Control (2007)

Sam Riley: Ian Curtis

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Quotes 

• Ian Curtis : Existence. Well, what does it matter? I exist on the best terms I can. The past is now part of my future. The present is well out of hand.

• Ian Curtis : So this is permanence; love-shattered pride. What once was innocence, has turned on its side.

• Ian Curtis : I struggle between what I know is right in my own mind, and some warped truthfulness as seen through other people's eyes who have no heart, and can't see the difference anyway.

• Ian Curtis : I don't want to be in the band anymore. Unknown Pleasures was it. I was happy. I never meant for it to grow like this. When I'm up there, singing they don't understand how much I give and how it affects me. Now they want more. They expect me to give more. And I don't know if I can. It's like it's not happening to me, but... someone pretending to be me, someone dressed in my skin. Now we're going to America. I have no control anymore. I don't know what to do.

• Ian Curtis : Side effects include: drowsiness, apathy, and blurred vision... I'm taking two.

• Ian Curtis : When you look at your life, in a strange new room, maybe drowning soon, is this the start of it all?

• Ian Curtis : I wish I were a Warhol silk screen hanging on the wall. Or little Joe or maybe Lou. I'd love to be them all. All New York's broken hearts and secrets would be mine. I'd put you on a movie reel, and that would be just fine.

• Annik Honore : Ian...

  Ian Curtis : Hmm?

  Annik Honore : I'm a little scared.

  Ian Curtis : Scared of what?

  Annik Honore : Scared of falling in love with you.

• Ian Curtis : [handing Tony Wilson a piece of paper]  Joy Division, you cunt!

• Studio Owner : What are you lot called again?

  Ian Curtis : We were Warsaw. Now we're Joy Division.

  Peter Hook aka Hooky : Excuse me, but what happened to Slaves of Venus?

  Bernard Sumner : Hooky!

  Peter Hook aka Hooky : All right. Joy Division is good.

  Studio Owner : Joy Division, eh? What's all that about?

  Ian Curtis : It's the name of a brothel German soldiers used during the Second World War.

  Studio Owner : Well, whatever. Studio's yours.

• Annik Honore : What is the most beautiful thing you've seen in your life?

  Steve Morris : I saw a beautiful drum kit down at Johnny Roadhouse's shop once.

  Annik Honore : What about music? Is that beautiful?

  Ian Curtis : Some of it.

  Annik Honore : What about Joy Division's music?

  Ian Curtis : Some of it, yeah, but some of it's not meant to be beautiful.

• Ian Curtis : You can't be in my gang if you don't smoke.

  Debbie Curtis : Don't wanna be in your gang.

  Ian Curtis : Neither do I.

• Ian Curtis : So, what do you like doing, Colin?

  Colin : Watching telly.

  Ian Curtis : Apart from watching telly?

  Colin : Hmm, having breakfast, lunch and tea.

  Ian Curtis : Food? Well, that's a start. There's plenty of jobs that involve food.

  Colin : And watch telly.

  Ian Curtis : So you like food and watching telly?

  Colin : That's right.

  Ian Curtis : Well, there's a job here working at Knutsford Cinema, behind the hot dog counter. How does that sound?

  Colin : I do not like hot dogs!

  Ian Curtis : OK. Well, should we give 'em a ring anyway?

• Peter Hook aka Hooky : I'd never stand for that.

  Bernard Sumner : What?

  Peter Hook aka Hooky : Being called something like "the Buzzcocks".

  Steve Morris : What are you on about?

  Peter Hook aka Hooky : I don't know. I don't mind the Buzz bit, but calling themselves Cocks. I don't get it.

  Ian Curtis : Well, they're not calling themselves the Cocks, are they? They're calling themselves the Buzzcocks.

  Peter Hook aka Hooky : Still got the word "cock" in it, though, ain't it? Just saying I wouldn't stand for it, that's all.

• Ian Curtis : Do you want to sleep with other men?

  Debbie Curtis : That's a strange question.

  Ian Curtis : Because, if you did, it would be OK. I'd be OK.

  Debbie Curtis : Are you being serious? When you say a thing like that, it makes me think you don't love me anymore.

  Ian Curtis : I don't think I do.

• Ian Curtis : You're mine. Irretrievably.

• Ian Curtis : He didn't even say if he liked it, or anything.

  Bernard Sumner : Of course he liked it.

  Ian Curtis : Well, how do you know?

  Bernard Sumner : He waved it in front of the camera, like that.

• Ian Curtis : It's all coming apart.

  Tony Wilson : No, it's all coming together. Tonight was great. It'll go down in history. You remember Lou Reed at the Free Trade Hall?

  Ian Curtis : The riot?

  Tony Wilson : That's right, the fuckin' riot. Best gig I've ever been to.