Worth leaving the house for
typed for your pleasure on 17 February 2007, at 11.58 amSdtrk: ‘Big foot (Mix 2)’ by Merzbow
As far as feature films, 2007 is lookin’ sharp, I’d say! At least, as far as films I want to see — your mileage may vary.
Recently I’d picked up the latest issue of MOJO magazine, as Zip Gun tipped me off that they had a sizable article on my favourite band of all feckin’ time, Joy division. I’d made mention last year about ‘Control’, the film about Ian Curtis and Joy division, but according to both the article and the film’s website, apparently it’s due in the theatres sometime this year, which has me five kinds of excited.
Control – part-financed by Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore – has, it seems won some important fans. The surviving members of Joy Division saw a preview on November 28th, reporting to Mojo that they “very much approve of it and will be backing it 100%”. “Initially the group were disinterested in the film, but at the same time were intrigued and wanted to get involved,” says [producer Orian] Williams. “When we first met them backstage at a gig in Liverpool in 2005, Bernard said ‘Just have some fun with it.’ We did and the finished movie is amazing.”
quoted from this article
Another rather nice aesthetic touch is that director Anton Corbijn has filmed ‘Control’ in black and white, which is entirely appropriate. You can check out a segment from a Dutch news programme (it’s subtitled) where they interview Corbijn here on the Tube of You.
Hearing that not only is Corbijn creating this — with the blessing of the other 3/4ths of Joy division — but it’s based off of the book ‘Touching from a distance‘, which was written by Ian’s wife, Deborah, is quite reassuring, as letting Hollywood getting its grubby little hands on a story like Ian’s would be sacrilege. But then, a band like Joy division wouldn’t even register on Hollywood’s radar, thankfully…
The other one that has my interest level at Maximum Pique would be ‘Factory girl’. I think it was a little over a year ago when I’d first heard mention of this; it’s a movie based on Andy Warhol’s most beautiful and doomed superstar, Edie Sedgwick. Supposedly, production was held back for a bit due to various factors; one of them being that Bob Dylan was miffed about Hayden Christensen’s character (who’s based on Dylan and named either ‘the Musician’ or ‘Folk singer’, depending on what you read) as he and his lawyers believe the film infers that he was responsible for Edie’s death. Not only that, David Weisman, the director of her fictional-but-not-really film ‘Ciao! Manhattan’, apparently has issues with the film, and interestingly enough, Lou Reed, Edie’s friend during the Silver Dream Factory years, is quoted as saying that the screenplay is ‘one of the most disgusting, foul things I’ve seen – by any illiterate retard – in a long time‘. Lou is often cranky. Hard to imagine, but it’s true!
It’s pretty well established that among other reasons, Dylan was one of the presiding factors in causing Edie to leave the Factory crowd. Edie was repeatedly cast in several of Warhol’s films, but she — along with other Factory members — would often have to chase Andy down in order to get paid for their time, and Edie thought she’d be better off in the non-underground film circuit. Dylan just happened to visit the Factory at the right time, and persuaded her to leave.
I’ve never liked Dylan. He’s a mutterer, and I don’t like mutterers.
Personally, I was hoping they’d cast that luscious wee Keira Knightley as Edie, but going by the pictures, Sienna Miller makes a rather good Dopplegänger. Surprisingly enough, Guy Pearce seems to make for a good Warhol as well. As long as it reasonably sticks to her life and history, I’ll be happy…
Interestingly enough, Edie died of a barbiturate overdose exactly one year before and one day after my birthday. ‘Factory girl‘ is also due in the theatres sometime this year
Technorati tags: Joy division, Ian Curtis, Anton Corbijn, Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol, Factory girl
Random similar posts, for more timewasting:
18 May 1980 on May 18th, 2011
18 May 1980 on May 18th, 2007
February 18th, 2007 at 7.17 pm
The Warhol movie looks interesting, despite the red flag hoisted by Lou Reed. Given that he knew her and hates the screenplay makes me go “Hmm…” though. In any event, and with that “review” taken into consideration, it might still be enjoyable to watch. Guy Pearce is a versatile actor (and a Kate Bush fan!) and should present a good portrayal of Andy; dunno about Sienna/Edie. I haven’t seen her act yet, though I do remember Edie. Hopefully it’ll at least be a good snapshot of the time 🙂
But H. Christensen as Dylan??? o.O OMFG is all I can acronymize…
BTW, I’m sure you’re aware of the movie “twentythree” coming out soon? (I think that’s the title.) The gals are all betting that you’ll be present and accounted for for that one!
