KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK (review)

KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK

Directed by Brett Morgen

When Kurt Cobain ended his life in 1994, there was much speculation about the cause of his death, massive disappointment from an entire generation of fans who looked up to him, and it signified the end of an era. Now, with a new film chronicling the prolific songwriter’s life, everything you’ve ever seen or heard or wondered can finally be put to rest. KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK is the be all and end all that many of us have been looking for.

Directed by Brett Morgen (THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE) and with the help of Cobain’s daughter, Francis Bean as producer, MONTAGE OF HECK is literally a montage of interviews, personal videos, photos and diary entries from the Cobain family collection. Beginning with his troubled life growing up with divorced parents and severe issues from feelings of isolation and anger, the film uses animation by Hisko Hulsing and Stefan Nadelman to construct a narrative using Cobain’s old recordings of his voice. Sometimes these animated sequences work, while other times they simply drag out parts that shouldn’t be as long as they are.

MONTAGE OF HECK might as well be called “a guide to self destruction”, as it definitely isn’t a feel good movie. From interviews with his mother to Courtney Love, those in his life talk about what it was like to be a part of Kurt’s world, especially as he dealt with his incredibly fast and overwhelming rise to fame, something he didn’t know how to deal with. Much of the videos, like the ones with Love and Cobain dealing with their addiction, become difficult to watch, but this is a documentary of a musician who killed himself after all. With music that is loud, heavy and angry, MONTAGE OF HECK paints us a clear picture of Cobain’s life leading up until his suicide in 1994. If you cared about Cobain at all, It won’t be easy to watch, but it is a journey that any fan should be sure to take and will be glad that they did

Your turn!

How many sheep would you give Montage of Heck?

[kkstarratings]