The year was 1991 and the era of alt-rock was in full bloom. Nirvana's iconic Nevermind had been released, and the trio was poised to change the music business forever.
In late October, Austin photographer Kirk Weddle was commissioned to shoot the band as its momentum picked up. He convinced Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic to jump into a freezing Los Angeles swimming pool for a photo shoot, recreating the same iconic Nevermind moment that he captured for their album cover.
Weddle took more than 200 photos that day, most of which have been sitting in a closet — until now. These images will be on display at an exclusive exhibit at Austin's Modern Rocks Gallery.
"[These images] show a band on the verge of changing the face of music," said Modern Rocks Gallery owner Steven Walker in a statement.
"But they also show a band on tour, a band that [is] tired, a band that [is] probably homesick and a little bit grumpy too. And a band that has just been thrown in a swimming pool on their day off because someone from the record company told them that's what they had to do ... and that's why I love them!"
Images are available for purchase for the first time; each print is signed, numbered and limited to 50 prints. The Nevermind exhibit opens May 30 and runs through June 27. Click through the slideshow above for a preview of some of the must-see photos.
"You get a sense from Kurt Cobain of relief. For the first time he's closed off, away from everything," says Walker.
Photo by Kirk Weddle
"You get a sense from Kurt Cobain of relief. For the first time he's closed off, away from everything," says Walker.
Horror franchises tend to endure for several reasons. First and foremost, the title conjures up nostalgia for older viewers, as many of the most popular ones started in the 1970s or ‘80s. Sequels can recycle key elements of past films as long as they tweak the formula enough to offer something original. And they’re also relatively cheap to make, as new films can bring in young or lesser-known actors to be terrorized.
All of those factors make Evil Dead Burna smashing success, giving viewers reminders of the past while still becoming its own thing. The film is almost non-stop from the jump as a series of people, known colloquially as “deadites,” get infected by a malevolent force. A long, 15-minute opening set piece introduces the main characters, including Alice (Souhelia Yacob), her brother-in-law Joseph (Hunter Doohan), his girlfriend Thya (Luciane Buchanan), and his parents, Susan (Tandi Wright) and Edgar (Erroll Shand).
They’re all mourning the death of Alice’s husband Will (George Pullar), who they think died while driving drunk. However, the infection in Will’s corpse soon latches on to Edgar, whose descent into murderous rage is initially masked by his intense grief. With the family all gathered together in an older, decaying home, no one is safe from the rampage of the supernatural force.
Written and directed by French filmmaker Sébastien Vanicek and co-written by Florent Bernard, the film is aimed directly at horror fanatics who are used to copious amounts of blood and gore. From the opening scene to the film’s final intense moments, Vanicek and his team come up with numerous hide-your-eyes sequences that test the stomachs of weak-willed viewers. But for those who can’t get enough of such things, they also indicate a creativity and willingness to push boundaries that is both thrilling and entertaining.
While some previous entries in the Evil Dead series leaned comedic, this entry follows the previous two films in 2013 and 2023 as as a pure horror. However, that doesn’t mean that the film is devoid of lightness. One of the most enjoyable aspects is Vanicek comically adhering to the concept of Chekhov’s gun. So many different potential weapons are introduced and later used that you can’t help but laugh when they come into play.
Ultimately, it’s the performances by the lesser-known cast that make the movie what it is. Doohan (Wednesday) plays a mild-mannered character who seems to be the main protagonist early on, but he cedes the spotlight to Yacob as the film goes along. The French actress knows how to hold the screen through both her actions and line deliveries. Shand, with his craggy face and bald head, turns into a superior villain, able to chill with just his intense stare.
Evil Dead Burn is not for everybody, but it’s another great addition to what’s turning out to be a banner year for horror movies. With highly effective, cringeworthy action sequences, moments that lighten the mood when needed, and a cast that carries the story, it’s an announcement of bigger things to come for all involved.
