One of the things I learned pretty early on in making About A Son was that the press' desire to have fresh stories on Kurt and Courtney had not been quenched in the 12 years after his death. On our last day of shooting in Aberdeen, the local paper came out to do a story, a small "Film Crew In Town" kind of piece. After the story ran the next day, we were suddenly getting calls from nearly every radio and television station in Seattle. By the next day, the story of "Kurt Speaks - a new Kurt Cobain documentary" had hit the wires and a week after that, we were on the cover of the NME.
Since then, numerous small stories about Kurt and/or Courtney have shown up and have quickly turned into what seems like a bit of a worldwide frenzy. The most recent came late last week when Access Hollywood indicated that Courtney had acquired the rights to Charles Cross' book Heavier Than Heaven and planned to turn it into an approved biopic. This was apparently based on a note at MoonWashedRose - a fan site where Courtney often posts.
The reaction to the news was quick and predictable:
Courtney Love Cashes in on Kurt Cobain
Smells Like a Cash In
Does Love really know what’s best for Kurt Cobain’s legacy? We’re not even sure if she knows what’s best for her own legacy, let alone that of her late great husband.
But in any case, it was assumed by many in the press that this thing was pretty much a done deal. Hell, the thing is already cast!:
Shooting begins on new Cobain film
Ewan McGregor to play Kurt Cobain
McGregor Tipped for Cobain Role
But while the initial news was blogfodder worldwide, few were paying attention when Courtney posted again and said that all of the news was premature, at best, and that any movie may be years away (in fact, the McGregor rumors came a full week after Courtney posted her "wait a second, not so fast" post):
this is Courtney - and there was a post here about a Nirvana Biopic that the Press picked up on, there is no substance or reality to any thing about this film until there are deals on the table and
producers deals signed, this will then be announced at the apporpiate time, it may be years from now, before this film begins,
ive been approached b y many actors and producers and a few directors about this project,over the years, but am focusing on my record presently and this project is not yet NEAR a reality.
When and IF it becomes a reality it will go through legal processes and be announ ced through the proper channels.
This project is in an embryonic stage with m any decisions to be made and has no script and no director attached, leta lone stars.
If it gets made it will of course be A list and a high end film, but that announcement will happen again, if and when these deals close with production.
There is no point publishing that this Biopic is presently active when it is not.
When it is, if it is, it will come through the proper channels not a blogger who may or may not be myself.
I dont mind the press poking aropund here to see whats up= but althats up presently is some majors and me in discussions about the LP/CL record that BC is also a part of as wellas a great band.
thats the only official business on the table and when that deal is made again. It will be announced via proper channels...
In truth, Courtney has talked on and off with numerous folks about both a narrative biopic (with actors playing her and Kurt) and a documentary. For years, she has talked about doing a Cobain documentary with Lauren Lazin, who directed the Oscar nominated film Tupac: Resurrection, and recently there'd been rumors that she wanted Cameron Crowe to tackle "the official Nirvana documentary". On the biopic, she has told people as recently as last fall that she's talking to Scarlett Johansson about playing her. But as the above notes, it's not clear when or if any of this will actually happen.
I get asked all the time, sometimes in a vaguely concerned, vaguely conspiratorial way, "what does Courtney think" of About A Son. The implicit inference is usually that she's standing right around the next corner waiting to pounce with her lawyers. The truth? She and her reps have been totally fine, great even. Never tried to stop us, actually helped out in a couple situations. They know that our film is something very specific and different from what they might want to do. I've never met Courtney (although a number of folks who worked on the film have and some have been close to her at various times). She hasn't seen the film. Occasionally we'll hear from someone who has talked to her that she's said something along the lines of she intends to make the "real" Nirvana documentary someday.
Someday, we'll probably get that movie and maybe the fictionalized one too. But just like the time that the press breathlessly reported that the WB had acquired the rights to Heavier Than Heaven and was planning to turn it into a WB movie, sometimes the truth of what's happening (or happened) with Kurt and Courtney is far different than what you read. In this case, what started as a short stream-of-consciousness blog to fans ended up as a fait accompli. By now, we should realize that the truth about these two figures is more complicated and more interesting than the stereotypes.
i hope a biopic happens i just think that courtney cox killed him though she isnt right and i dont think kurt would kill himself because of his daughter, still i don't know for sure so????
Posted by: Reece | April 03, 2009 at 07:59 AM
Ehh..I think courtney cox is possibly a little less sociopathic and manipulative than courtney LOVE, who I agree probably had something to do with kurt's death, which if true would mean that if this biopic does get made it'll be rendered invalid as a result of courtney's biases (ie her legendary clashes with dave grohl), the film would quite possibly end up being not much more than propaganda move
Posted by: Tom | December 12, 2009 at 04:13 PM