I’d planned to have a relaxing lie-in this morning, following last night’s drinking. Instead I was greeted with a stinging headache at 9.30 and didn’t really manage to get back off to the slumber which I’d hoped for. Bah!

Shrugged off the hangover and decided that putting some food in my belly might be an idea. Headed to ‘La Tasca’ in Meadowhall for some quick and easy chain-restaurant entirely authentic Spanish tapas. It wasn’t bad – the place was rammed, so service wasn’t great, but by the time I’d finished my Alitas de Pollo and Fritura Mixta de Pescado, with garlic bread and the ever-present Patatas Bravas I felt very satisfied.

Back home, I settled on the sofa and watched the DVD of Control, the Anton Corbijn-directed biopic of Ian Curtis. I’m a massive Joy Division fan, and have read countless books on Ian, Joy Division, New Order and Factory Records.

I was very pleased when a couple of years ago the Tony Wilson (God rest his soul!) sanctioned ‘24 Hour Party People‘ movie came out – which was an enjoyable romp through the various rumours and legends of the Factory Records story. However, being the story of Factory Records, and Tony Wilson, it sadly did gloss over Ian’s troubled life a little too gingerly, on its way to charting the excesses of New Order and the Happy Mondays.

Control addresses this, and is a touching, moving and – at times – distressing account of Ian’s life, leading up to his suicide in May 1980. Shot entirely in black and white, by esteemed rock photgrapher Anton Corbijn, it’s a personal and authorative (the screenplay is based on wife Debbie’s 1995 book “Touching From A Distance” – also worth a read) charter of Ian’s psyche, epilepsy, depression and most tellingly, his affair with Annik Honore, which ultimately left his distressed mind with no option but the rope.

Sam Riley is frighteningly good as Ian, of course it helps that he’s Ian’s doppelganger, but it’s very easy to suspend disbelief and truely believe that he is Ian Curtis whilst watching the film. Toby Kebbell also stands out as legendary band manager, Rob Gretton.

It’s an excellent film, and is recommended – those of you unfamilar with Joy Divison’s work (shame on you!) should possibly check out the aforementioned 24 Hour Party People first as a more general guide to the Factory family, and then follow up the whys and wherefores of Ian’s tragic end in Control.

Related posts:

1. Two Perplexing Problems I've got the following two issues with two of my...
2. Bad Brother I see that it's that time of year again -...