Regards to you and the luverly Missus,
PBS and said gals
February 20th, 2007 at 12.23 am
illiterate retard?
Eh, I think I might want to watch it just to see a movie penned by such a mind.
February 20th, 2007 at 2.39 pm
SafeT –
When Lou mentioned ‘illiterate retard’, at first I thought ‘Uwe Boll’s directing this??’ No, this is a different illiterate retard. 🙂 Like I’d said, as long as they don’t completely screw it up, it’ll be sound as a pound. I’ve read ‘Edie: An American girl’ several times, so I’ll know…
PBS and the goils –
Marika (Sweetie’s Organik sis) mentioned ‘The Number 23’ not too long ago, and surprisingly enough, I’ve not yet looked into it! You can file that under ‘laziness’. 🙂
Guy Pearce is a Kate Bush fan? Well done, sir. *nods approvingly* But yeah, H. Christensen as ‘Dylan’? If that’s the case, there had better be a scene with him meeting Warhol, and Warhol saying, ‘Give it up, Folk Singer, I have the high ground!’ After which he leaps into the air, and swiftly cuts off Folk Singer’s legs with his light sabre. 🙂
Liberties: really, that’s my biggest issue. Like one of the things that rankled me up and down about Oliver Stone’s ‘The Doors’ was the scene where the Doors meet Andy Warhol and his entourage at the Factory. Never happened. Andy, his hangers-on, the Velvets all hated the Doors. The Velvets were hard-edged, cynical New Yorkers, whereas the Doors represented all that facile West coast hippy shit. So that always got on my wick that that was in the film. However, it was fab seeing Crispin Glover playing Warhol… So if anything’s amiss in ‘Factory girl’, I will find the director and CRUSH HIM.
*makes Borat-style crushing gesture*
February 24th, 2007 at 5.26 pm
i never gave dylan a chance, but, being my pa’s gotten back into him in a big way (musta’ hurt someone) ‘of late’ i’ve been trying to put him near the fro a’ the “chance line” (as you know: i must hear EVERYTHING) . . .
but after (read: during) i saw “don’t look back” & the big “d” being a big (read” tiny) dodgy cock (as in, “i am cool because i can evade/dodge all committal statements & pick on geeky-ass donovan & ‘square’ reporters like a twelve year old with an entourage”) my hopes for the old man soured with a quickness . . .
but i shall here forth keep it simple & quote dave:
I’ve never liked Dylan. He’s a mutterer, and I don’t like mutterers.
(even if it leaves me an occasional hypocrite) . . .
:l
p.s./incidently: merzbow didn’t get “wear your love like heaven” from sarah Mc, SHE got it from donovan . . . there ya’ go . . .
did i already mention that, i’d/’ve been meaning to for sooo long . . .
p.p.s. . . . the title “factory girl” sure does sound like it could be about the joy division era, no? sychroplicity . . .
February 27th, 2007 at 8.19 pm
Yes, D.C., re: Guy Pearce; there’s to be an interview with him in the next “HomeGround” magazine. He’s been a fan for some time. I think Laura Dern is as well; she may have even interviewed Kate IIRC. KB may not be very big over here, but artists, peers, and People Who Know do appreciate her Work 🙂
She’s an acquired taste, much like any true great artist, such as Warhol, Reed, or Dylan. Their Work doesn’t appeal to everyone, but that doesn’t diminish the importance of their contributions to the craft, the art.
“The Doors” pissed me off for much the same reasons as it did you, but having been through the Haight Street scene knew that he was also perpetuating THAT as stereotypical BS as well. But I suspected that the Doors never hooked up with Andy at The Factory; thanks for verifying that! It looked really out of place.
