The Doors - 20th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)

When Oliver Stone’s lovingly put together film came out in 1991 it seemed exciting, dangerous and sad, qualities that could also be used to describe the band. Now, years on, as Stone’s film gets a Blu-Ray release, it seems more dated than the band, bizarrely. Stone’s obvious belief in lead singer and shamen Jim Morrison looks horribly misplaced – even in Stone’s depiction, Morrison now looks like a boring, drunk windbag – a druggy, selfish character intent on ruining any talent he and his band had.

The film begins with a real event, Morrison as a boy witnessing an accident in which a Native American is killed in a road accident. The boy then grows up to be fascinated by literature and poetry, and is seen showing his film at a UCLA lecture – the lecturer, of course, is Stone himself. This takes a liberty with the facts – Morrison was indeed at UCLA film school but produced nothing.

He goes into the desert for some acid-induced tripping, and returns with a “concert in his head”. He meets keyboard player Ray Manzerak, and The Doors are formed. After a residency at the Whisky a Go-Go they record their first LP, tour extensively and become famous rock stars. Morrison, however, is constantly fighting everyone, determined to not be what everyone wants him to be, and to sabotage everything. He also treats the women in his life appallingly, especially long-suffering Pamela (Ryan), and has an affair with dreadful hippie Patricia.

The problem with Stone’s film is that it gives virtually no insight into any of the characters’ motivations, it merely shows their selfish actions. Why was Morrison so affected by Indian culture? Why did he pretend his parents were dead? Why did he treat women so badly? The scene where he meets Andy Warhol is a classic example of the film’s weakness – yes, it happened, but what does the scene tell us? Morrison is too stoned to actually speak, Warhol is flaky, the scene ends – so what?

By the time Morrison has fallen out with his bandmates and is propping up a bar with fellow boozers it’s very difficult to feel any sympathy or real interest in him – his long-winded rantings are merely dull, and an indulgent script doesn’t help. It’s a tribute to Kilmer’s portrayal that he holds the interest as long as he does – for Kilmer it’s almost a career-defining portrayal, bearing a remarkable resemblance to the singer, he gives it all he’s got. MacLachlan too is on top form as the cerebral Manzerak, but Ryan is woefully miscast as the flaky hippie Pamela.

Overall verdict:  For fans of The Doors – of which I am one – it’s fascinating to watch well-recorded concert footage of the band, and visually the film is stunning, especially some amazing desert shots. At its heart though this is an indulgent, flabby, windy film about characters you are glad you never met.

Special Features:
Jim Morrison, a poet in Paris
Back to the roots

Reviewer: Mike Martin