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Courtney Love wants you to see the new Kurt Cobain documentary. Just not that new Kurt Cobain documentary.
Lawyers for the Nirvana frontman's widow order have issued a cease and desist letter aimed at theaters showing the Benjamin Statler-directed documentary “Soaked in Bleach,” which — much like Nick Broomfield's notorious 1999 doc “Kurt & Courtney” — insinuates that Love may have had something to do with her late husband's death. Dated June 11, the letter comes closely on the heels of the Brett Morgen-directed Cobain documentary “Montage of Heck,” which was produced by Cobain's daughter Frances Bean Cobain and which Love has publicly supported.
“This letter shall serve as notice to [redacted] that the Film portrays Ms. Cobain in a false light and contains defamatory statements that exposes [redacted] to substantial liability,” reads the letter in part. “We demand that you immediately cease and desist from infringing on Ms. Cobain”s rights in any manner whatsoever, including but not limited to completely halting the Film”s planned exhibition and promotion.
“The Film falsely presents a widely and repeatedly debunked conspiracy theory that accuses Ms. Cobain of orchestrating the death of her husband Kurt Cobain. A false accusation of criminal behavior is defamatory per se under California Civil Code Section 45a, which entitles Ms. Cobain to both actual and presumed damages.”
According to Deadline, no official complaint has yet been filed with the courts.
“Soaked in Bleach” centers on Tom Grant, the private investigator who was hired by Love to find Cobain shortly before the singer's body was discovered at the couple's Seattle home. The film combines audio recordings, re-enactments and talking head interviews in an effort to revive the long-simmering conspiracy theory that Cobain's death was a homicide and that Love may have played a role.
As of this writing, “Soaked in Bleach” continues to screen in at least four North American theaters and is streaming on Vimeo.