Anton Corbine, a Dutchman living in the UK, is a multi-faceted creative person. Among his talents it is difficult to single out the main one. Corbine is known as a photo artist, video maker and director. His career has always been closely connected with the world of rock music. The arrival of the Dutch director in great cinema was a resounding success. The number of films in the creation of which Anton Corbijn took part can be counted on the fingers of one hand. However, each of his paintings became an event in the world of cinema and attracted the attention of the public.
Early biography
Anton Corbijn was born in the Netherlands in 1955. In Dutch pronunciation, the director's last name sounds like Corbane. The future world-famous master of visual images spent his childhood in the city of Streyen, located on the island. His only entertainment in a quiet provincial settlement was reading music magazines. This predetermined the sphere of interests of Corbine.
After the head of the family, a Protestant priest, was appointed to the post of pastor in the parish of the Reformed Church in the city of Groningen, the boy had the opportunity to attend the performances of various musical groups. Anton Corbine took a camera with him to concerts. This was his first stage shooting experience. Soon, the work of a novice photographer interested in one of the music magazines. Anton Corbine moved to London and completely immersed himself in the world of cult rock bands. He sought to convey to the audience through the camera lens the incredible atmosphere of their life and work. Anton Corbine and his photographs have become an integral part of rock culture.
Movie work
For the first time, the photographer tried his hand as a director in the early 80s. He took part in the creation of a music video for the German rock band Palais Schaumburg. Subsequently, directing the videos turned into Corbin's main creative activity. The next stage in career development was the work on a short documentary dedicated to the popular American experimental musician Don Van Vliet.
Corbijn's debut in big cinema turned into a real triumph. The 2007 film “Control” made a deep impression on the audience and critics with its originality. The biographical drama about the bright and short life of the singer and musician Ian Curtis was named one of the best British films of recent times.
The rapid success of the debut work opened up broad prospects in the cinema. In 2010, Hollywood producers wished that Anton Corbine took the director's chair on the set of the American thriller. The filmography of the Dutch master was replenished with a high-budget picture, the main role in which was played by the famous and charismatic actor George Clooney. In 2014, one more directorial work of Corbine was released - the film "The Most Dangerous Man", based on the eponymous spy novel by John Le Carré.
"Control"
The story told in the debut motion picture of the main photographer of rock culture does not contain any fiction. British musician Ian Curtis, the protagonist of a biographical drama, was a friend of Corbin. The film "Control" in 2007 was shot according to the script, which was based on the memoirs of a widow of a rock idol.
Ian Curtis became known as the leader and vocalist of the band Joy Division, which performed music in the style of post-punk. His talent and irresistible temperament fascinated the public. The punk band surely gained popularity, but Curtis paid a very high price for quick success. He suffered from depression and bouts of epilepsy. Concerts that required the full return of mental and physical strength gradually killed the singer. In addition, Curtis was torn by internal contradictions related to his personal life. The rock idol was tormented by a sense of guilt before his wife, which was caused by his relationship with another woman. Unable to find a way out of this situation, Ian Curtis committed suicide at the age of 23 years.
Creative union
The tragic image of a rock musician was embodied on the screen by novice British actor Sam Riley. His first role was extremely successful and brought nominations for many cinematic awards. The film by Anton Corbijn turned Sam Riley into a new rising star. The emotional play of the leading actor and the ingenuity of the director, who made a bold decision to make the picture black and white, helped the drama "Control" become an outstanding film worth watching.