24 Hour Party People (MGM/UA)
Available Now on DVD/VHS
Review by Meghann
Iadmit I had been anticipating a film or documentary that could encapsulate
the evolution of Mancunian music scene for a long time, being a fan
of everything to emerge out of the city since the end of the 70s (if
were omitting the Sultans of Ping FC), and am pleased to announce that
I found everything I was searching for in 24 Hour Party People. Steve
Coogan (playing Factory executive Tony Wilson) paints us an often-hilarious
portrait of the makings of the Madchester music scene, from the formation
of Factory with Joy Division, to the demise of the Hacienda nightclub.
Mr. Wilsons character development in the movie also articulately maps
out the expansion of the UK music scene, from its revolutionary growth
in the punk and new wave movement (documenting the formation of bands
like Stiff Little Fingers, The Buzzcocks, and Warsaw) to the development
of a new, danceable cultural phenomena known as the Madchester scene,
and why the escapism the new subculture offered was so sorely sought
after in Britain. The severity of the drug use that followed the birth
of Madchester (its primary vessel exemplified in the film: Sean Ryder,
go figure) also documents the poor economy and social class barriers
that Manchester has been struggling with for decades, thus showing how
these two primary influences merged together made for a fast disappearing
act of the genre, and how club islands like Ibitha quickly took over
the reins.
Granted, my interest in the film was more fixated on the content surrounding
Joy Division and New Order, the two artists to break Factory Records
into the mainstream. The movie helps shed some light on the short life
of Ian Curtis, without placing emphasis entirely on his epilepsy and
battles with depression. This sort of portrait was sorely needed in
order to depict Curtis as a human being, as opposed to a machine of
suffering. Following his death in the movie, they seem to have been
historically accurate in piecing together the reformation of the band
as New Order as well, although some factoids that would have given some
clarity to their rise prior to the release of Blue Monday would have
been helpful in getting the full scope of the groups evolution.
Whether youre interested in the pill-popping zealots of the Hacienda
nightclub, or the emerging late-80s talent of The Stone Roses or The
Inspiral Carpets, this movie works at every angle. I applaud Michael
Winterbottom for pulling off a film that has so much time and ground
to cover, while still standing on historically accurate ground (honest:
they even give disclaimers if something is fiction), as well as incorporating
some amazing cameos in the movie (look for Christopher Eccleston playing
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