This is the way, step inside
Control finally came out on DVD. Margaret and I saw this in London when we were there last year in October. First time going to the cinema in the U.K. and it was a nice treat, not to mention oddly appropriate.
Although we both knew Ian/Joy Division hailed from Manchester we felt a certain...i don't know....connection to the whole thing having seen the film in England.
Even though I never posted about it then...the film resonated with me in a very profound way. And I felt myself really understanding and connecting to his plight. Granted, I never would have come to the same end as him. I'm not suicidal at the best of times and even at the worst...well, we've all had our moments, we've all been there. But it's not something I would ever seriously consider as an option. As difficult, toiling and confusing as life can be sometimes...I do feel privileged to be living it.
At the age of 23 he had so much working against him. Epilepsy and all the pill-popping that came with it (surely he was cross-medicating from the beginning), marriage problems that resulted in an extramarital affair (pushing to the fore a myriad of complications), becoming a father, and then of course, the band, it's no question they were gaining popularity at lightning speed. He died on the eve of a two-week American tour which would have essentially catapulted them to huge acclaim and recognition. And then, from the "if we knew then what we know now" file, it was clear that Ian was also bipolar. That is a lot for one person to face, especially at such a young age.
I am not by any means justifying his actions. But I am saying I get the reasons why. I know what it's like to end a marriage, come out of the closet, and be with someone else....then move in together. All within the span of three months. Even that is enough to make your head spin. It's an uprooting of your life that you could never possibly fathom or imagine. It is jarring...it is life-altering. But in the end, necessary in order for you to evolve.
I do think...and Margaret and I were discussing this. They maybe that trip to the U.S. could have turned everything around. Maybe he could have got out of his head a little and enjoy a new adventure. Perhaps that would have given him the clarity he needed to see his way through the muck. But alas. It was not to be.
M and I went to Rhino Records last weekend and picked up the Joy Division documentary on DVD that came out a few months after Control. It chronicled the bands history and I learned a lot about them that I did not know. I had no idea just how influential they were to the Manchester scene. And how important the names of Tony Wilson, Martin Hannett and Rob Gretton were.
The film 24-Hour Party People also chronicles this scene. Have not yet seen it. May be time to add to the Netflix queue!