Director reveals Kurt Cobain documentary plans

Herald online

7 Jan, 2013 09:30 PM4 mins to read

Kurt Cobain on stage. Photo/supplied

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Some fresh details are emerging about an upcoming documentary on late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.

Director Brett Morgen, who helmed Rolling Stones retrospective Crossfire Hurricane, a film to mark the veteran British rockers' 50 years in the music industry, hopes the as-yet-untitled Cobain project he's been working on since 2007 "will be this generation's [Pink Floyd's 1982 film] The Wall".

"If you think about Kurt, he's a contradiction," Morgen said in an interview with NME while describing the ambitious project.

"He could be sincere and sentimental, and also ironic and sarcastic. He was sweet and sour. He was incredibly funny too, and the film has to reflect his sprit."

Morgen, who is working on the doco with the blessing of Cobain's estate, added: "The thing about him people might not know too is that he was an incredible visual artist and left behind a treasure chest of comic books, paintings, Super8 films, all sorts.

"We're hoping the Cobain film, that'll hopefully be released in 2014, will be this generation's The Wall - a mix of animation and live action that'll allow the audience to experience Kurt in a way they never have before. It's very ambitious."

The director recently spoke out to deny reports that he was collaborating on the project with Cobain's combative widow, Hole star Courtney Love.

The New York Post quoted Morgen as saying in November, "Courtney is the one that brought me into this... We've been trying to find the right time to put this film together and the time is now."

He added: "Kurt was not only an amazing songwriter and musician, he was an incredible artist and filmmaker. So we are going to do the movie sort of like a third-person autobiography - [as] if Kurt was around and making a film about his life."

Love's rep later issued a statement to ew.com, confirming that while the singer is not involved in the creation of the film, she's "very happy" Morgen is behind it.

"She thinks he's a great director," the rep said.

Morgen also told ew.com that his comments in the Post were taken out of context.

"Back in 2007, I had a meeting in L.A. with Courtney Love to discuss my possible involvement in a Kurt Cobain documentary," he said.

"She had seen my film, The Kid Stays in the Picture, and thought that I had the right vision and passion to bring Kurt's story to life. Since that time, I have been speaking exclusively with Kurt Cobain's estate, who have given me their full cooperation in order to make the film. Courtney isn't currently involved with the project in any capacity.

"The estate and I will be releasing more information about our plans in the coming weeks. Production on the film will begin in the coming months and we are aiming for a 2014 release."

Love, who reportedly lost the rights to Cobain's image last year, also recently put the kibosh on rumours that there are plans for a Broadway musical based around Nirvana's music.

"There will be no musical," she told The Observer.

"Sometimes it's best just to leave things alone."

Cobain was 27 when he took his own life, on 5 April 1994.

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