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Posts with tag kurt cobain

'Chicago 10' Director Will Take on Kurt Cobain Next

Filed under: Documentary », Deals », DIY/Filmmaking », Movie Marketing »

I guess that collectively we are not finished raking over the coals of the story of Kurt Cobain. Collider recently spoke with Chicago 10 director, Brett Morgen, and found out that up next will be a 'mixed-media' doc about the reluctant rock star. Morgen is best known for the Robert Evans doc, The Kid Stays in the Picture. His follow up was the counter-culture flick, Chicago 10, which premiered at Sundance in 2007 to some decidedly mixed reviews. Still, Morgen hasn't been swayed from his trademark style, and the Cobain film will make use of animation, video, and film. Morgen told Collider that the Cobain film would make use of Cobain's personal artifacts and archival footage of the band. More importantly for fans, the film will also include some rarely seen stop-motion animation that Cobain had created.

Morgen is planning on starting the film in the next few months, and has apparently gotten the 'all-clear' from Cobain's widow, the infamous Courtney Love. Morgen's film will mark the third documentary about Cobain in 10 years (1998's Kurt and Courtney, and 2006's Kurt Cobain: About a Son). It makes you wonder what could possibly be left to say about the 'Martyr of Grunge'? As Morgen sees it, "The reason Kurt still resonates all over the world-you go anywhere all over this planet and you'll find kids who have Kurt tattooed on their arms. It's because he spoke-he was able to articulate his experiences as an alienated, disenfranchised kid and that's why I think his music is still relevant today and resonates all over the world and I think we have to make the film that's in every one of those kid's heads that represents them." I can't help but think that maybe it's about time we let Cobain rest in peace, don't you?

[via First Showing]

David Benioff Writing Kurt Cobain Biopic

Filed under: Drama », Music & Musicals », Casting », Universal », Celebrities and Controversy », Fandom », Scripts »

Nirvana held on to its legacy for about a decade, but little by little their power and mystery is being stripped away. When I first started hearing their music in movies and television, it didn't bother me nearly as much as I expected it to. "All Apologies" was used brilliantly in a late episode of Six Feet Under. "Something in the Way" was put to good use for an effective scene in Jarhead. But then, it all started to fall apart. "Breed" used in Shoot 'Em Up and a baseball video game? Eight Nirvana songs used, badly, on Cold Case? Just how much heroin money does Courtney Love need? Lately, several films have dealt with the life of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Gus van Sant gave us the staggeringly boring Last Days. I'm eager to see the new documentary Kurt Cobain: About a Son. And Variety has just announced a big-screen adaptation of what many consider the definitive Cobain biography -- Charles Cross' excellent Heavier Than Heaven.

Apparently, "the producers and studio would not address whether they had locked down music rights, or the nature of the story they are trying to tell." Cobain's widow Courtney Love is listed as an executive producer, so I'd imagine they'll have pretty unlimited access to Nirvana's vaults. No director has been announced, but David Benioff will write the script. That makes me a little more comfortable with the idea, because I think he's a fantastic writer. Benioff adapted his novel The 25th Hour for Spike Lee, and that's one of my favorite films of the decade. Still, the whole thing fills me with unease. So much of this could go very wrong and further tarnish the Nirvana legacy. I wonder what they're going to do about Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl? Won't it be a little odd to see those two portrayed by actors? And since their relationship with producer Love is so strained, what if she paints them in a negative light? Ewan McGregor was rumored to play Cobain at the beginning of the year (I could see that), and something tells me Jared Leto is calling his agent as we speak. Ugh. Who would you cast?

'Kurt Cobain About A Son' Picked Up By Balcony

Filed under: Documentary », Independent », Seattle », Distribution », Toronto International Film Festival », Cinematical Indie », AFI Dallas »

I've now missed seeing A.J. Schnack's film Kurt Cobain About a Son at least three times -- last year at Toronto, and this year at both AFI Dallas and Seattle. But now, thank goodness and all things flannel and depressing, I'll have another chance to see it, and so will you. Over at indieWIRE, Eugene Hernandez posted the other day that Balcony Releasing will debut the film at the IFC Center in New York City on October 3, followed by a Los Angeles opening at the Nuart a few days later. The film will play Seattle, Cobain's hometown, at The Varsity on October 12, and will get a DVD release early next year.

