When You're Strange, the first full-length documentary about The Doors, will open in theaters on April 9th. The film, which was made using only footage from 1966 to 1971, highlights the band's music and legacy and features previously unseen footage as well as Jim Morrison's poetry being read by Johnny Depp, who also narrates the film.
The film is directed by Tom DiCillo, whose previous works include movies and television shows. This is his first documentary. Although The Doors have been the subject of films in the past (most notably in Oliver Stone's 1991 biopic starring Val Kilmer), DiCillo wanted to present the band in a new way. "What I most definitely didn't want to do was paraphrase everything already said about the Doors," said DiCillo. "I [had] to find something personal about this band that hasn't been said before. That's what made it very, very challenging. I present Jim Morrison and the band in the way that no one has before. We see them as very human."
The soundtrack, which will include classic Doors songs*, interview segments with Jim Morrison, and 15 Morrison poems read by Johnny Depp, will be available April 6th. Depp also recently narrated Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, and is currently directing a documentary about Keith Richards.
*Trivia question: Who plays harmonica (another harmonica trivia question!) on the song Roadhouse Blues? (Post your answer in the comments below. I'll also post the answer in my next article.)
The answer to the previous trivia question is Jeff Killed John.
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