The Doors (1991) User Reviews (287)

Val Kilmer's Magnum Opus

[b_buddy1 · 8/10 · 20 May 2008]

The Doors is unapologetically a film about sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. For 140 minutes we follow Doors singer Jim Morrison from his days as an aspiring film student at UCLA to his death in Paris in 1970 at the age of 27. Writer-director Oliver Stone based the story of the film on some 150 transcripts detailing the life and character of Morrison. The result is far from flattering. The Doors paints a picture of a man enamored with death, his own inevitable demise more a relief than an agony.

Death stalks Morrison wherever he goes from a young age. As a child driving through the New Mexico desert with his family, Morrison happens across the site of a car accident littered with dead and dying Navahos. We watch the young Morrison endure what seems to be a sort of possession rite by spirits of the dead natives. Years later he'll profess to be a shaman and from what we see on screen, he might well have believed it to be true. Native American spirits dance alongside Morrison as he sings on stage. Whether these were real or simply an acid fueled hallucination is left deliberately unclear by Stone. Likewise, a death-like character (Richard Rutowski) shadows Morrison throughout his life as a rock singer. Whether this indicates Morrison saw death as a friend, was actually accompanied by Rutowski (who was a real life friend of Morrison), or was simply hallucinating remains ambiguous. What is clear is the following: in his great desire to self destruct, Morrison drank whiskey like water and spent an inordinate amount of time on precarious ledges outside Hotel windows thirty stories up.

Kilmer's performance as Morrison is easily the finest of his career. Raw, nervy, deliberately off putting and confrontational, moments of sobriety are few are far between for this insecure egomaniac. At times I didn't feel as though I was watching a portrayal of a character long deceased so much as a documentary. From threatening suicide repeatedly to quarreling constantly with police at concerts, scenes of bad behavior are many but moments of insight are few and far between. This doesn't seem a shortcoming on behalf of director Stone so much as an accurate depiction of the highly acidic Morrison as he truly was; this was a man who didn't want to be understood. This was an artist on the constant edge of oblivion; an iconoclast who refused to be loved and was close to intolerable whenever possible. Of course it's less than a pleasant experience following the venomous creature that Morrison became for the film's final hour as he goes from alcohol induced nervous breakdown to drug fueled indecent exposure, but I for one appreciate Stone's refusal to Hollywoodize the life and death of Morrison. Kilmer abandons completely all instinct for self preservation on screen, submerging himself in a performance that can only be described as his magnum opus.

Meg Ryan leads the supporting cast as Pamela "Morrison" Courson, Morrison's longtime lover and common-law wife. Ryan seems lost in the role but thankfully spends a minimal amount of time on screen as Morrison was a firm supporter of the "free love" social movement. Indeed, he spends more time with journalist and witchcraft enthusiast Patricia Kennealy (Kathleen Quinlan), an amalgam of several Morrison lovers who suffered through his frequent alcohol and drug induced impotence. A very fine Michael Madsen is wasted as actor Tom Baker, a friend of Morrison's whose relationship is grossly underdeveloped. The only performance among the supporting cast worthy of praise is that of quirky character actor Crispin Glover in a cameo as Andy Warhol, a scene that is absolutely spellbinding.

Some may criticize The Doors for glamorizing a life of excess; this film gives younger viewers the idea that drugs and promiscuous sex are fun, critics may charge. Those who would are missing the point entirely. As are those who would interpret this film as the cautionary tale of a life wasted. Little about the character we view on screen is glamorous. It seems no accident that Morrison died as he did. This was a man obsessed with death; his demise seems more a moment of wish fulfillment than tragedy. My only significant criticism of the film is that the title is certainly a misnomer; this could have easily been titled "The Jim Morrison Story" as there is not a single scene on screen without the eccentric singer while the remaining members of the band are relegated to obscurity. Call it art imitating life once more.

An ordinary film with one extraordinary performance

[hall895 · 6/10 · 30 May 2006]

Watching Oliver Stone's The Doors can be at times a frustrating experience. Considering the central figure in the film is pretty much always drunk or stoned or both the entire plot seems to unfold in a bit of a haze. Those watching the film may come away feeling a little stoned themselves. Yet through the drug and alcohol-fueled haze this film does have a lot to recommend it. Most notably it has one of the most stunningly brilliant acting performances you could ever hope to see. Val Kilmer, playing Jim Morrison, is simply perfect in the role. It sounds clichéd but Kilmer really seems to become Morrison. The physical resemblance is eerie and their voices are so similar it is fairly impossible when listening to the film's soundtrack to figure out when exactly you're hearing Morrison and when you're hearing Kilmer. Tracing Morrison's journey from shy, reserved youth to manic, drugged-out rock god the performance by Kilmer is mesmerizing throughout.

As good as Kilmer is you can't help but feel that his performance deserved to be surrounded by a better film. The film might as well have been titled "Morrison" because it is much more the story of one man than it is the story of his band. And therein lies much of the problem because while Kilmer is undeniably terrific, Morrison, at least as he is portrayed in this film, is not a very sympathetic character. That shy, quiet guy we see on the beach at the film's beginning becomes a bit of a monster, at times almost completely unlikable. And since the film revolves entirely around Morrison it makes the film often hard to embrace. Many would argue that Morrison was unfairly portrayed here, not nearly as mean-spirited and hot-tempered as we are led to believe. The truth probably lies somewhere in between but the fact remains that in this film it is very hard to embrace Jim Morrison and as such it is very hard to completely embrace the film.

