The problem with literally anything that has to do with The Doors is that whatever it is: documentary, album, song, ad, vibe, thought, notion, indulgence, trip, idea, etc., it will all eventually start being about Jim Morrison. And -for good or bad- once it starts being about Jim Morrison, it cannot be about anything else.
This documentary is no different. Even revived in 2025, a full fifty-four years (54!) after the death of Jim Morrison, the enigmatic drug receptacle in human form takes over the Johnny Depp narrative about twenty minutes in … and never relinquishes control.
This particular documentary screening was pre-empted by a multi-cultural, multi-continental performance of “Riders on the Storm.” It featured the two remaining and sadly less talented Doors: guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They played in SoCal while a host of other “bandmates” joined in from Hawaii, Utah, Spain, and other places. Pretty sure some Tibetan monks joined in at some point. They can ride storms, too, while searching for inner peace. I felt kinda bad cuz it seemed like more people were playing this song than would ever see this film.
You know that The Doors had a really talented keyboardist, right? I mean Ray Manzarek was not only a recognized award-winning talent, he was the reason The Doors got away with having no bass player. Manzarek was responsible not only for the bottom on all Doors tunes, he also played the calliope-like melodies you can’t get out of your head. Try to picture “Light My Fire” without the keyboards. C’mon, humor me. You can’t, can you? Well … I can’t, at least. Without the keyboards, it’s not a hit. Period. Doesn’t matter who sings it.
And let’s not discount the part where every Doors song has an overlong bridge so that Jim could go offstage, do some drugs, and return to finish the song. Obviously, I’m guessing at the reason, but am I wrong? And now’s the part where I talk about Jim Morrison for the rest of the piece. Eyeroll, please.
In addition to being the only client a drug kingpin would ever need, Jim Morrison also sang sometimes. He couldn’t read a note, but he did -undeniably- have one of the great voices of rock ‘n’ roll. He also wrote poetry, which his bandmates converted to song from time-to-time. Initially shy, Morrison had to learn how to be a presence on stage, which, in retrospect, seems amazing, as once he became the focal point of the group, he was never again not the focal point of every group forevermore. I guarantee that whatever afterlife Jim Morrison has chosen, he’s getting the most attention, and some angel or devil nearby is quite jealous.
JIM MORRISON is an anagram of MR MOJO RISIN … which in retrospect seems painfully self-involved.
As Morrison grew in popularity, he also grew more unstable. This was a perpetual cycle it seemed
because the more unstable Morrison grew, the more popular he became. This culminated in an arrest in Miami of 1969 for indecent exposure and simulated sex on stage or some fool thing. Would you believe in the wake of this madness, The Doors music got better?! And, of course, then Jim Morrison died of drugs and The Doors were, essentially, over. Perhaps I underrated the artist.
The Doors: When You’re Strange is certainly a better documentary than others I’ve seen this year, like Led Zeppelin and The Grateful Dead, but I still found it lacking all the same. Because one opens the Jim Morrison door, you can never close it. Hence, the film plays more like a “Where are they now?” cautionary tale than a true study of genius.
♪You know that he would smoke your shoe
You know that he would be your sire
Jim, that clown was on the pipe
Girl, he couldn’t be much higher
C’mon baby, light his pyre
C’mon baby, light his pyre
Of your patience he’s a trier
The time to intervene was through
Like the cycle of a dryer
Overdosed and then some too
That farm now has an A List buyer
C’mon baby, light his pyre
C’mon baby, light his pyre
Of your patience he’s a trier♫
Rated R, 97 Minutes
Director: Tom DiCillo
Writer: Tom DiCillo
Genre: Rockumentary
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: How much Jim Morrison do you need?
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: How much Jim Morrison do you need?
♪ Parody Inspired by “Light My Fire”