The various S.F., L.A., N.Y.C. and London scenes were all different, and the denizens most often were NOT the wanna-be’s, the phoneys, and spacers one sees in recreations of those days. “Summer-of-Love”-era S.F. gets more than it’s share of ridicule for my liking, and the vogue of “hippie-haters” has long since grown tiresome. It was something else quite different, going through it, than anything I’ve seen (mis)represented so far. They were the happiest years of my life, until the implosion anyway.
But what ya gonna do? People believe what the media foists on them without question. And to paraphrase the old Rolling Stones song, nowadays everybody needs somebody to hate. Look around, if ya don’t believe me LOL
On the whole, I still think “Love” is bettah 😉
Kindest regards,
PBS, Lily, and Eden
March 1st, 2007 at 8.36 pm
zszszsz –
You’re right, ‘Factory girl’ could’ve been related to Tony Wilson’s empire. Only thing is, I can’t think of any noteworthy lasses that worked at Factory Records apart from Gillian Gilbert, and she was post-Joy division…
Me, a mutterer? Bleagh! 🙂
And that was Masonna, not Merzbow, who had the song entitled ‘Wear your love like heaven’. Close, though. Which makes it a cover of a cover of a cover??
PB Shellay, and the laydayz –
Oddly enough, regarding Warhol: as an artist, his style was trend-setting, but it doesn’t move or shake me on any level higher than ‘he was the first to do what he did’. l enjoy Warhol the person much more than I enjoy Warhol the artist, and even then, I have virtually no interest in him after his Sixties years.
It’s like Robin ‘Spazzy/Hairy’ Williams once said, If you can remember the Sixties, you weren’t really there. 🙂 Unfortunately, I can only view that era in the role of a tourist, whereas you have the benefit of being a veteran, as it were. I suppose had I grown up in that time period, my views might well be radically different — well, really, that goes without saying.
It’s rivalries and clan attitudes, the whole East coast vs. West coast thing. It’s like how I like Manchester Utd, and my friend Zip Gun backs Arsenal. We can both admit that either team has great players; it’s just whichever one we choose to follow. As long as it isn’t Chelsea. 😉
Apart from some basic sense of ‘belonging to such-and-such group’, who knows how these things continue to flourish?
In short, enjoy who you enjoy, no matter where they’re from, I suppose. I had to stop the rambling at some point. 🙂
March 2nd, 2007 at 4.23 pm
Ah yes! “Perspectives!” Thanks for putting it in yours, as it were 🙂
Wasn’t it Warhol who said something like “I can’t remember what I did yesterday; I only move forwards through time?” Or something pretty close? I’ve always felt like that myself (which does explain a lot LOL). Always looking forward, never behind. Or remembering stuff 😛
Hm… perhaps it also has to do with Satchel Paige’s “Don’t look back; something might be gaining on you” quote, which, oddly enough, Dylan cribbed for his “Don’t Look Back” title (I believe).
Speaking of spokenings, I *think* that Robin’s quote you mentioned above was uttered by Grace (Jefferson Airplane) Slick. Depending on what she recalls, her biography would be a fascinating read (for me anyway LOL)…
What *I* can recall of the Sixties was a whole lot of fun; the tears were washed away eventually. It was tough getting along when the rest of Society at the time hated you, people threatened, insulted, harrassed you, and they, the police, and the press hounded you ALL BECAUSE YOU HAD LONG HAIR! :O
Plus, they didn’t like the fact that you didn’t care about what they felt about you, nor did you do what they wanted to make you do; and then even had the nerve to fight back when pressed upon to the edge. “Silly flower-bearing hippies! Fall down when we beat on you!” Easy targets, but difficult victims when the victims don’t whine, but get angry…
That’s when they brought in the Tac Squad to clear the streets. And that’s when we got radicalized, and we all know how radicals are! LOL
Ooo! What is that I’m standing on?? A soapbox! How did that get there? Sorree! *gets off soapbox, picks it up, and strolls away*
Cheers to you and the luscious Sidore-chan 🙂
March 5th, 2007 at 6.07 pm
noooo, i meant I was/am a(n occasional chronic) mutterer . . .
but of course i DO know the liberating joys of self hate PRETTY well . . .
i’m trying to try to want to want to do better (worse?) . . . !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!