Cobain:MontageofHeckFilmFeature

媒体稿，原载于FluxMagazinehttp://www.fluxmagazine.com/montage-of-heck-film/Despiteithavingbeen21yearssincehisdeath,thetopicofNirvana’sfrontmanKurtCobainhasneverlostitsappeal.Whentalkingabout1990spopularculture,hecan’tbeignoredand,evennow,peopleareremindedofhimwheneveranartistdiesyoung.Lastyear,oneofthisgeneration’smostinfluentialsingers,LanaDelRey,citedKurtCobainasherhero,and,inrelationtothis,stated“IwishIwasdeadalready”.AlthoughCobainneverlackedmediaattention,bothbeforeandafterhisdeath,manyquestionsabouthisliferemainunanswered.BrettMorgenendeavourstoanswersomeofthemostintriguingofthesequestionsinhisnewfilmCobain:MontageofHeck.ThisisthefirstbiopicofCobain’slifemadewithfullpermissionfromtheCobainfamily.Morgenhasaccesstonever-seen-beforehomemovies,behindthescenesfootageofNirvana’sperformancesandCobain’spersonalarchiveofartandtaperecordings.HegivesusCobaininunprecedenteddetail:growingupfromanangelicandsensitivelittleboytoarebelliousteenager,andthenaworld-famousrockstar,heroinaddict,lovingfatherandsuicidallydepressedpatient.However,insteadofpresentingamorehumanKurtCobain,Morgen’smaterialsaccentuatetheimagewealreadyhave.PartofMorgen’sdifficultyliesinCobainhimself.Anybiopicofamanwhodiedat27willstruggletofindevidenceofdepthandmaturity;toaddtothis,eveninhisadultyears,Cobaindidnotapproachlifeinagrown-upway.Throughout,itisclearCobaindesperatelyneededloveandattention.Buthisstepmother’sstoriesofhisadolescence,includingmentionsofsiblingbullyingshowhowheactedinwaysthatmadeithardforhisfamilytoaccepthim.Inthelatterhalfofthefilm,heisshownasalovingfatherbutheisimmatureandstrugglestolookafterhisdaughterwhilebattlinghisheroineaddiction.ThefilmisproblematicinthatitpresentsCobain’sinabilitytofulfillhisadultresponsibilitiesaspartofhischarm,ratherthanapersonalfailure,thatheisavictimofhiscelebritystatus,andanyresponsibility–includingtocareforhisdaughter–nothisown.Comparedtoatraditionaldocumentary,Cobain:MontageofHeckistechnicallyinnovative.AnimationisusedtodemonstratetheimportantmomentsofCobain’slife:hisunsuccessfulfirstefforttohavesex,hisfailedfirstsuicideattemptasateenager,thetimehehidinhisrentedapartment,writingthemusicthatlatercametodefinetheband.Thebestuseofanimationiswhenhisdoodlesandhand-writtennotesarebroughttolife.AlthoughallofNirvana’shitsareplayedinthefilm,andfootageofliveperformancesarecombinedflawlesslywithanimationsproducedfromhisnotebooks,Cobain’smusicisunfortunatelynotexploredfurther.Perhapsthebiggestunansweredquestion–thesourceofhisunusualmusicaltalent–isbarelymentioned,andtheinspirationsofhismostsuccessfulsongsarenotdiscussed.TheinterviewsinCobain:MontageofHeckarerevealinginonesenseandnotrevealinginanother.Cobain’smotherWendyO’ConnorandhiswifeCourtneyLovetalkatlengthabouthischildhoodandrelationships.However,theiraccountsfeelsomehowlikeperformances,andlackcredibility,nottellinguseverythingoftheirrelationshipwithCobain.However,therearesomeintervieweeswhodogivemore,butintheirsilences.Forexample,duringhisinterview,Cobain’sfatherDonaldCobainlookssadandrepressed.Sittingonthesofa,hesinksintoneartotalsilenceandtriestoholdbackhistears.Itisthemosttouchingmomentinthefilmandapatternthatholdsingeneral:thewomeninCobain’slifeareprominentbutexhibitionist,themeneithermissingorclosedandsilent.Cobainhimselfstrugglestovoicehisemotions;healonefindshisvoiceinmusic.IfyouareintriguedbyCobainasaspokesmanofyouth,afighteragainsttheboredomofrealityandamusicalgeniuslongingtobeunderstood,KurtCobain:MontageofHeckprovideseverythingyoumightwant,fromhisbirthcertificatetohisfirstfootprint.Thisdocumentarydoesn’tcomplicateourimageofCobain;itsimplyemphasisesit,givinguslittlefurtherdetailintohismindandlifethanwhat’sonthesurface.Peopleexpectingtogetabetterunderstandingofthiseverlastinglypopulariconmightbeleftunsatisfied.