History Film / Control

''Control'' is a 2007 {{biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by former band photographer Creator/AntonCorbijn. Corbijn already had a 24-year stint directing music videos before then, including one for the 1988 reissue of Joy Division's "Atmosphere", but this marks his first feature-length work that isn't a documentary (his only other feature film before this was a Music/DepecheMode ConcertFilm). Similarly, ''Control'' is possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary. The film was adapted from ''Touching from a Distance'', a biography written by Curtis' widow, Deborah; she served as the movie's co-producer alongside Corbijn and former Creator/FactoryRecords head Tony Wilson (who died two months before the film's release, making it the last major project he worked on in his lifetime), among others.

In Manchester during the second half of the 70's, aspiring poet and young newlywed Ian Curtis forms a punk band with a few friends after attending a Music/SexPistols concert. First calling themselves Warsaw, then Music/JoyDivision, they manage to weave their way into a record deal on nascent indie label Creator/FactoryRecords, whose eccentric producer Martin Hannett helps bring the band to popularity. However, while things appear to be looking up for the band, Ian's life is rapidly spiraling downhill: he develops epilepsy, which makes performing increasingly difficult, his marriage grows strained, and his battle with depression becomes more and more overwhelming. By the end of it all, he and everyone around him will see their lives radically upended.

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks No relation]] to the Creator/RemedyEntertainment [[VideoGame/{{Control}} game]], or the ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' [[Fanfic/{{Control}} fanfiction]]. Compare ''Film/TwentyFourHourPartyPeople'', a more flippant biopic that focuses more broadly on [[Creator/FactoryRecords Joy Division's record label]] and the Manchester alternative scene as a whole.

''Control'' is a 2007 {{biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by former band photographer Creator/AntonCorbijn. Corbijn already had a 24-year stint directing music videos before then, including one for the 1988 reissue of Joy Division's "Atmosphere", but this marks his first feature-length work that isn't a documentary (his only other feature film before this was a Music/DepecheMode ConcertFilm). Similarly, ''Control'' is possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary. The film was adapted from ''Touching from a Distance'', a biography written by Curtis' widow, Deborah; she served as the movie's co-producer alongside Corbijn and Tony Wilson (who died two months before the film's release, making it the last major project he worked on in his lifetime), among others.

''Control'' is a 2007 {{biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by former band photographer Creator/AntonCorbijn. Corbijn already had a 24-year stint directing music videos before then, including one for the 1988 reissue of Joy Division's "Atmosphere", but this marks his first feature-length work that isn't a documentary (his only other feature film before this was a Music/DepecheMode ConcertFilm). Similarly, ''Control'' is possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary. The film was adapted from ''Touching from a Distance'', a biography written by Curtis' widow, Deborah.

* BadassBeard: Like the real Hook, Joe Anderson has a glorious beard.

In Manchester during the second half of the 70's, aspiring poet and young newlywed Ian Curtis forms a punk band with a few friends after attending a Music/SexPistols concert. First calling themselves Warsaw, then Music/JoyDivision, they manage to weave their way into a record deal on nascent indie label Creator/FactoryRecords, whose eccentric producer Martin Hannett helps bring the band to popularity. However, while things appear to be looking up for the band Ian's life is rapidly spiraling downhill: he develops epilepsy, which makes performing increasingly difficult, his marriage grows strained, and his battle with depression becomes more and more overwhelming. By the end of it all, he and everyone around him will see their lives radically upended.

* OopNorth: The film takes place there. In fact the corresponding Wiki/TVTropes article used a shot of this movie to illustrate this.

''Control'' is a 2007 {{biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by former band photographer Creator/AntonCorbijn. Corbijn already had a 24-year stint directing music videos before then, including one for the 1988 reissue of Joy Division's "Atmosphere", but this marks his first feature-length work that isn't a documentary (his only other feature film before this was a Music/DepecheMode ConcertFilm). Similarly, ''Control'' is possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary.

In late 70's Manchester, aspiring poet and young newlywed Ian Curtis forms a punk band with a few friends after attending a Music/SexPistols concert. First calling themselves Warsaw, then Music/JoyDivision, they manage to weave their way into a record deal on nascent indie label Creator/FactoryRecords, whose eccentric producer Martin Hannett helps bring the band to popularity. However, while things appear to be looking up for the band Ian's life is rapidly spiraling downhill: he develops epilepsy, which makes performing increasingly difficult, his marriage grows strained, and his battle with depression becomes more and more overwhelming. By the end of it all, he and everyone around him will see their lives radically upended.

''Control'' is a 2007 {{biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by former band photographer Creator/AntonCorbijn in his debut as a film director (he had already had a 24-year stint directing music videos before then, including one for the 1988 reissue of Joy Division's "Atmosphere"). It's possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary.

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks No relation]] to the Creator/RemedyEntertainment [[VideoGame/{{Control}} game]], or the ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' [[Fanfic/{{Control}} fanfiction]]. Compare ''Film/TwentyFourHourPartyPeople'', a more flippiant biopic that focuses more broadly on [[Creator/FactoryRecords Joy Division's record label]] and the Manchester alternative scene as a whole.

* MrFanservice: There's quite a few shots of Ian shirtless, mostly early in the film.
** Peter Hook's shirts are sometimes slightly unbuttoned as well.

