MovieChat Forums > Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015) Discussion > The Lack of Dave Grohl

The Lack of Dave Grohl

posted 9 years ago by tstevens32
40 replies | jump to latest

For me, seriously marginalized this documentary.

The director had some BS excuse about timing, but I feel his insights are sorely missed.

I will say that I was a teenager (17-18) when Nirvana hit it big, but I have not listened to their music AT ALL in the last 20 years.

I would like to know what the actual drug his mother gave him as a child. She stated it was Ritalin or similar (easy to say now) but I think it wasn't the controlled medicine it is now. Anyway, I think that whatever that drug was, and a lack of a proper diagnosis effed him up.

I did appreciate the unplugged MTV pieces and have since been to YouTube looking for more.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Agree 1000%.

The director reportedly said Grohl was unavailable for awhile, filming his own "Sonic Highways " HBO series. He said that by the time Grohl WAS available, he liked his current cut of the film and thought Grohl's inclusion was not necessary.

What a crock.

Anyone who knows anything about Nirvana and Cobain, whether diehard fans or casual ones, probably knows of Grohl's considerable fame as well and would be more than mildly curious what he had to say.

I believe that if you choose to include Krist, you are obligated to include Grohl also. Grohl's absence makes the film incomplete, in my eyes. It's like making a film about John Lennon and interviewing McCartney but not Ringo.

Just stupid.

[–] nolerhett (78) 7 years ago

I agree except the comparison should be flipped (Ringo and not McCartney).

I enjoyed watching Krist's part of the film. Him and the Tracy appeared to me to be the most genuine of all the interviews. I thought everyone else was putting on a show, including the director. Having said that, I really enjoyed the movie, and think they gave a detailed accounting of the darkness in Cobain's life.

[–] cellism 9 years ago

I really liked the documentary, but I would have to agree that the lack of Dave Grohl was a misstep. I was hoping for Albini too. But that's not what this doc was about. And that's OK. The excellent About a Son documentary didn't even feature a Nirvana song, and it was still fantastic. I guess a film or documentary can't have everything.

[–] DeltaHomicide 8 years ago

Many films and documentaries do have everything. One example of a great band documentary is Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, and another about an artist is Crumb.

[–] cheeso65 9 years ago

I didn't miss Grohl at all. There's been an over-saturation of Grohl in the media for the last year or so, he needs to step back out of the spotlight for a while.

[–] wantutosigh 9 years ago

There were a lot of people absent from this documentary. Doesn't seem like an accident. If you have access to Dave Grohl, you put him in the documentary about KURT COBAIN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBYznVnNTI4 RIP Bob Probert

[–] uhriaheap69 8 years ago

cheeso65 said "I didn't miss Grohl at all. There's been an over-saturation of Grohl in the media for the last year or so, he needs to step back out of the spotlight for a while".

Could not agree more ! Would like to have heard from Albini.

[–] ric_boy 9 years ago

The lack of Grohl was awesome. The guy's a douche.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

The lack of Grohl was awesome. The guy's a douche.

Yah, Grohl's a bit full of himself and all but should be viewed as indispensable in a doc about Cobain. He, Krist and Kurt were an immensely powerful trio. It's a big omission.

"The future is tape, videotape, and NOT film?"

[–] LockedHarpie 9 years ago

YES. I mean, seriously. Every interview with Grohl is about how he hates talking about Nirvana and how he won't talk about Kurt and how dare anyone question his time in Nirvana cuz he's SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

Dude, you were a drummer with mediocre talent. At least Kris played bass which affected the sound of the song. Drummers are pretty much a dime a dozen. I never cared for that bug eyed fish face and if it weren't for them hiring him into the band, he'd be selling bagels off a street cart.

I can go on and on...But I'm kinda drunk and typing is kinda complicating right now,

[–] BulmaPunkRocker 9 years ago

What?

Dave Grohl is a much better drummer than a singer/guitarist.

Please excuse my terrible redaction, english is not my native language IMDb = Catch-22

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] BulmaPunkRocker 9 years ago



Please excuse my terrible redaction, english is not my native language IMDb = Catch-22

[–] P_e_n_n_y_L_a_n_e 9 years ago

You are an idiot.

[–] Grygoris 9 years ago

"Drummers are pretty much a dime a dozen."

Um, no. Guitarists… maybe.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] itdoesntmattermuch 9 years ago

It seemed to me the whole aim of the film was to show Courtney Love in a good light. So, I think that might explain the very obvious absence of Grohl.

[–] melora72 9 years ago

Dave and Courtney have made up. He was on Howard Stern and said so.

It was just that he wasn't available. And CL did not have control of what was put in the movie. If she was made to look good it was by the director. Or maybe she wasn't as bad as you think she was. I haven't seen it yet, but from what I heard there is a lot of unflattering things about her in it.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] camel-wides 8 years ago

i definitely felt the same way. i think the timing had less to do with it than the fact the Grohl detested love as I recall.

[–] bornskeptic 9 years ago

The lack of Grohl was only one of the things that marginalized this doc. The overuse of animation was getting on my nerves...even though she was a bit of a sh!t they could have included more time for his mom...and def more time for his sister. But there were times in the latter third (after Love entered his life) they could have cut 20 minutes easily. It was like they just made sure of getting it right chronologically, and then said f#$@ it let's just throw cr@p at the wall and see what sticks.
It was not the great doc i had heard it was. I was disappointed.

[–] apboy2 9 years ago

The doc jumps from a split-second reference to signing with Sub Pop to being the biggest band in the galaxy. No mention of Bleach, which was a kick-ass punk album nothing like Nevermind. But something as academic as Cobain's development as a musician isn't a good fit with documenting a train wreck. (Not only did they not talk to Grohl, they didn't talk to Chad Channing, the drummer on Bleach who presumably would have had time to talk.)

[–] MandarineGrace 9 years ago

There was barely any Krist in the doc so I did not miss Dave at all. He was the 5th drummer and knew Kurt for a short time compared to Krist who had been close friends with him for years & co founded the band. Dave was apparently close to not being allowed to play MTV unplugged show which tells me towards the end they were not getting along at all. Though I'm sure Kurt didn't get along with anyone by that point.

I also don't think he would have shed much insight in to Kurt,he mostly tells stories about experiences in Nirvana.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Whether you like him or not, Grohl was as key to the band as any of the trio. To leave him out of the doc is a big mistake.

"The future is tape, videotape, and NOT film?"

[–] billyparker 9 years ago

He also co-wrote Nirvana songs. I suspect he said things Courtney/Frances didn't like. This is basically a presidential campaign film: Cobain for most misunderstood rock star of all time!

[–] apboy2 9 years ago

I read a Dave Grohl biography that said Kurt killed himself right after escaping from a rehab facility in LA. Either that's BS or the filmmaker somehow didn't think it was worth mentioning.

"NIAGARA FALLS! Slowly I turned ... step by step ... inch by inch ... "

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] LaLa_LaLa_Lola 9 years ago

Everyone knows he killed himself after leaving rehab. That is basic fact.