With the focus almost completely on Kilmer's Morrison the rest of the cast comes off as little more than bit players. Kyle MacLachlan as keyboardist Ray Manzarek has the most to do amongst the remaining band members and his performance is fine but it really gets swallowed up by the ever-present and always center stage Morrison. Meg Ryan, playing Morrison's longtime companion Pamela Courson, is allowed only to react to Morrison's antics and never establishes a character and identity of her own. Even when stoned out of her mind, as everybody in this film always seems to be, Pamela comes across as the wholesome girl next door who is, well, rather dull. Kathleen Quinlan has a more memorable turn as another woman in Morrison's life, Patricia Kennealy, who is anything but dull. But again her character is there only to serve Jim. It's always about Jim. Nobody could deny that Jim Morrison was the most captivating figure in The Doors. But as the film unfolds and you watch Morrison stumble from one stupor to the next you'll probably wish we could have spent a little more time with some of the other characters. This film version of Jim Morrison is a hard guy to love.

So in the end what are we left with? You get one awe-inspiring, magnificent performance but that performance overshadows everything else going on in the film. You get a fascinating life story but one that unfortunately proceeds mostly in a frustrating drug-induced haze. You certainly get a tremendous soundtrack with all of The Doors' most notable songs. Well, most of them anyway. There seems to be a real yin and yang with this movie. There is plenty that is very good about it, but all that is good seems to be balanced out by something which frustrates. Jim Morrison led an extraordinary life but this film which tells his tale ends up being rather ordinary.

Captures the rock and roll lifestyle perfectly.

[theshadow908 · 8/10 · 30 March 2006]

I am a 17 year old student who is just getting into the amazing band that is the Doors. I watched the movie knowing about how Oliver Stone skewed the facts and changed some things around, so instead of expecting a 100% factual biography on Jim Morrison, I watched it expecting an entertaining film with great music...That's what I got.

Even though the film isn't completely factual, it conveyed really well what the rock and roll was like for most rock stars. Drugs, alcohol, sex. It all happens in this film. Oliver Stone didn't really do wonders with Jim Morrison's story, but his direction style was really good with this movie. The concert scenes were done really great, and for someone who's just getting into the music, they were really great scenes to watch.

The performances in this movie are something else. I'd have to say that from the Val Kilmer movies that I've seen, this is his best performance. He's really a perfect film incarnation of Jim Morrison, even if it's Oliver Stone's version of Jim Morrison. Everybody in the movie does a really good job in their roles, and it was really cool to watch.

So if you want a 100% factual Jim Morrison biography, read a book. If you want an entertaining movie about an awesome rock band in the 60's with awesome music, this is a great movie.

The Doors is a disturbing, overblown, trademark Oliver Stone film. But Val Kilmer is brilliant in it and that's reason to take in a viewing

[burlesonjesse5 · 7/10 · 9 May 2014]

After winning two best director Oscars (Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon respectively) at the Academy Awards, Oliver Stone could pretty much do whatever he wanted. So given his affection for 60's nostalgia, he decided to helm this 1991 biopic on one of rock and roll's all time greatest bands (one of my favorite rock groups as well). The Doors is a prime example of what a filmmaker can do if the vision of what's on screen is entirely his (not necessarily what the remaining members of The Doors themselves had intended). With as much clout as any major voice in Hollywood, Stone made an exercise that veers almost completely away from the storytelling of the band, and instead concentrates on the madness and mystery of lead singer Jim Morrison. The result is a fiery yet saturated, powerful yet overwhelming, and sad yet involving portrait of a musical icon who passed over much too early. Now I gotta warn ya, this thing is over 2 hours long and is exhausting. It's also an ambitious mess (don't worry, this is a compliment) that's filled with every Stone nuance in the book (you almost have to wear dark sunglasses to tackle the look of it). But it's saddled with a brilliant performance by Val Kilmer as the lead. And he anchors this kaleidoscope of late 60's culture bent on entertaining you if you let it. So to make things clear, I am to this day, a huge fan of Oliver Stone's 90's endeavors. He has calmed down a bit as a director these days. And don't get me wrong, I still think he knows what he's doing behind the camera. But I kinda wish the maverick in him would come back (a la The Doors). There is just too much control with his technique in present day. I kinda hate it to be honest.

