Anton Corbijn’s paean to Joy Division, the biopic “Control,” will have its U.S. theatrical release on October 10 at New York’s Film Forum according to the Weinstein Company and Indiewire.
The members of New Order (who composed the score) may be embroiled in a feud over the bands’ existence, but the they agree on one thing, they claim “Control” is inaccurate.
At the end of June the ex-Joy Division members Peter Hook and Stephen Morris questioned the film’s authenticity, though still gave the film a generous thumbs up.
“None of it’s true, really,” Morris told the NME of what they claim are the movie’s distorted facts. “It’s sort of true, but you have to take liberties when you’re making a film because the truth is too boring.”
“We’ve seen it a couple of times. It’s good, very good. It’s a bit hard to watch when you’re involved in it as much as Peter [Hook] and I have been though, but Anton’s done a really good job. It’s not as funny as 24 Hour Party People, though,” he added.
Based on the book “Touching From A Distance” by Ian Curtis’ widow Deborah, the film stars newcomer (and 10,000 Things frontman) Sam Riley. All the Joy Division songs in the band were performed by the actors in the band who all have previous (and current) musical experience.
“I really enjoyed [“Control”],” Hook told Britain’s XFM. “But it was like having your heart stamped on. The weirdest thing was at the end, when it really hurt and everybody started clapping. It would’ve been nice to have a dignified silence.”
“You’re sat there thinking, “F–k me, I lived that! It was like being dissected. And then I went to take a piss and Ian [Curtis] and Bernard Sumner were next to me–well, the actors that played them–and I was like that…’Aaaaah!’ That was surreal.
Meanwhile, Film Forum is having a banner year for premieres. Another Weinstein music biopic property, the much anticipated Dylan film, “I’m Not There,” will also have its U.S. theatrical release at the lauded repertory film house on November 21.
According to the fan-site Joy Division central, the soundtrack to the film is thus:
Drive-in Saturday – David Bowie
2hb – Roxy Music
The Jean Genie – David Bowie
Sister Midnight – Iggy Pop
Problems (live) – Sex Pistols
No Love Lost – Joy Division
Evidently Chicken Town – John Cooper Clarke (hardly a “song” as such of course)
Leaders Of Men – “Joy Moviesion” (i.e. Sam Riley et al)
Boredom – The Buzzcocks
Digital – “Joy Moviesion”
Transmission – “Joy Moviesion”
Insight – “Joy Moviesion”
She’s Lost Control – “Joy Moviesion”
Candidate – “Joy Moviesion”
What Goes On – Velvet Underground
Disorder – “Joy Moviesion”
Atmosphere – Joy Division
Shadowplay – The Killers
Though this seems incomplete and odd because a clip we saw online featured David Bowie’s “Warsawa” (the name JD nicked and tweaked for their original moniker, Warsaw).
Download: Joy Division – “She’s Lost Control”
Download: Joy Division – “Atmosphere”
Download: The Killers – “Shadowplay”
“Control” trailer