The last few years have seen a second coming of Joy Division’s gloom and glum. Making the festival circuit last year was Control, the directorial debut by photographer Anton Corbijin, whose focus lie entirely on the tragic rise and fall of singer Ian Curtis. Simultaneously riding the waves was the poignant documentary Joy Division by cinematographer Grant Gee (Radiohead’s, Meeting People Is Easy). Told through a story of a decaying and chaotic Manchester in the 70’s, Gee’s Joy Division follows the trajectory of one of the most influential bands to emerge out of the Manchester and post-punk scenes. The film juxtaposes rare audio and video footage with candid interviews of the three remaining members, the late Factory Records founder Tony Wilson, their producer Martin Hannet, and a glut of other key figures.
Inspired by the despair and alienation of England’s youth and the cacophony of the Sex Pistols, Joy Division aspired to profound dolefulness. Told through those who were there, Grant Gee meticulously shares Joy Division’s short legacy – from their gloomy 1976 debut Unknown Pleasures, 1980’s Closer and its burgeoning success, and finally, ending with the untimely death of Ian Curtis on the eve of their first American tour.
While Control tells the Curtis’ story, it fails to capture the true essence of what the collective Joy Division accomplished. Joy Divison is seen through never-before-seen live performance footage, including some of the earliest images of “Shadowplay”, “Digital”, “Transmission” “Dead Souls” and the haunting reverberations of “Love Will Tear Us Apart”. While Gee’s Joy Division revisits the old Manchester, a city that gave birth to one of music’s most influential bands, its brilliance lies in its immediacy, as it evolves into a timeless expose for old and new fans alike.
Loaded with rare audio and video footage, the DVD extra features include the music video for Transmission, as well as over 75 minutes of additional interview footage.
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