SHADOWPLAYERS
FACTORY RECORDS & MANCHESTER POST-PUNK 1978-81
a film by james nice

LTM are proud to present Shadowplayers, a feature-length documentary tracing the early history of iconic Manchester record label Factory Records between 1978 and 1981.  For screening enquiries click here.


Cat No: LTMDVD 2391

The Facts and fictions are explored through candid interviews with 22 key participants, including Anthony H. Wilson (founder) and Peter Saville (designer), as well as musicians including Peter Hook (Joy Division/New Order), Vini Reilly (Durutti Column), Simon Topping and Martin Moscrop (A Certain Ratio), Chris Watson (Cabaret Voltaire) and Howard Devoto (Buzzcocks/Magazine).

Other interviews include members of Section 25, Crispy Ambulance, The Names, Minny Pops, Swamp Children and Thick Pigeon, as well as other eyewitnesses and insiders such as Richard Boon, Annik Honore, Lindsay Reade, Richard Jobson, Graham Massey and Killing Joke.

The film runs for 2 hours 15 minutes and is divided into 19 chapters, covering subjects such as The Factory Club, sleeve art and graphic design, genius producer Martin Hannett, the riot at the Joy Division concert at Bury in April 1980, the Factory Benelux connection, the tragic suicide of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, the beginnings of New Order, and the decline of the post-punk culture in 1981.

Shadowplayers is based exclusively on new spoken word interviews, with soundtrack music by Section 25 and New Order, and rare images and graphics. The cover art is based on the first Factory design (Fac 1) by Peter Saville from 1978.

The DVD is available as a Region 0 NTSC disc. DVD extras include individual profiles for each interviewee. To read auto-interview with film maker James Nice click here.


SHADOWPLAYERS: detailed content (19 chapters):

1. USE HEARING PROTECTION - The Factory Club, May 1978- April 1980
2. A FACTORY SAMPLE - 2x 7" single (Fac 2) released January 1979, featuring Durutti Column, Cabaret Voltaire, John Dowie and Joy Division
3. FACTORY FOREMEN -Five heterosexual directors: Tony Wilson, Alan Erasmus, Peter Saville, Rob Gretton and Martin Hannett.
4. UNKNOWN PLEASURES - Joy Division's debut album (Fact 10) was released in May 1979, produced by Martin Hannett
5. ZERO - Martin Hannett, record producer
6. SITUATIONIST GROUP - Vini Reilly and The Durutti Column
7. THE THIN BOYS - The first single by A Certain Ratio, All Night Party (Fac 5), appeared in May 1979. With no drummer
8. LARRY AND VINNY - Section 25 are from Blackpool, Lancashire
9. GET IN THE VAN - Heads, tales, Cocks and Jokers on the road
10. RUE DE MANCHESTER - Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire play Plan K, Brussels, 16 October 1979
11. THE RAINBOW - On 4 April 1980 Joy Division played two London venues, The Rainbow and The Moonlight Club
12. FACTORY BENELUX - Friends in Belgium (and Holland)
13. DISORDER - Bury Derby Hall, 8 April 1980
14. IN A LONELY PLACE - 18 May 1980. On the eve of Joy Division's first American tour, Ian Curtis hangs himself at home in Macclesfield
15. BENEATH THE PAVEMENT - New Order debut at The Beach Club, Manchester, on 29 July 1980
16. OF FACTORY AMERICA - New Order and A Certain Ratio in New York, September 1980
17. FUTURISTS - The first New Order album, Movement (Fact 18), was released in November 1981
18. CHOIR BOYS - Schoolboy lyrics and timbales: Simon Topping and Vini Reilly
19. LIKE PUNK NEVER HAPPENED - 1981: new pop, old ways
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