''Control'' is a 2007 {{biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by Creator/AntonCorbijn (who had worked with the band as a photographer) as his debut as a film director (he had already had a 21-year stint directing music videos before then, including one for the 1988 reissue of Joy Division's "Atmosphere"). It's possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary.

''Control'' is a 2007 {{biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by Creator/AntonCorbijn (who had worked with the band as a photographer) as his debut as a film director (he had already had a 21-year stint directing music videos for Music/DepecheMode before then). It's possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary.

* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The entire film is shot in black and white. Justified as the vast majority of existing photos regarding the band are in black and white.

* YourCheatingHeart: The implication of what starts Deborah's relationship with Ian to deteriorate. Ironically, in RealLife, both Ian and his 'lover' Annik Honoré were considered PlatonicLifePartners, with Annik constantly stating her relationship with Ian was platonic.

''Control'' is a 2007 {{Biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by Creator/AntonCorbijn (who had worked with the band as a photographer) as his directorial debut. It's possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary.

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks No relation]] to the Creator/RemedyEntertainment [[VideoGame/{{Control}} game]], or the ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' [[Fanfic/{{Control}} fanfiction]].

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks No relation]] to the Creator/{{Remedy}} [[VideoGame/{{Control}} game]], or the ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' [[Fanfic/{{Control}} fanfiction]].

* CountryMatters: The band gets the atention of Creator/FactoryRecords head Tony Wilson with a note which simply states: "Joy Division, you cunt."

'''''Control''''' is a 2007 {{Biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by Creator/AntonCorbijn (who had worked with the band as a photographer) as his directorial debut. It's possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary.

* {{Retirony}}: Played with. Ian commits suicide on the eve of the band's first US tour.

* DownerEnding: Ian commits suicide, Deborah ends up distraught (it doesn't help she was raising their daughter) and the band breaks up.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler: After Ian kills himself, the others are sitting sadly in a pub. Then, Gillian Gilbert shows up to comfort them. After she sits down the shot lingers on them.....showing the classic lineup for Music/NewOrder.]]

* BadAssBeard: Like the real Hook, Joe Anderson has a glorious beard.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler: after Ian kills himself, the others are sitting sadly in a pub. Then, Gillian Gilbert shows up to comfort them. After she sits down the shot lingers on them.....showing the classic lineup for Music/NewOrder.]]

* MrFanService: There's quite a few shots of Ian shirtless, mostly early in the film.

* RunningGag: Ian and others are often making fun of TheBuzzcocks's band name.

* YourCheatingHeart: The implication of what starts Deborah's relationship with Ian to deteriorate. Ironically, in RealLife, both Ian and his 'lover' Annik Honoré were considered just close friends, Annik constantly stating her relationship with Ian was platonic.

* TheCameo: The real Ian Curtis's daughter appears in the audience of the Derby Hall gig.
* YourCheatingHeart: The implication of what starts Deborah's relationship with Ian to deteriorate. Ironically, in Real life, both Ian and his 'lover' Annik Honoré were considered just close friends, Annik constantly stating her relationship with Ian was platonic.

* TalentDouble: Averted by the actors. As previously stated above, they played the songs themselves, helped by there being plenty of ThreeChordsandtheTruth songs. Sam Riley (who portrayed Curtis) having been the lead singer of a rock band once beforehand may have helped also.

* CountryMatters: The band getsthe atention of Creator/FactoryRecords head Tony Wilson with a note which simply states: "Joy Division, you cunt."

'''''Control''''' is a 2007 {{Biopic}} about Ian Curtis and Music/JoyDivision, directed by Creator/AntonCorbijn as his director's debut. It's possibly the only straight-up biopic about Ian's life that isn't a documentary.

* CountryMatters: The band gets Tony Wilson's attention with a note which simply states: "Joy Division, you cunt."
* CoverVersion: Sam Riley, Joe Anderson, James Anthony Pearson, and Harry Treadaway (as Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner, and Stephen Morris respectively.) all do the songs in the scenes where Joy Division plays live or records. The songs are: "Leaders of Men", "She's Lost Control", "Transmission", "Insight", "Disorder", "Isolation", "Love Will Tear Us Apart", "Digital", "Dead Souls", and "Candidate".
** TheKillers cover "Shadowplay" during the credits.
** Averted with "No Love Lost", and "Atmosphere", which were the original recordings by the real JoyDivision.

* DownerEnding: Ian commits suicide, Deborah ends up distraught (It doesn't help she was raising their daughter) and the band breaks up.

* ForeShadowing: [[spoiler: after Ian kills himself, the others are sitting sadly in a pub. Then, Gillian Gilbert shows up to comfort them. After she sits down the shot lingers on them.....showing the classic lineup for NewOrder.]]

* OopNorth: The film takes place there. In fact the corresponding TV Tropes article used a shot of this movie to illustrate this.

* FromBadToWorse: The final Joy Division gig, with Ian frequently ducking off stage in order to combat a worsening seizure, forcing Alan Hempstall of Crispy Ambulance to step in for him. The gig ends in a riot.

* TalentDouble: Averted by the actors. As previously stated above, they played the songs themselves, helped by there being plenty of ThreeChords and the Truth songs. Sam Riley (who portrayed Curtis) having been the lead singer of a rock band once beforehand may have helped also.

* TalentDouble: Averted by the actors in Control; they played the songs themselves, helped by there being plenty of ThreeChordsandtheTruth songs. Sam Riley (who portrayed Curtis) having been the lead singer of a rock band once beforehand may have helped also.