If you're not familiar with the film (read more about it on its official website) it's based on some 25 hours of previously unheard audio interviews with Cobain conducted about a year before Cobain's suicide by Michael Azerrad as research and background for his book Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana. In the interviews, Cobain discusses everything from his childhood, to music, to dealing with fame. I was a little old when Nivrana's album Nevermind came out to start dressing in flannel shirts and ripped jeans, but I've always loved Nirvana's music. Cobain's angst, no doubt, felt very personal to him, but his music conveyed those emotions universally; anyone who's been an adolescent and felt isolated from the status quo could find comfort and commonality in Nirvana's music.

October seems a long way off at the moment, but here's a roundup of write-ups of the film, which is currently sitting at 83% with a smattering of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, to get you excited about it in the meantime. Oh, and when you're done with that, you can check out Schnacks' blog, All these wonderful things, where his latest post takes on the issue that's been taking the film and book blogging worlds by storm this week: embargoes. It's a well-written piece, so check it out.

"In 'Kurt Cobain About a Son,' Director AJ Schnack takes a fresh approach to non-fiction storytelling, turning the idea of the traditional music doc on its head ..." -- Jonny Leahan for indieWIRE


"It's clear almost immediately that Kurt Cobain: About a Son has little to offer detractors of the deceased Nirvana singer, though AJ Schnack's directorial choices admittedly lend the proceedings a surprisingly artful sort of vibe."
--
Reel Film's Toronto 2006 Update

"This film is not a typical rockumentary full of celebrity and friendly talking heads, archival concert footage or anecdotes and pictures from Kurt's past. What this is, simply, is Kurt Cobain's voice, carrying on an extended conversation."
-- Mark Bell, Film Threat


"Impressionistic docu "Kurt Cobain About a Son" is a counterpoint to the iconic late Nirvana rocker's legacy."
-- Dennis Harvey, Variety

Excerpt from Kurt Cobain Documentary Now Online

Filed under: Documentary », Independent », Music & Musicals », Cinematical Indie »

You might remember long ago, way back in that old year of 2005, when Cinematical first wrote about the Kurt Cobain documentary in the works -- the one that would use hours of audio interviews with the music icon that band biographer Michael Azzerad had recorded. Now the film, which is called Kurt Cobain: About a Son, has been traveling the festival circuits and getting decent reviews. While there has been no word on a regular theatrical run or DVD release, the Documentary Blog has recently posted a YouTube link showing a clip of the film.

The clip shows Cobain talking about how he's "pissed off at everything, in general." While he describes that his songs are his battle with the things that anger him, the doc shows subdued pictures of a ferry, water, sunset and other calm scenes -- a pretty noticeable juxtaposition with the anger the Nirvana frontman is talking about. So, basically, if you love the man, you'll want to see this to hear him speak -- but it doesn't look like you can expect much more than his words and a beautiful slide show. It's his words matched with visuals, rather than his words matched with contextual images of his life and the things he is talking about. I imagine this is one of those love or hate sort of films, and hopefully we'll get a chance to see soon enough. In the meantime, you might want to check out the doc's soundtrack -- it's a pretty funk melange of music featuring tunes from Bad Brains, Arlo Guthrie, David Bowie and more.

Sundance Review: Ghosts

Filed under: Drama », Independent », Sundance », Theatrical Reviews », Cinematical Indie »




Nick Broomfield is well known for his documentary films like Kurt and Courtney, Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam, and Fetishes, but this is his first time working with a script on a narrative film. At least, that's what he'd like to have you believe. He told us during the Q&A that he had previously made a scripted film, but that it was, "such shit, and no one ever saw it." Thankfully, Ghosts was extremely compelling and has hopefully encouraged him to make more scripted films.

While this isn't a documentary film, Broomfield worked with what he knew and this movie is filmed very documentary-style. The cameras are mostly handheld, and at times subtitles will pop up at the bottom of the screen with information like: "These workers typically make £30 per month" and so on. It isn't jarring enough to take you out of the story, but what it cleverly manages to do is make you feel like you're watching a documentary subject at times.

Ewan McGregor as Kurt Cobain?

Filed under: Drama », Music & Musicals », Casting », RumorMonger »

Just as one bit of news comes out, the rumors start to spin into one hell of a hurricane. Last week I shared news that Courtney Love had acquired the rights to Charles Cross' Cobain biopic, Heavier than Heaven. It was in an "embryonic" stage, and there was no further word. Now it seems there is, although it's sketchy whether this is full-stop, accurate news, or just the hopeful rumor and buzz of those interested in the biopic of the legendary Nirvana frontman.

