Impact: Songs That Changed the World—Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit

There's no arguing that Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a classic rock tune—perhaps even a generation-defining one—but you won't get a lot of insight into why from this 2003 documentary short, which devotes all of 23 minutes to a discussion of the song's origin, music video, impact, and so on (the "official" running time of 36 minutes includes a lengthy ad promoting all of the titles in the Impact series). While the packaging boasts interviews with Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic, all are very brief excerpts from comments the musicians made in 1993, a year before Cobain's suicide. Others weighing in include various music biz types, academics, journalists, fans, and artists (such as the ever-spacey Tori Amos, who recorded a cover version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit"). All pretty much agree that the tune was no less than an anthem that brilliantly combined suburban metal, urban punk, and pop melody, and exemplified the grunge era, while reflecting the rage and alienation of early '90s youth. We also see excerpts from the mighty music video, with director Samuel Bayer confessing that he and Cobain clashed (gasp!), but—incredibly—what we never get is a complete, uninterrupted version of the song in any form. Optional. [Note: other new titles in the Impact—Songs That Changed the World series include: The Ramones: I Wanna Be Sedated, Madonna: Like a Virgin, and Run DMC & Aerosmith: Walk This Way.] Aud: P. (S. Graham)