Plot & Details
Prolific music-video helmer and award-winning photographer Anton Corbijn makes his feature directorial debut with this biographical drama concerning the late Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. Based on the book Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis & Joy Division by the enigmatic singer's wife Deborah Curtis, Control documents the life of a legend who changed the face of modern music but never lived to witness the remarkable impact of his life's work. The time was the late 1970s, and the post-punk explosion was just gaining momentum in England. At the forefront of this movement was a band named Joy Division. Formed in 1976 and first calling themselves Warsaw, Joy Division favored mood and expression over the aggressive stance that had come to define punk rock. The band was championed by Factory Records founder Tony Wilson, and collaborated with producer Martin Hannett on the album that would become their undisputed masterpiece -- 1979's Unknown Pleasures. But despite the band's rising popularity, lead singer Curtis was not in good mental or physical health due a debilitating battle with epilepsy and an extramarital affair, and hanged himself in his Macclesfield home on the eve of the band's first U.S. tour. Newcomer Sam Riley stars opposite Samantha Morton in the film that sets out to tell the definitive story of a true rock & roll legend.
- MPAA Rating: R
- Genre(s): Drama
- Run Time: 122min.
- Theatrical Release Date: 10/10/2007
- DVD Release Date: 06/03/2008
- Distributor(s): Weinstein Company
- Director(s): Anton Corbijn
- Starring: Samantha Morton , Sam Riley , Alexandra Maria Lara , Joe Anderson , Toby Kebbell
- Themes: Rise and Fall Stories,Tortured Genius,Crumbling Marriages,Musician's Life
- Tone: Austere,Chilly
- Keywords: epilepsy,extramarital-affair,mental-breakdown,mental-health,punk,record [phonographic],record-producer,rock-band
- Country of Origin: USA (10-10-2007)
- Language: English
Awards
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
| Year | Award | Category | Cast & Crew | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | British Academy of Film and Television Arts | Best British Film | Matt Greenhalgh | Nominated |
| 2007 | British Academy of Film and Television Arts | Best Supporting Actress | Samantha Morton | Nominated |
| 2007 | British Academy of Film and Television Arts | Best British Film | Orian Williams | Nominated |
| 2007 | British Academy of Film and Television Arts | Best British Film | Anton Corbijn | Nominated |
| 2007 | British Academy of Film and Television Arts | Carl Foreman Award | Matt Greenhalgh | Nominated |
| 2007 | British Academy of Film and Television Arts | Best British Film | Todd Eckert | Nominated |
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