Why a photographer turned director shot his debut film in black and white
In short: Anton Corbijn, a photographer who documented Joy Division, directed the 2007 biopic Control to capture the band's atmosphere. By filming in colour and printing to black and white, he mirrored the mood of the era, even funding half of the 4.5 million euro budget from his own pocket.
Control chronicles the life of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis from 1973 to his suicide in May 1980. Directed by Anton Corbijn, the film draws heavily from the memoir Touching from a Distance, written by Curtis's widow, Deborah. The narrative explores the tension between Curtis's desire for personal stability and the uncontrollable reality of his epilepsy and the side effects of his medication.
The production was deeply personal for Corbijn, who had befriended the band in the late 1970s. His intimate knowledge of the group allowed him to craft a film that resonated with critics and band members alike. While founding member Stephen Morris noted that the film bends reality because the truth can be boring, Peter Hook praised its accuracy, noting that Corbijn's personal history with the band helped give the film a broader, international appeal.
The film's aesthetic choices were deliberate, with the black-and-white cinematography serving to evoke the specific mood of the late-1970s music scene. Beyond the visual style, the film features authentic performances, with the actors themselves performing the Joy Division tracks seen on screen. The project's success was cemented at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, where it won multiple awards, including the CICAE Art & Essai prize, before securing widespread critical acclaim for its sensitive portrayal of a troubled life.
Despite its success, the film remains a complex portrait of a musician struggling with fame and health. By focusing on the domestic and professional pressures Curtis faced, including his marriage to Deborah and his affair with journalist Annik Honoré, the film avoids simple tropes. It stands as a testament to a specific moment in music history, captured by a director who was there to witness it firsthand.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Control (2007 film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-control-2007-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