According to Virgin's movie news, Ewan McGregor is on his way to becoming Mr. Cobain, news I'm sure Cinematical reader Kaonashi will be happy to hear -- "If anyone is to play Cobain, it has to be Ewan McGregor." According to the buzz, a source for the Daily Express newspaper shared: "A number of actors have been talked about for the role but Ewan has emerged as the number one choice. Despite being 35, he looks young enough to play him." Considering that Love was just shopping around at studios, there's a good chance this is wishful thinking, but only time will tell. She's also quoted as saying that it will be an "A-list and high-end film."

That seems to end my hopes that Buffy co-star Amber Benson would be Ms. Love ... but, more importantly, would Ewan be the right choice? Sure, he doesn't look terribly weathered, but he also doesn't look like he's in his twenties. Is there anyone younger who could possibly play Cobain that won't make the upcoming film look like an episode of 90210? There's Jared Leto with the acting and music ability, and yeah, that's it. I'm tapped out. Do you have any better ideas?

Courtney's Cobain Biopic

Filed under: Drama », Music & Musicals », RumorMonger », Fandom »

This spring will mark the 13th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. Considering all of the sticky stigma surrounding his relationship with Courtney Love and his subsequent death, it seems eerily fitting that news of an official Cobain biopic is rising as the unlucky 13th year arrives. There are websites dedicated towards the possibility that Kurt was murdered, and Courtney has often been likened to Yoko Ono. Whatever the truth might be, Nirvana fans are fiercely loyal and protective of the frontman, and are sure to have much to say about the upcoming biopic buzz.

Yesterday, Hollywood.com reported that Courtney Love has nabbed the film rights to Charles Cross' Heavier Than Heaven, a popular and oft-considered definitive biography of Kurt Cobain. Apparently there is news on her fansite, MoonWashedRose about the film being in the embryonic stage, but all I've found are notes on her diaries and Billy Corgan smooches. It'll be interesting to see if the flick gets off the ground, since Love has had anything but a smooth and productive life, but then again, Mel Gibson helped get her clean, so maybe she really is back on the road to Hollywood. And if this movie gets off the ground, who on earth will play them? Will Michael Pitt take an official stab at the grunge legend? Who would play Courtney? Amber Benson?

Kurt Cobain in Pulp Fiction?

Filed under: Comedy », Drama », RumorMonger », DIY/Filmmaking », Quentin Tarantino »

On a relatively slow news day, here's a story I found somewhat interesting. Prior to his death in 1994, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love were offered small roles in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Had Cobain not turned down the role, pic would have marked his feature debut as an actor and, since he died shortly after, there's a possibility the film would have deterred him from committing suicide. But that's just my own wacky speculation.

Can you guess who the couple would have played? No, not Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (Amanda Plummer) -- although that would have been rather hilarious and disturbing to watch. Had they hopped onboard, Cobain and Love would have taken on the roles of a neurotic drug dealer and his heavily pierced edgy girlfriend. However, after the Nirvana singer passed, Eric Stoltz and Rosanna Arquette came along and snatched the memorable characters up.

While I'm sure Love would have maintained the hyper-active absurdity Arquette brought to the role, I have a feeling Cobain might have toned down the comedic anxiety present in Stoltz's character. What do you think?

Scarlett doesn't believe in monogamy! Celebrities gone wild!

Filed under: RumorMonger », Celebrities and Controversy », Celebrities Gone Wild! »

  • Good news for all you guys waiting for your shot: Scarlett Johannson says she doesn't believe in monogamy. "I don't believe humans are monogamous creatures by nature", Johannson said while promoting the Woody Allen flick Match Point, in which she costars. Frat boys everywhere reportedly high-fived each other in agreement.
  • Is Jonathon Rhys-Meyers secretly a girl? Johannson also says she would never date her Match Point costar, because he likes gossip and shoes and was "like a girlfriend on the set". Not the best image you want to project as a sexy leading man, perhaps.
  • Tori Spelling is apparently really bored from all the lack of real work to focus on. Not only is she now engaged to actor Dean McDermott before the ink is dry on her divorce, but she's already planning a spring or summer wedding. Dang, Tori! You might want to think about maybe taking the time to get over one failed relationship, before launching another equally doomed one.
  • Courtney Love stopped making payments on the house late husband Kurt Cobain's sister, Kim, was living in back in December, and now the house has been foreclosed on, having failed to sell at auction. Love could have saved the house by paying out some $386,000 owed on it, but it seems she didn't want to. Bet that whole situation made for some fun family holiday gatherings. It's not the first time Love has had financial issues - her New York condo was almost foreclosed on back in August and the condo board had some liens filed against her for unpaid charges. Question is, does Love not pay her bills because she doesn't want to, because she's too stoned to remember when to send checks in, or because she's just too damn lazy and/or cheap to hire and accountant to keep up with things for her?

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