Kurt Cobain once named his 10 favourite movies of all time
Coming off the back of a decade of pervasive success in commercial entertainment, artists, filmmakers, and musicians approached the 1990s with a refreshing sense of optimism and ingenuity, leading to the birth of some of the most influential voices of the era. It was a decade full of opposing factors. On the one hand, there was a sincere desire to continue to capitalise on the commercialism of the 1980s and grab as many dollars as possible. However, on the other hand, a whole ream of creatives, including Kurt Cobain, were looking to bring down the mainstream and reject the commercialisation of the arts.
Joining the likes of Winona Ryder, Will Smith and Eminem, Kurt Cobain emerged as one of the most important voices of the era, rising to popularity at the start of the decade as the lead singer of Nirvana. Together with Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Chad Channing, Cobain became an influential ‘90s figure, thanks to such pertinent hits as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, ‘In Bloom’ and ‘Lithium’. Those tracks would prove to be vital moments in the establishment of pop culture.
Through a series of guttural releases, wrenching performances and authentic lyrics, the group emerged from the early ’90s as the biggest band on the planet—something they had miraculously achieved without too much compromise. Of course, those compromises would eventually arrive and push Cobain toward his eventual passing. It’s because, at the heart of things, Cobain was an artist intent on keeping his art pure. He wanted to deliver an expression that made sense of his feelings, offered them out to his fans as lifelines and remained a force pushing against the dirge of mundanity.
Passing away in 1994 after tragic circumstances, the impact of Cobain’s music is still felt today, inspiring musicians and fans alike. As recently as March 2022, The Batman director Matt Reeves explained that Cobain was a major inspiration for his titular caped crusader, with the song ‘Something in the Way’ becoming a key song in the superhero soundtrack.
Though a considerable fan of cinema, no superhero movies make it onto Kurt Cobain’s list of favourite films, with the musician instead picking out several independent and subversive classics.
Included on the list of compiled films from several different interviews, Jonathan Kaplan’s Over the Edge features as a significant entry, with the film, starring Matt Dillon and Pamela Ludwig, following a group of teenagers who rebel against authority in the community of New Granada. Speaking about the significance of the film on his life, Cobain once stated: “It really defined my personality. It’s really cool. A complete mess”.
Discussing his relationship with cinema in an interview from 1992, Cobain revealed his love for the Wim Wender’s classic whilst also stating, “I’d like to be something artistic I guess. A painter, a writer, or something like that. I’d like to get in to movies”.
Kurt Cobain’s 10 favourite movies:
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977)
- Don’t Look Back (D. A. Pennebaker, 1967)
- Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977)
- Naked Lunch (David Cronenberg, 1991)
- On the Edge (Jonathan Kaplan, 1979)
- Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders, 1984)
- Pink Flamingos (John Waters, 1972)
- Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954)
- Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino, 1992)
- This is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner, 1984)
