The Doors

"I go out on a stage and I howl for people. In me, they see exactly what they want to see - some say the Lizard King, whatever that means, or some black-clad leather demon, whatever that means. But really, I think of myself as a sensitive, intelligent human being, but with the soul of a clown that always forces me to blow it at the most crucial moment. I'm a fake hero, a joke the gods played on me." - Jim Morrison

release year: 1991
genre: drama
viewing setting: home Bluray 2/2/23 and home laserdisc 9/20/98

synopsis: This film portrays Jim Morrison from his days as a young, wayward poet through his glory years with the Doors and finally to his self-induced death at age 27.

impressions: This is a good example of what happens when your life is a constant drug/alcohol trip (even if you're famous and a visionary.) It's a vivid example of total excess combined with a unique creativity. I found the dialogue and actions of Morrison slow and tedious at times, but there's no denying the impact of his music. Another gripe: it was alternatingly quiet (so you had to turn the volume up to hear the words) and LOUD (floor-shaking loud, so that you had to turn it down to save your eardrums.) At any rate, this film did a good job of capturing the weirdness of Morrison's life, as well as the wild 60s rock scene.

acting: This is one of Val Kilmer's best roles ever. He gave a top-notch performance as Jim Morrison. Meg Ryan is his sometimes-weak-willed wife. Kyle MacLachan is bandmate Ray Manzarek.

final word: Odd, sometimes pretentious account of a short but impactful musical life.

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