Anyway, this movie tells the story of the band going from heralded beginnings (guitarist Robbie Kreiger and Jim Morrison were students who met at UCLA film school) to virtual stardom, and then to an eventual break up with the lead vocalist (the drummer, keyboard player, and lead guitarist continued on but the film ends with Jim's death). The Doors chronicles the years 1965 to 1971. Two to three aspects are driven home by Stone to get his point across. One is Morrison's alienation from the other band members (Kevin Dillon as John Densmore, Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek, Frank Whaley as Robbie Krieger) through his relentless drug/alcohol abuse during their tenure. Second, we get a sort of unclear spiritual journey that Kilmer (Morrison) goes through in the form of flashbacks caused by a drug fueled haze-type behavior. Lastly, Stone puts emphasis on Morrison's relationship with his hippie girlfriend Pamela (Meg Ryan). Their love affair is volatile and dangerous. Just watching them together makes you think that they would not, and could not live very much longer. Finally, there is the music. The concert and studio recording scenes are so well filmed and seem so real (that's because the actors actually learned to play the instruments from what I understand), you get the sense that Mr. Stone really took his time to get the right attention to detail. Oh, and I almost forgot, look for Crispin Glover doing an Andy Warhol impersonation (In the film, Jim meets him at a party). With Velvet Underground's music in the background, it's a wallop of a scene in terms of sensory overload.

To put it all into perspective, if you are a fan of the music via The Doors and don't mind a film that's rough around the edges, this is something worth checking out. The performances are adequate and Kilmer's turn as rock and roll's misunderstood poet is downright Oscar worthy (the reason he got snubbed could have been the film's early release in March). Yes, the overall structure of what's on screen is choppy and somewhat of a downer, but there is a storytelling light at the end of the tunnel. And as usual, Stone likes to wrap things up rather quickly. Is it justifiable after two hours and twenty minutes? Yeah, why not. By then, the audience has embraced the bruised heart of a fallen legend. Morrison is dead but the music of The Doors lives on forever. This film is a raw, battering interpretation of a band who's sound could never be copied. At close to the two hour mark, Frank Whaley (Robbie Krieger) says to Jim, "you said you like pain. Well you run from it every chance you get." Well, I plan on viewing The Doors again and again and believe me, no matter how intense Stone's vision gets, I certainly won't run from it. That's a guarantee.

The Lizard King

[Manthorpe · 9/10 · 17 June 2004]

We all know how legendary The Doors were and still are, and sooner or later someone was going to make a film about them. Might as well be Oliver Stone. Given the subject matter, Stone was able to go off the deep end with his imagery here to the point of making one have an epileptic seizure OR think they just dropped some acid. Either way, it's great to watch in my book.

The film is flawed in that it's not titled correctly. It's not about The Doors, it's about Jim Morrison and basically just the wild and crazy side of him. That's ok I guess, Morrison was The Doors. Many have criticized Stone for not depicting Jim in the proper light, but given how many people knew him it had to be an almost impossible task to please everyone as everyone knew him differently. I think we all can attest to this through the friendships we have with our friends. Some know us as one way, and some know us as another. I respect Stone for trying and feel sorry for him about the flak people have given him as I know he is a very talented director. I think his intentions were spawned out of true admiration and that he made this film for himself and to pay tribute, and not to win any awards. More of this can be found on the Special Edition DVD from Stone himself.

Even if one does not enjoy the trippy qualities of the film such as I do, or any part for that matter, one could not avoid admitting how well Val Kilmer portrays Morrison. It's simply amazing and is one of the best performances that I can bring to mind, and is the best example of how to literally become someone else, bar none. He doesn't act like he's Jim Morrison, he becomes Jim Morrison. He is Jim Morrison. This is no doubt helped by the uncanny facial similarities the two have. Not only that, most of the singing that's in the film was done by Kilmer himself and even a few of the original band members admitted that they honestly could not tell the difference between their two voices. Even if you hate Val Kilmer, this performance jumps in your face and screams for respect while trying to strangle you.

As mentioned earlier, some do not like the film for several reasons. One is that it makes Jim look like a monster and that it only glorifies his wild and uninhibited behavior. Two is that it's basically just one big acid trip into bits of history about the band. For one, Oliver Stone said it best....when you have to condense a person's life, a legend at that, into two measly hours you must take the highlights. Everyone lives longer than two hours, even Jim. We all know Jim was crazy, and with so many of the insane stories Stone heard while trying to piece together the script for this, a lot of what he heard was simply what you see. The wild and crazy side. As a result, what we're left with is not an accurate depiction of The Doors or of Jim Morrison. It is entertaining, yes, but it is not accurate. I think it could have been done perfectly, but it would have been excruciatingly difficult...and still not everyone would like it. And as far as the trippiness of the film, well that's Oliver Stone for you. We saw the same thing in Natural Born Killers a few years later. I personally like the style of it and felt that it was in place here but that's just my opinion. The '60's, drugs, and rock and roll equals trippy.

Overall a decent attempt at one of the most difficult subjects to cover, legends. And even though it's not entirely accurate and even though Morrison is one of my idols and he deserved a little better, I do enjoy the film greatly. The film should have been named Pandora's Box.

A compelling but seriously flawed film

[MF210 · 7/10 · 13 January 2006]

My Rating: **1/2 out of ****.

One thing you can say about Oliver Stones The Doors is that Stone has no intention of forcing the audience to like the main character. Stone spends almost the entire 138 minutes making Jim Morrison into the biggest asshole that he possibly can. Really, when I first rented this film I had no idea what to expect since Oliver Stone is sort of hit-or-miss with me. I can honestly say the film held my attention completely but at the end I was unsatisfied with what I had seen.

