way possible.

GREAT video essay. Really enjoyed it.

Very insightful

A little interesting fact on your comment about Natalie Curtis's POV in the movie (just being an enigmatic figure in her life) is that despite that, Natalie seemed to have no negative feelings towards Ian. In her own review of the movie on the Guardian (since she did write for them), she explained her criticisms of the movie on how she felt they never really went more into detail about Ian as a person and such, however she did admit that she, in her own words, is "protective of her father", arguably still loving him even if he was just a small figure in her life, even if it was because his life was cut short as she was born (she was born literally a year before his death in 1979), although I think Deborah did argue that Ian feared holding Natalie due to his epilepsy.

Just watched it today, Ian's story is so tragic, rest in piece Ian Curtis, you were taken from us too soon.

@emiloid He says why his favorite color is blue. He says, “Blue, Man City blue.” He’s talking about Manchester City’s (his favorite football /soccer team) shade of blue from their kit/jersey.

I cant help but watch this video every couple of months. You've really made me appreciate and love this movie and Joy Division so much.

"what truly made them burn so bright🌟". Well put. And I really appreciate your understanding and relaying to us what did* make this such a great movie/biography about Ian, and the band He wrote and sang for. So well done! Very well spoken and a lot of great insight in comparing this film to others, about the central figure, that You walk away from thinking- and sometimes feeling a bit let down. I didn't feel that way with 'Control'. It was a very* good movie, and I(with my very limited knowledge of the actual suffering he* went through physically and mentally)...feel like I connected with His struggle within. And that requires Great Acting and Directing, as You also mentioned. Thank You👏🖤

what an amazing analysis. thank you. ian curtis will live forever :)

I wish I had found this video earlier, such a fantastic analysis. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Just ran across this. This video was well done. Thanks!

I came here after watching your little woman video and absolutely loved both videos! you have a new subscriber

I LOVE YOUR JOY DIVISION AND BOOK VIDEOS, I LOVE THIS VIDEO ITS A GREAT ANALYSIS :)

Emily, perfect analysis of an incredible movie. Bravo...bravo. By far the best biopic released to date...and Anton's work was amazing. Huge thank you for posting your thoughts on it!

Such a beautiful video… ♡

Such a beautiful vídeo and preciseness of words... thanks

This was an amazing video. You just earned a subscriber. :)

Yes this film is brilliant in so many ways. In fact my only nit pick was the eye color of the actor playing Ian Curtis but honestly who cares? The black and white was such a good choice that whenever I watch actual footage of Joy Division performances it doesn't look right to me in color. This is a really good analysis but I had a different interpretation of the scene with the baby in the crib. I saw that shot as Ian feeling like choosing to domesticate so young and his wife and child as a sort of prison. I think that shot was more about his feelings rather than how his daughter sees him.

Wow, okay i have to watch this movie. I love that it is in black and white. Great video, thank you stranger!

Very insightful review, I hope I get to see the movie sometime.

this was beautifully done

Thank you for explaining how amazing this movie is and how it felt being a fan❤

This was great!! ❤

Incredibly underrated, class video loved it

My main complaint about Control is there were too many times the overall look and feel of it felt anachronistic, and every character seemed like a weird caricature from a 2007 American Apparel ad, which kind of took me out of the moment in many parts. I was puzzled Anton Corbijn went that route with costuming (but I guess he wanted it to appeal more to the target audience of the time of it's release, since it wasn't a wide release), I didn't feel the actors who played Stephen Morris and Peter Hook too convincing, look wise, although Joe Anderson's acting was stellar, and his sardonic take on Peter kind of tied the script together. I almost feel the Joy Division parts on 24-hour party people, when watched back to back with Control, compliment each other, and I felt the best elements of both brought out a better story overall. A little mythology is peppered in both and some of it is great. Maybe I'm just not entirely convinced the perfect Joy Division biopic is possible.

I'm from that era, and his lyrics scared an unsettled me! For him not being able to connect with others is just heartbreaking. A spot 99% of us could never imagine. Just one buddy was all he needed, damn!

This us such a beautiful and honest explanation of this film

This film meant so much to me.

Well done!! Very honest and honest view.

you had great points, i didnt care about the movie that much but now i wanna rewatch it.

I think there is a way to do great biopics movies, instead of just cramming in they’re whole life into a 2 hour movie just pick one story from said artist or band that says more about them than they’re whole career would or find a story and redesign and restructure it and give it character development or even a glimpse of it that doesn’t set up anything in the movie but instead the audience will understand the real life development of said person because it’s already happened, something that tells you about the person the movie is based off, like imagine if bohemian rhapsody took place in the days weeks or even months leading up to live aid, Freddie contemplating about even playing while the whole thing of him having aids isn’t said words or dialogue instead you can see the fear on his face while we also shoves it off, you can show the band being on edge, get to now what predicament they’re in as people, show practices where they’re struggling to play songs they had not played in a while, yous get to know so much more about a person by one story in they’re life instead of a they’re whole life story, like if you did a nirvana bio pic you could do it based around them before they play they’re unplugged gig and that can be the climax of the movie, one story gives a director more room to make a good movie

Thank you for this.

Very clever analysis - especially about words (the lack of communication & the communication with the songs lyrics) & the Anton's intentions - thank you.

Okay, I definitely need to rewatch this film.

Thank you! I feel like whenever people critizize biopics it's seen as an attack on the artist themselves. When really i have no problem with Freddy Mercury. Just the blatant and in my opinion quite disgusting way the movie is trying to tug on your heartstrings.

Very grateful to have found you ❤ Curious to know if you've done anything on Jeff Buckley? Another incredibly tragic life and death of such a gifted artist. Add the death of his (estranged) father Tim Buckley to the story and it's even more tragic. Would love to hear you break down their story- I'd be hanging on to your every word! I'm certain it would be just as magical as this one is.

