Posted on: June 16, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

There has been a lot of interest in Joy Division, with two different films being released at about the same time – Joy Division and Control. This documentary provides individuals with the band’s unique history through first-hand interviews with the living band members, and their transformation later into one of dance’s most well known acts in New Order. The film itself is a little over an hour and a half, but the additional features that individuals will receive when they purchase the DVD nearly doubles that. On each DVD, there is the music video for Transmission, one of their best-known songs (outside of “Love Will Tear Us Apart), along with 75 minutes of interview footage that for whatever reason was not included in the documentary itself.

However, the documentary does not limit itself to merely being about Joy Division, as fans of Factory Records will like when the members get into their times with Factory Records owner Tony Wilson. In much the same way, if individuals are fans of the work that Martin Hannett has done in the production of a number of albums,t he section about the band’s work with Hannett will both enlighten and interest. If you are buying this documentary for yourself or for a friend, make sure to pick up Control as well. The two documentaries will stand on their own, but there are a number of bits and pieces that are exclusive to each documentary that will further allow viewers to understand what happened with Ian Curtis, why the band ultimately went towards a lighter sound, and how the living members of Joy Division made it to the current day. Joy Division is an in-depth and detailed documentary about one of the bands that, along with The Cure, really brought additional layers and diversity to the rapidly-decaying punk genre in the late seventies and early eighties.

Here’s to hoping more footage, recordings, and the like will be released from the vaults, as there are a number of dusty prints and reel to reels still hiding out in private and label collections. Genius does the whole of music a service here in that some of this footage had not been seen for the greater part of twenty years. I understand that not everything will ever make it to light ad be preserved for the next generation, but it seems like companies like Genius are really stepping up and attempting to ensure that music’s collective memories do not turn into dust.

Rating: 8.0/10

Joy Division / 2007 Genius / 96 Minutes / http://www.geniusproducts.com /

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