The remaining members of The Doors have criticized this film saying that it only portrayed one side of Morrison and that some of the actions in the film were far worse than anything he ever did (throwing the TV in the studio for instance). To be honest, I felt exactly the same way. By the end I was like, "There has to be more to this man than this!!!!"." I know Morrison had drinking and drug problems, and thats on full display. Stone makes clear that we see the flaws of Morrison and pretty much nothing else. If Stone wanted to make a film that showed the dark side of a rock star than he accomplished his goal admirably.

But the film is just too disappointingly shallow. Morrison was supposedly a very shy front-man at first which we actually do see in the beginning when he sings with his back turned toward the audience. It's a shame Stone didn't explore this "shy, intelligent" man that the Doors always talk about instead of the sadistic asshole on display here. If Stone had made Morrison into a more well-rounded character than this could have been a great film.

What cannot be criticized about the film is Val Kilmer's electrifying performance. Forget the small little flaws like Kilmer is six inches taller than Morrison was and that Kilmers face is a little fatter than Morrisons and just watch this magnificent piece of acting. I have never been that impressed with Val Kilmer's acting ability before I saw this film so seeing him in this was a mindblowing experience. He completely inhabits Morrison and its hard to believe he was actually the second choice for the role. This will undoubtedly be a career best for Kilmer and it is a damn shame he didn't at least get an Oscar Nomination.

The supporting cast is also impressive, particularly Meg Ryan. Ryan excels much more in lighter roles but here she dos a very good job as Morrison's girlfriend, Pamela Courson. Kevin Dillon, Kyle MacLachlan, and Frank Whaley do the best they can with limited screen time as the remaining members of The Doors.

Stone's films have always been uneven when it comes to visual styles. In such films as Natural Born Killers, Any Given Sunday, and to some extent, Nixon, they have been exercises of cinematic masturbation with hyper editing and completely unnecessary film stock switches. Fortunately, thats not the case here as the film has a more straightforward look that complements the film well instead of distracting us.

Stone can make a compelling film and The Doors is never boring. It has a lot of good points: a tremendous lead performance, impressive supporting work, effective cinematography, and a great soundtrack. Its a shame that the film is hampered by a shallow script. If the script were better it is quite possible The Doors could have been a great film. As it stands, its a compelling, though definitely disappointing film.

Superb Performance...Incredible Casting

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 5 January 2017]

I totally agree with several before me that at some point in the film, one forgets he is watching Val Kilmer play the late Jim Morrison. This is a marvelous performance by a gifted actor. His physical appearance and voice really capture the essence of one of the top five or six rock bands ever. There is lots of documentary footage of the doors because they came along when videotaping and filming were everywhere, so to capture a realistic display of performances in a film had too be good. We get to watch the guys slowly evolve. We get to see how Morrison held sway over the group. Ray Manzarek had an incredible talent of his own, and yet he kept being dwarfed by the charismatic lead singer. There were times when Morrison's performances were almost transcendent. The music is really good here as well.

Mr. Mojo Risin And The Turbulent 60s

[Lechuguilla · 23 April 2006]

Although less popular now, Jim Morrison was an American pop culture icon during the late 1960s. He liked to refer to himself as "Mr. Mojo Risin", an anagram of his name. Oliver Stone's film "The Doors" is mostly about Morrison ... his rise to stardom in the 1960s, his personality, and his mysterious death in 1971.

Influenced in childhood by American Indians, Morrison grew up fascinated with Indian Shamanism, elements of which he would later infuse into his poetry and music while hanging out in the mid 60s in the hip areas of Los Angeles. Here he would meet musician Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan). Along with two other band members, the group would form "The Doors", a name Morrison borrowed from the title of Aldous Huxley's book on drug use and enlightenment, called "The Doors Of Perception". During this time Morrison comes across as sensitive, shy, poetic, and an idealistic dreamer. The film's first hour is quite good. We get some insights into Jim's early years, and we get to hear some of that great music, like "Riders On The Storm", and "Light My Fire".

The film's second half is less interesting. Morrison himself has changed, as a result of his celebrity status. His narcissism, his boozing and drug use, have turned his world into chaos, which is evident in a couple of staged concert events, one in New Haven, the other in Miami. The amount of time that Oliver Stone spends on these noisy, chaotic events is excessive. Some of that could have been edited out.

As with most Stone films, the cinematography in "The Doors" is excellent, and includes some early CGI. Val Kilmer is a great choice to play the part of Morrison. And Kathleen Quinlan is good as Patricia, the seductive witch. The film's images at the cemetery in Paris, together with Gothic background music, make for a haunting finale.

Stone's movie is not to be taken in a literal sense. Rather, it is suggestive of the complex mix of personal and cultural forces that interacted to create a pop culture legend. As a byproduct of this cinematic tribute, the viewer gets to see how the late 1960s really were, with the art deco, the hippie lingo, and all that hostility that existed in society. The film thus counters the political revisionism that later decades have assigned to that period. As such, "The Doors" complements and reinforces other films of that era which also "tell it like it really was": "Medium Cool", "Easy Rider", "Alice's Restaurant", and "Zabriskie Point", to name a few.

