In an age when artists like One Direction and Selena Gomez dominate the musical landscape, I find it harder to appreciate music the way I did when accidental rock gods like Kurt Cobain roamed the land.
I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m not necessarily a fan of “authorized” biopics such as “Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck.” They tend to be long, drawn out rants about whichever specific person’s rise to stardom and subsequent fall from grace somewhat akin to what I’d imagine Tigerbeat would sound like if it had accompanying dialogue.
However, this is one of the rare exceptions to the rule if only because Cobain is telling the story himself. “Montage Of Heck” is a history lesson for today’s youth and a reminder to those who saw Cobain’s meteoric life to hold onto the precious few artists and rock stars we still have. The iconoclast is a dying breed; it’s become passé to live and die for the art you choose to champion.
There have been a handful of attempts to bring understanding to the life and death of Cobain, the most notable being his “Journals” released in 2002 and a fictional theatrical account “Last Days” released in 2005. While both of these offered insight in the singer’s life, none of the earlier releases were able to encapsulate the total essence of who Kurt Cobain was as an individual.
The fact of the matter is Cobain was born in front of a camera, lived his life in front of them and essentially died in front of them. (Nirvana’s last performance was February 22, 1994, in Rome. He committed suicide a month later.)
A fair majority of the film takes place in Aberdeen, Washington where Cobain spent his formative years as opposed to California, where the lion’s share of Nirvana’s albums were recorded. That’s what sets this biography apart from the others, it brings in all the elements from Cobain’s life, on film, and ties them together with accounts of his life from friends and family that, up until this point, had yet to be heard. Many of the audio recordings have accompanying video as well in the form of beautiful hand drawn cartoons that are reminiscent of old Rankin Bass artwork.
While the film in itself doesn’t show anything overtly explicit, it should be noted that viewers should not be of the faint of heart. It’s absolutely gut wrenching to see a man like Cobain, who oozed talent from every orifice, descend into absolute and irrevocable addiction to opiates. Even worse than that is the fact that it was, for all intents, willful on his part and by the point he felt he had gone too far it was too late to go back.
Arguably the most poignant part of the film appears towards the end, prior to the 1994 Rome incident. As somebody who generally blames Courtney Love for Cobain’s continued love affair with heroin, I found his request for her forgiveness during Nirvana’s last full-scale performance both cathartic and satisfying as a fan. To top that I’ll be damned if I didn’t find myself not only forgiving but sympathizing with Courtney by the end of the film.
The obvious draw to a film such as this is the chance to hear rare, and sometimes unheard interviews with Cobain, Krist Novaselic, and Dave Grohl as well as live recordings of Nirvana throughout the years. The soundtrack on its own is absolute dynamite as it includes so much more than the music of Nirvana. Gems such as “Wake Up Little Susie” and “It’s A Sunshine Day” litter the early days of Cobain’s life followed directly by punk hits such as “Raw Power” by the Stooges in his adolescence.
If there’s something to be taken away from the life and tragedy of Kurt Cobain it is this: be careful for what you wish for because it might come true and you may not be ready for everything that comes along with it. Cobain never wanted to be the voice of a generation, he just wanted his voice to be heard; that sentiment has been repeated again and again by both him and the people that have written about him for the last 21 years.
As I stated before, I tend to rate biopics as a second-rate form of entertainment for the most part. “Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck,” despite it’s two hour runtime, is not the standard biographical film. I’d recommend this piece to anybody who’s a fan of music in general or somebody who happens to be interested in the descent of the human spirit in pursuit of art and beauty.
Kurt Cobain knew something about life that we all have to wrestle with at some point in time, and it’s that we’re all going to die and it’s better to go out on our own terms. So the real question I feel this film poses (albeit subtly) is what’re you willing to die for?
No apologies needed, Kurt.
Ryan Wasser is a fourth-year student. He can be reached at RW851045@wcupa.edu
u do realize that this movie was trying to DEROMANTICIZE self destructiveness according to his daughter and the director, don’t you? And btw, we live in a time where MANY people think that dying you is cool. Not just stars. That’s why they made this movie, to try to stop the Romanization.
i’m sorry for ranting, but i wanted to add this. this whole article romanticizes from start to end. u sound disappointed by the lack of suicidal people today. why?and like i said, many people want to die young, so ur assetment of the ‘passé’ nature of self destructive behavior was also inaccurate if u r going to die, it shouldn’t be for your own selfish pursuits, while u forget about those who matter, like kurt did to his daughter. our generation thinks ‘dying for art’ is justified, but its not. kurt didn’t die for art. he wasn’t being suicidal just to create material for songs. he was mentally ill and drug addled. i’m not trying hate on anyone, but i know what depression feels like. so i wish ppl would stop being romantic over it. thank you
Do your research. Nirvana’s last concert wasn’t February 22, 1994, in Rome. It was March 1, 1994, in Germany.
I’ve read a lot of articles about Montage of Heck before and after seeing it and this article, in a subtle nutshell, speaks volumes over any other piece I’ve read thus far on Kurt. Very well written and quick to the point. Love the article