The Doors When You're Strange, a review

When You're Strange; Now Playing at Selected Theaters

Man, there’s been a lot said about this movie, then there’s the word, and the word is, see “When You’re Strange.”

Not a true documentary in the sense of a Ken Burns style intensive, exhaustive look into a subject. “When You’re Strange” starts with scenes of Jim Morrison’s “HWY” and uses the fictional device of Morrison hearing of his own death in Paris, then we see The Doors story pretty much from the beginning, and moves chronologically through The Doors career. This is The Doors through The Doors’ own lens. All the footage derives from “HWY” and the concert film, “Feast of Friends,” that The Doors filmed in 1968. Also, included is footage from Ray Manzarek’s student films, 60’s period footage for context, and some previously unseen footage, except for maybe the hardcore collectors.

For years Doors fans have been asking when and where, and if Jim Morrison’s “HWY” and “Feast of Friends” will be released. Although, this isn’t the stand alone film of either “HWY” or Feast, a lot of the footage has been used before. Ray Manzarek used “Feast of Friends” footage for MTV videos in the 80’s, and the Soft Parade video in 91. “HWY” has been bootlegged for years and only the fortunate few have seen it (although You Tube expanded this base). This is the movie Doors fans have been asking for. Writer/Director Tom DiCillo (Johnny Suede, Delirious) intricately weaves together “HWY” and “Feast of Friends” and provides a narrative the footage lacked before, and perhaps if Jim Morrison had lived combining the two might have been a solution he might have chosen. DiCillo also makes choices that are a little riskier in presentation. As an example, he doesn’t use the songs and the footage as obviously as before, usually, “Riders On The Storm” is presented with images of thunderclouds and storms, DiCillo chooses images of Vietnamese jungles flowering in explosion.

“When You’re Strange looks great! The footage has been restored and it looks as good as it did, if not better than when it was shot 40 years ago. Not only has the film been restored, so has the sound. Things have been pulled from the background you hear things that before were only muttered or obscured by crowd noises. The complete effect of the film is a much more immediate, impressionistic, and visceral view of The Doors than before.

Narration for “When You’re Strange” is provided by Johnny Depp and although it is a little basic and simplistic and at times intrusive, there isn’t enough expository footage to move the narrative along without adding the intrusion of contemporary or even period interviews. Depp’s narration is subtle and understated and his phrasing while not overly dramatic has the timing of the poetic.

A lot of fans and The Doors have been critical of Oliver Stones 1991 movie “The Doors” (although, I think Stone was using the band as an archetype for the times, in a subconscious trilogy of the 60‘s). The Doors have said they like this movie and I think the fans are going to like it too, and may consider it the definitive version/vision of the band. A good 3.5 stars movie.

You’re going to dig this movie.

Bonus Features: Filmed interviews of Jim Morrison’s family were made prior and where going to be used in the movie before DiCillo came onboard and employed a different narrative tack. Doors manager Jeff Jampol has written on The Doors message board that, that footage will be included on the bonus features of the DVD/Blu-Ray when they’re released. When more information is available I’ll edit this part of the review to reflect that information.

If "When You're Strange" isn't appearing at a theater near you, it will be on PBS' American Masters May 26th. 

When You're Strange at Amazon 

Read previous related articles: Theater’s Showing WYS, WYS Soundtrack Review, WYS Two Reviews

 Like what you see? Click "Subscribe" next to my picture above and you will receive email notifications when I post new articles.

Thank you for reading The Doors Examiner!