Despite a noisy, irksome second half, "The Doors" is an intriguing film about an intriguing historical figure. Mr. Mojo Risin's "style" may have died with the times. But Jim Morrison, himself, lives on ... as legend.

solid biopic

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 1 May 2016]

It's 1965 L.A. Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer), UCLA film student, meets Pam Courson (Meg Ryan). He quits school and forms The Doors with Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan), John Densmore (Kevin Dillon), and Robby Krieger (Frank Whaley). They become one of the foremost counter culture rock banks of the era. The band drifts apart as Jim travels a different path with witchy journalist Patricia Kennealy (Kathleen Quinlan). In 1970, he faces charges for exposing himself during a Miami concert. He's living with Pam when he dies in Paris at age 27 in 1971.

Director Oliver Stone delivers a solid biopic with his cinematic style to depict the drugged out hippie time and the chaotic nature of the band. Val Kilmer delivers his most impressive performance of his career. The movie could probably add some drama but I'm not sure how exactly. The world is burning down and he's a part of the chaos. His end is predictable for fans and newcomers alike. There may be a dramatic story in there somewhere.

A refreshing cinematic breakthrough in an era in which cinema seems all but forgotten!

[famsmith · 9/10 · 3 December 2000]

This film is truly a gem. The Doors is easily the best film of the rock n' roll genre and at least one of the most important films of its era. Though I am not an Oliver Stone fan I must give credit where it is due. Stone really does a terrific job with this film, and shows what he is capable of when he actually knows about the subject he is attempting to comment on. A few of the scenes in the film are almost exact recreations of actual events. However, the magnificent thing about this film is that it manages to recreate a certain amount of reality while simultaneously realizing that for a film to possess its own vitality it must transcend the preexisting reality, move beyond the surface, beyond everything that is obvious, and express and explore something deeper. Val Kilmer delivers a powerful performance in which he almost seems to be channeling the energy of Jim Morrison, and though I've seen many of Meg Ryan's films this is the only one I can recollect where she does such a good job that she makes you really forget about her and focus on the character. The cinematography of the film by Robert Richardson (Platoon, Wall Street, Born on The Fourth of July, Natural Born Killers, Casino, Bringing out the Dead, and many more) is bold and unique making the film one of the most distinct visual films I've ever seen. This film is truly one of a kind, and breaks through into new cinematic territory, giving priority to the visual aspects of the film in an era where there are so few films that even give much consideration to the single most important aspect of the motion picture. The genius of this film is that it is visual-audio as opposed to audio-visual and is more concerned with expressing something than simply impressing the audience. The Doors is a refreshing cinematic breakthrough in an era in which cinema seems all but forgotten.

Like being on lsd

[ga-bsi · 7/10 · 14 April 2009]

Jim Morrison is a very mysterious figure who is intertwined in the 60's so completely that it's almost as if he couldn't live part that era. This film is extremely sycadelic and makes one realise how much of a problem living actually was for him. He had so many addictions and so much confusion that it was the end of him when it came down to it. His songs were poetic, strange and brilliant but beyond the comprehension of most. Fame devoured him, and this movie gives a very good depiction of this. His performances are unlike any one since, and perhaps this is for the best because some one as volatile and magical as Jim Morrison is not meant for this life.

Great visual film that concentrates on one aspect of a brilliant but troubled rock legend.

[joediduca · 9/10 · 23 September 2005]

Jim Morrison wrote many of the Doors songs and was a complete drunk by the time he died in 1971. This film depicts Morrison in a very one sided view. Yes he was an alcoholic with a disregard for authority, yes he was on self destruct mode and burnt out quickly reaffirming the James Dean "Live fast Die young" motif. But what is missing from Stone's depiction of him was his great intellect,his absurd humour and his natural talent as a composer and vocalist. However it is a wonderfully visual film that takes the viewers on a hallucinogenic ride through drug hazed Los Angeles in the late 60's. It was the first of many films that Stone created in the 90's using an almost dream like quality to evoke the feeling of the turbulent times.

Although this picture is not a 100% accurate account of who or what Jim Morrison was it is still very engaging and enjoyable. A good place for someone who is new to the Doors to start.

"You got a problem with doors?" - Pamela Courson

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 24 November 2014]

Within the span of a year, three of Rock's legends were dead. Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison were pretty much household names among music fans of the era, and their passing shocked and confused everyone. They were all twenty seven years old which conjured up a sort of bad luck omen for other musicians on the way up. This all happened over forty years ago and it seems like just yesterday.

I don't think I've ever seen an actor channel another person's identity the way Val Kilmer did here. Not only in the uncanny resemblance to Jim Morrison, but the way he captured Morrison's voice and sound was simply amazing. Recalling those days back in the Seventies, I can't say that I was that much of a Doors fan though I did enjoy their music well enough. You knew there was something definitely 'out there' with the lyrics to many of Morrison's songs. What I didn't know at the time was how much he indulged in alcohol and mind altering drugs to the point of incoherency on a regular basis.

You never know watching films like this how much license was taken with the characters and events as shown on screen. Oliver Stone adds another whole dimension to that. For what it's worth, the picture seems to do a fairly credible job, at least chronologically, of the band's rise to fame and Morrison's role as front man. It's just a shame that hugely talented artists like Morrison and his contemporaries couldn't refrain from their self destructive tendencies. They'd still be performing for audiences today if not for lack of self control.

