Courtney Love Attempts to Stop Screenings of Kurt Cobain Murder Docudrama ‘Soaked in Bleach’

Courtney Love has threatened legal action against cinemas that are showing the controversial docudrama Soaked in Bleach. The film explores the theory that Love was responsible for Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's death, which was official ruled a suicide in 1994.

Soaked in Bleach focuses on Tom Grant, a private investigator once hired by Courtney Love to locate Kurt Cobain after he went missing. For over 20 years, Grant has been vocal about his beliefs that Cobain was murdered. Courtney Love, however, does not want Soaked in Bleach to be screened, citing a lack of evidence and emotional trauma in a document put together by Love's attorney.

"In addition to defamation per se, the false accusations contained in the Film provide Ms. Cobain with valid claims for negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, false light, and tortious interference with business, among others," the document reads. "For years Ms. Cobain has been publicly subjected to threats based on the same kinds of baseless theories that appear in the Film, and dissemination of the Film would only exacerbate the risk that she will suffer further emotional and financial harm."

In response to the cease-and-desist, the producers of Soaked in Bleach responded with this statement sent to Deadline:

We were disturbed to learn that Courtney Love’s lawyers sent threatening letters to movie theaters all over the country. Most arrived before Soaked in Bleach was released last week, presumably before she or her lawyers ever saw it. She obviously hoped to scare theater owners into dropping the film. Thankfully, very few were intimidated. Most saw the letter for what it is – a cowardly attack on the rights of free speech, free expression and free choice.
Courtney Love’s uninformed accusations and efforts to discredit the film are totally off base. The film examines the well documented facts surrounding the death of Kurt Cobain and it questions much of what the public has been told about those events. Most of the opinions and theories presented in the film come directly from facts gathered by Tom Grant, the private investigator Courtney Love hired the week before Kurt’s body was discovered. Tom quickly became suspicious and tape recorded all his conversations with Courtney and others in the days leading up to and after Kurt’s death. The film uses those recordings to reenact Tom’s encounters with Courtney Love and others in Kurt’s inner circle. It also presents the views of Norm Stamper, Seattle’s Police Chief at the time, and Dr. Cyril Wecht, a leading forensic pathologist, who both question whether Kurt could have committed suicide.
Courtney Love and her lawyers clearly don’t like that the film presents a compelling case for re-opening the investigation into Kurt’s death. They should respect the First Amendment and let people decide for themselves.

Soaked in Bleach has received fairly negative reviews as of this posting, with the film holding a score of 4.3/10 on IMDb and a 29 percent "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

13 Unforgettable Kurt Cobain Moments

See the Yearbook Photos of Kurt Cobain and More Rock Stars