Possibly the greatest official tribute video ever made, "Joy Division: Atmosphere" was directed by a close friend of the band, then photographer now turned film director Anton Corbijn, who went on to direct several other clips (U2 mostly) and "Control" which tells Ian Curtis and Joy Division story, a perfect homage to one of the greatest rock bands of all time. With this clip, released a few years after the group dissolution in 1980 due to Curtis death, Corbijn delivers a clip tribute to the band, introduces a beautiful song to new audiences and creates a more conceptual visual clip than Joy Division's previous clip effort, which was "Love Will Tear us Apart", back when Ian was still alive and it's just a band performing the song.
Filmed in black-and-white, containing still photos of the band - but mostly Ian, this is truly a tribute to him - the main image of the film consists of monk like characters (black and/or white robe, hoodie covering their faces and they're always distant from us) walking on a beach, carrying a strange object or a gigantic picture of Ian Curtis, one of the several iconic photographs Corbijn took from him and the band. As background, the melancholic yet powerful sound of music, Joy's most beautiful and peaceful song ever. The sound is poetic and the video goes the same way. Pure poetry in motion. It's hard not to feel moved by it. A spiritual and visual meditation of the senses which makes you feel at ease, completely relaxed and in a pure state of enjoyment and calm. No other clip has ever done such effect on me during all these years. 10/10
Filmed in black-and-white, containing still photos of the band - but mostly Ian, this is truly a tribute to him - the main image of the film consists of monk like characters (black and/or white robe, hoodie covering their faces and they're always distant from us) walking on a beach, carrying a strange object or a gigantic picture of Ian Curtis, one of the several iconic photographs Corbijn took from him and the band. As background, the melancholic yet powerful sound of music, Joy's most beautiful and peaceful song ever. The sound is poetic and the video goes the same way. Pure poetry in motion. It's hard not to feel moved by it. A spiritual and visual meditation of the senses which makes you feel at ease, completely relaxed and in a pure state of enjoyment and calm. No other clip has ever done such effect on me during all these years. 10/10