A hypnotic film, but it emphasizes the negative side of Jim Morrison and is filled with fabrications

[Wuchakk · 5/10 · 14 March 2014]

RELEASED IN 1991 and directed by Oliver Stone, "The Doors" chronicles the Southern California band The Doors and their rise and fall between 1966-1971. The film focuses on charismatic singer Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer) who falls into alcoholism and drug-addiction. He flew to France in March, 1971, to join his girlfriend, Pamela Courson (Meg Ryan), and pursue a different career, but died the next summer due to his ongoing substance abuse. The other band members are played by Kyle MacLachlan (Ray Manzarek), Frank Whaley (Robby Krieger) and Kevin Dillon (John Densmore).

I'm not old enough to remember The Doors. The first time I heard of them was when my older brother asked me if I knew of them. I busted out laughing saying, "The Doors? Why don't they just call themselves The Window Sills." Yeah, I thought the name was pretty lame until I discovered Morrison's reasoning behind it:

There is what is known; And there is what is unknown; In between are the doors

Another thing that won my respect was their song that was used in the opening of "Apocalypse Now," which is my all-time favorite film (the original version, not "Redux"). After that I bought their "Best Of" album and my impression was that their sound was horribly dated, even THEN. Over time, however, I've come to respect The Doors' music because it's so unique. They don't sound like anyone else. They have a weird, moody vibe, even their 'hits,' augmented by a strange carnival feel. Over top of it all is Morrison's commanding and haunting vox. I prefer their more artistic songs like "Riders on the Storm" and "The End" as opposed to their 'hits,' but who can deny the catchiness of "Light My Fire" or the goofy charm of "People are Strange"?

The film focuses on Jim Morrison and leaves the viewer with the impression that he was a miserable artistic-genius type who had no sense of moderation; he sought to escape his personal struggle through loose sex, substance misuse and rock 'n' roll. His excessive self-abuse eventually spilled over to those closest to him and ultimately landed him in a premature grave. His body lies in Paris, a mecca to his fans who have spray-painted the surrounding monuments with gaudy graffiti, some of it profane. The image this leaves you with is that Jim Morrison is no fun to be around, even in death.

So "The Doors" is pretty much the ultimate story of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Stone said he based his view of Morrison, as depicted in the film, on 160 transcripts of people that actually knew him or were around him and the band. From these documents emerged a central truth about Morrison's final years, an image of wild excess. Because of this, I was left with a bad impression of the man. I felt Morrison was a spaced-out, immature jerk, abusive to both himself and others, foolishly sacrificing his life and talents on the altar of alcohol & drug idolatry.

Yet this was only part of the truth. Thankfully the 37-minute documentary on the 'extras' disc, "The Road to Excess" (1997), balances things out. One of Morrison's sweethearts, wiccan Patricia Kennealy (played by Kathleen Quinlan in the movie), the guitarist and another guy offer the other side of the story. They properly point out that Stone's film only shows Jim's 'wild & crazy' side, emphasizing that the events depicted in the picture, while sometimes true, aren't "all that happened." They unanimously describe Morrison as genuine, innocent, shy, loving and gallant, an amazing person who made those around him feel important, as if he was their best friend. Robby even states that Jim was "the most influential person I've ever met."

In addition, the documentary features numerous clips of Morrison himself, clearly showing him to be a fun-loving, nice and sane person rather than the spaced-out, abuse-driven dude shown in the film. Needless to say, the documentary helps round-out one's image of the man.

BOTTOM LINE: Val Kilmer doesn't just play Jim Morrison, he IS Jim Morrison. This is no small feat and vital to the film in light of the fact that he appears in practically every frame. He should have won an award. In any case, if you're in the mood for something that captures that late-60s counter-culture vibe "The Doors" is worth checking out, but it tends to exaggerate things in the name of mythmaking, which is usually the case with movies. For instance, Jim never lit up a closet door with Pamela locked inside (rolling my eyes), the idiotic Thanksgiving dinner sequence never happened and the naked revelries at concerts (and the bonfire) are overblown fabrications. Still, the movie's mesmerizing in a spaced-out way and highlighted by The Doors' music throughout.

Unfortunately, the first half is superior to the second half, which becomes too unpleasant, offering a very limited and unflattering impression of Morrison. That's why it's essential to also watch "The Road to Excess" on the bonus disc or, better yet, the excellent 2009 documentary "The Doors: When You're a Stranger," which exclusively uses footage and photos from 1966-1971. Another problem with Stone's movie is that it loses its dramatic pull in the second half in preference for hypnotic yet chaotic visual mayhem, not to mention outright lies.

Lastly, in "The Road to Excess" Oliver Stone makes a couple of really asinine statements. Commenting on Morrison, he states: "To live life intensely and well and die young and achieve everlasting fame & glory is the greatest. It's Achilles, it's Alexander, it's... Jim Morrison." Huh? Another dubious line is: "The road to excess leads to the palace of wisdom." Is he on drugs? Jim's road of excess led straight to an early grave, not enlightenment.

