There are basically three versions of Kurt Cobain. The alternative rock superstar who lived brightly and burned hard in the public spotlight. The husband, father and friend that only those closest to him knew about. And the rocker presented in history books, documentaries and more, that tend to mix fact, fiction, and mythology. The latest document of the Nirvana frontman’s life is "Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck," which has generally received rave reviews sing premiering at the Sundance Film Festival (here’s our take). But one voice is speaking out directly against the film.
READ MORE: Watch: First Trailer For Roc Doc ‘Cobain: Montage Of Heck’ Brings Teen Spirit
The Melvins‘ Buzz Osborne has penned a piece for The Talkhouse, slamming the documentary for presenting a string of untruths and chastising director Brett Morgen and his team for failing to fact-check some of the tales told in the film. Here are some excerpts of what Osborne had to say:
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I find it amusing that the filmmakers never bothered to fact-check simple stuff like this, and just took Kurt and Courtney at their word. That’s a bit risky when you’re supposed to be making a behind-the-scenes documentary—but not surprising considering that not a lot of what’s out there about Kurt is the truth anyway. But no one seems to care. Unfortunately, it matters very little what the facts are; what matters is what people believe. And when it comes to Cobain, most of what they believe is fabricated nonsense. Montage of Heck does nothing to counter that. With that in mind, it’s really hard to take any of this film seriously….I suppose this movie will be interesting for Nirvana completists, because it certainly reinforces their already twisted view of the man. I found it to be mostly misguided fiction.
Youch. It’ll be interesting to see if Morgen or the filmmakers respond, and Osborne’s piece should definitely be read in full. And there will be more story-spinning arriving soon with the arrival of the docu-drama "Soaked In Bleach," investigating Cobain’s death, opening in limited release and Vimeo On Demand on June 11th. Here’s the trailer.