Phenomenal video.

Thanks for opening my eyes about the music biopics and why CONTROL is different.

Fantastic review

Great editing ....

I recently watched this movie with my friend who was not familiar with the band. The film left a great impression with both of us, and my friend even commented that it was able to convey a compelling story even without context to the history of the band prior to watching. I agree with you that many music biopics have a tendency to blend together and feel homogenous. Control felt deeply personal and beautifully framed.

Really good analysis, Control is one of my favourite films.

Saw this 3 times in cinema. Loved every second.

Thank you ❤️

Brilliant appraisal! Thank you. I recommend a pilgramige to Macclesfield, every May the 18th there are tonnes of fans there.

great takes on the criticisms!

Control was great. Peter hook said they had a lot of stuff that was off, but as a film it was brilliant.

Nice vid Just found this band thanks

i really enjoyed this

Beautifully made breakdown, thank you! I was a big fan of this band and just read Andrew McCarthy’s book brat: an 80’s story. I am thoroughly convinced that the music and movie industry of that time became more and more an instrument of exploiting the youth. People like Ian just got a direct ticket to heaven. They were spared the indignity of having to work for the devil all their lives.

I agree... Control was one of the best music biopic films I've ever seen.

amazing videooooo

A thing of great beauty

Absolutely 100% agree with you, Control is the best biopic I have ever seen!!!!

And that video about Ians mental health is great to keep it up 😊👍. Do you know any music from Iceland?

deh beh! great! my favorite scene

Excellent narration @Emiloid

Control is a film, Bohemian Rhapsody is candy

Hello Dear Author! You have nailed every musical biopic movie to a T. I could not agree more with all of your comments. To this day, Control moves me like no other movie genre has. You nailed the other movies, but to be honest a win from a small town loser to singing in front of X thousands is a winning movie formula. Your comments resonate with me. Thank you for opening others eyes as you did mine.

ian curtis face = sad and cool at the same time

great video

10:05 he says blue because they are the colours worn by Man City who are the team he supported

what a great video

Control and Love And Mercy are the only music biopics I ever liked. I agree that Bohemian Rhapsody was one of the worst I have seen, runner ups being The Doors and England is Mine.

Lots of love for your reaction. In my opinion, Ians presentation of his lyrics could only exist within the system of Joy Division. Not very rewarding for his the life outside the band or what one would call the real life. But his words still resonate within me, an old man of 55, and have done so for many years now.

Cracking video

I agree with everything you have said about this film, perhaps I'm biased as a life long JD fan

Excellent review, this is a superb film. The only thing I would add is there is a decent amount of dry British humour in between the gradual downfall which frequently lifts the mood.

Never heard of this movie til earlier this week. I'm a big fan of Joy Division. Gotta watch it now

Love and Mercy is another good one.

Have enjoyed Joy Division for decades. When it first came out, I tried to watch it and felt bored. But just rewatched it and loved it. You feel the sterile coldness of Greater Manchester. I also didn’t appreciate Sam Riley’s performance because I didn’t think he looked like Ian Curtis. But rewatching it, there are certain scenes where Ian Curtis’ state of mind is breaking down where he looks exactly like him. As much as I appreciated this movie upon rewatching it 15 years later, I adored the humorous acting of Toby Kebbell as the band manager Rob Gratton.

this is the movie that handshaked me into Joy Division.... id read about them before but i caught this movie one night and was hooked in

I've known of Joy Division for well over half my life by this point, so I've gone back and forth with Control a lot over the years. I've let a lot of the historical inaccuracies go by this point because it is a movie that has to cram roughly four years into two hours, so I'll start by talking just about Ian Curtis. By all accounts, he seemed to adapt his attitude and behavior based on those around him, so he could at any time be the husband/father, the happy-go-lucky lad in a band, or the tortured artist to his musical peers. By the end, no one really knew who the "real" Ian was, and it's even doubtful he himself knew. Deborah knew him longer than anyone outside his family and maybe even knew him the best, but she still only captures a fraction of who he was in her book Touching from a Distance. Control as a biopic is extremely skewed in her perspective, much to its detriment. Ian wasn't all gloom and doom, wasn't always crying, didn't always express his grief and guilt about his extramarital affair. He had a wandering eye with groupies and he laughed same as his bandmates did ar a giant turd in a toilet at the Open Air Festival, August 1979. There's not enough of the "lad" part in Control. Even the intro scenes where he's taking pills and dressing flamboyantly feel too understated. In lots of ways, he feels like the "romantic popstar hero" of legend rather the complicated, multifaceted, deeply flawed young man he really was. However, I do appreciate Control for its technical aspects. Sam Riley doesn't have Ian's piercing blue eyes, but he does have the dancing down. It was such an excellent, authentic decision to have the actors learn and play Joy Division songs for real and film their performances in order, leading to a sense of evolving musicianship as the band went on. Big range between "Leaders of Men" and "Disorder" in the film, accurately reflecting JD in real life. The aesthetic feels genuine, given all the most revered and famous real photographs of Joy Division were in black and white, not to mention the consistently great framing which adds a lot of visual storytelling. One example of this is at the end, when Bernard, Peter, Stephen, Gillian, and Rob are sitting at the pub table. Bernard is facing the front of the camera because he would become the "frontman" of New Order. Little stuff like that adds great rewatchability to Control, despite its grim subject matter. The ending is wonderful, too. Deborah didn't actually scream for help into the neighborhood as portrayed in the film, but the actress doing so does fit the devastation and regret that followed Ian's passing. "Atmosphere" playing as the smoke rises from the chimney still gives me chills just thinking about it. So these days, I can say that while I don't love and would definitely change a number of things about it, I like Control a lot. It's a very special little biopic.