THE FILM RUNS 2 hours 20 minutes.

GRADE: C (but the "The Road to Excess" documentary gets an A-/B+)

Hmmmm....bad, yet good.

[travschwab · 16 October 2001]

First off, The Doors are my favorite band. EVER. No one can match up to their revolutionary style, their originality, or the music. They are truly THE GREATEST AMERICAN BAND. And one of the most influential bands. EVER. Also one of the most controversial bands. Those are just some of the reasons why The Doors are my fav.

Anyway...the Oliver Stone film is good, but not a spectacular piece of work. I did enjoy watching it and would also recommend it. If you never listened to The Doors or aren't really into them then I think this flick will get you interested in the band and their music. But for the most part the movie seems to focus too much on Morrison and in some parts when it does, it seems fake. For example, when Jim is talking or arguing with his girl he is always taking a line from one of his songs and/or from his poems. If you listened to the music before then you would know what I mean. It seems Stone didn't know what to write so he just borrowed some lines from a song/poem and put them in the script. And the preformance by Kilmer is very good, but not great. It seems as if he's trying too hard to become him and when he does he seems to go overboard. But as a movie this is good. As a biography about Jim Morrison this is mediocre. Even the fellow members of The Doors say Morrison isn't portrayed 100%, saying that the movie just portrayed the bad, drunk, disgusting Morrison and never really showed the good humored, shy, sensitive Morrison.

Well, at least there's still the music.

Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine

[wes-connors · 7/10 · 9 November 2009]

Like it says here, on the silvery special two-disc DVD set, "Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer), one of the most sensual and exciting figures in the history of rock and roll, explodes on the screen in 'The Doors', the electrifying movie about a time called the sixties and a legendary outlaw who rocked America's consciousness - forever. Meg Ryan, Kyle MacLachlan, Frank Whaley, Kevin Dillon, and Billy Idol also star." Probably, it would be more accurate to describe Mr. Idol's appearance as a cameo. And, Ms. Ryan and the others are merely featured players; this is an imaginary biography of Jim Morrison, tripping in the limelight.

Five to One

It's not even close to opening "The Doors" - but, the film does include an appropriately mesmerizing simulation by Val Kilmer (as Jim Morrison). Mr. Kilmer is so good he almost makes up for the surprising lack of substance (but not substance abuse) and reality. Director Oliver Stone, who did so well with previous 1960s-based films, is unable to present an honest picture of Mr. Morrison. Certainly, it hurts that Morrison isn't around to offer advice - but, "Other Voices" (the other members of the band) are extended thanks at the end of the film, indicating they approved of and/or contributed to the contents of this biography.

People Are Strange

Unfortunately, the film skips over Morrison, Ray Manzarek (Mr. MacLachlan), John Densmore (Mr. Dillon), and Robby Krieger (Mr. Whaley) as musicians. The legendary melding of Morrison's moody poetics with Mr. Manzarek's rock sensibilities (the "Moonlight Drive" at Venice Beach ) is covered, but the creation of actual music that mattered is scuttled to focus almost singularly on Morrison's alcoholic acid trip. Morrison was cruel, kind, and often very drunk - but, he and the other Doors were much more worthy than wasted. This film is technically sound, and Kilmer's performance is excellent. If only it were more insightful…

******* The Doors (2/23/91) Oliver Stone ~ Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, Kyle MacLachlan, Frank Whaley

Val Kilmer At His Finest!

[namashi_1 · 10/10 · 23 October 2013]

A biopic about the 1960-70s rock band of the same name which emphasizes the life of its late lead singer, Jim Morrison, 'The Doors' proves to be a showcase for the under-rated Val Kilmer. As Jim Morrison, Kilmer delivers a knockout performance, that deserved an Oscar Nod, if not a Win.

'The Doors' Synopsis: The story of the famous and influential 1960's rock band and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison.

'The Doors' celebrates music & Morrison's journey, which unfortunately is just a memory. Morrison was talented & handsome, but he gave inn to drugs & all the wrong stuff, only to end his life. However, 'The Doors' is infectiously entertaining & addictive.

Master Filmmaker Oliver Stone Directs 'The Doors' with visible energy & enthusiasm. The Screenplay is worthy & depicts Morrison's journey with no diplomacy. Cinematography is top-notch. Editing is sharp.

Performance-Wise: Val Kilmer is At His Finest. He plays the legendary musician with mesmeric ease. Undoubtedly, its among the finest performances from the early 1990's. Among other performers, Meg Ryan is first-rate as Pamela Courson.

On the whole, 'The Doors' is rich in music with a heroic leading performance. Strongly Recommended!

Kilmer's amazing performance saves the day, but only just!

[Pedro_H · 7/10 · 19 May 2007]

The story of the short - but influential - life of Jim Morrison and The Doors: who exploded on the music scene in the late 1960's and are still hugely popular today.

(As if you don't know all this already!)

The Doors were a fantastic group, and if you don't believe me just flick through a stranger's CD collection: There is usually a Doors compilation in their somewhere.

But what do you want to believe about the group itself and what they represented and what they believed in? This movie believes The Doors were Jim Morrison and a group of half-assed sidekick men and to hell with the fact that some of the better tunes were written by other band members or the overall (organ based) sound had little to do with Jim Boy.

Rock and roll cannot be encapsulated in two hours. All you can do is form lists and put lines through them one by one. Early life (lied about - by JM - because it didn't fit hippie fashion), form the band, band gets famous, band takes drugs, band falls out over drugs, you know the full list as well as I do - unless you are coming to rock movies for the first time.

The central problem I have is I don't like the stoned or the drunk. Indeed most sober people don't. I can't care less if the person that is drunk/stoned is very talented or has written great songs or even that they are sexy. They are bores and they are bores that urinate on the carpet. JM urinated on a lot of people's carpet and from his early death it is clear that as a drinker he was a bit of a lightweight.

(Often consumed - in the street fashion - straight from the bottle.)

When sober (more times than this movie acknowledges) he was a big reader and a smart enough guy, but rock doesn't like smart all that much. It much prefers extroverts with an inflated sense of their own importance and who die young enough to not embarrass the fans by their middle age or worse. As Bono once said "I don't want to be a firework that explodes for the enjoyment of the general public."

What holds this movie together is Val Kilmer. My word is he good. He looks Morrison, he acts Morrison and he sings Morrison. Nobody could be better. Even the original band were amazed. The concert scenes are so well created that they look like a documentary and - strange though it may sound - they should have recorded a full concert and put it out as an extra on the DVD. A new art form, a fictionalised version of a real 1960's gig.

Indeed, Kilmer is as strong as the other band members are weak. Indeed they are so weak they are almost extras in their own movie (the title is a con - this is Jimmy and the Whoever's!) Meg Ryan is a total miscast as his nagging wife and Billy Idol (who is called Cat in the movie) seems to need to shout things at random to remind people he is still there. If you can remember the names of the actors playing the other band members or recall a line they said you need to go on the road as Mr. Memory! However at times I don't know if they are angry at Morrison or their itchy wigs.

Narcotic taking (legal or illegal) is someone else's business. It is easy for me - as someone that views self-poisoning as the greatest form of madness on the planet - to claim to be moral superior just because it isn't my knee-jerk. However it does seem to work for artistic people, at least for a short while. It makes things better before it makes things much worse. And it doesn't get any worse than being in your grave at 27 - unless that is the place you want to be.

To love someone you have to love them when they are old, bald or grey. The fans that desecrate his grave (and those around it) at Perè Lachaise in Paris (nothing like shown in this movie, by the way - look up the cemeteries own web site on Google) like him dead and buried. You don't even have to pay to be in his company. The Lizard King is dead, long live the next wandering poet and their entertaining and manic odes to their own self-pity...

Absorbing movie - i didn't want it to end. (my only friend...)

[Ben_Cheshire · 8/10 · 29 February 2004]

Utterly absorbing bio-pic of Jim Morrison. The name Val Kilmer is, or should be, synonymous with incredible acting that is not merely natural or convincing, but immensely fun and commanding. You may have noticed while watching his recent Wonderland - Val has the ability to make a picture. Here, he IS The Doors: The Movie. There, he WAS Wonderland. I am exaggerating, i suppose. For Oliver Stone has crafted a marvellous film which makes you feel like you've experienced what the sixties were like. Through using The Doors actual music (what was missing from the recent Sylvia, the art of the subject itself - her poetry) to help tell its story and colour its scenes, and filmic techniques to create the drug-induced world vision of Jim Morrison, Stone really takes you into the world of his movie, and the world of the sixties.

This movie made me appreciate what an exciting experience The Doors were, and has actually cultivated love in me for their music. I didn't realise they had more than one classic: Light my Fire, The End, People are Strange, Love her Madly, Break on Through to the Other Side, Riders on the Storm, Touch Me, Roadhouse Blues (Let it roll, baby roll) and probably more i'm yet to discover.

For a better recreation of what Andy Warhol's factory actually felt like, see I Shot Andy Warhol. Crispin Glover actually looks more like Andy than the guy who plays him in "I Shot," but the guy in I Shot much better captured Andy's vagueness and almost unconsciousness while in conversation. This, however, is but three minutes in the movie and has no effect on it as a whole.

Oliver Stone has an amusing cameo: a young film student, Jim Morrison, shows his short film to his class, who are uncouth and disparaging about it, after which camera pans to reveal Oliver Stone standing at the lecturn, (obviously, playing the film professor), who says: "Why don't we ask the author what he thinks?"

Good Film

[williamalake · 7/10 · 25 August 2008]

I Love the doors and Jim Morrison. So I thought that I would love this film too. I thought it was great, Val Kilmer did a fantastic job and I hardly doubt whether anybody else could have done better. But I did get a little bored at times. (I guess I felt how some of his band mates felt about his antics!) There is no doubting that Jim Morrison was a hugely talented individual, but he did have his demons. This film recreated this brilliantly and portrayed Jim as I would have imagined him to be (not being alive at the same time as Jim was!) The film, however, is only a 7/10 because it isn't the greatest film I've ever seen. It does provide an insight into Jim's Life and it was portrayed very well. I have seen better but I have seen a whole lot worse too! I would recommend this film to any fans of 'the doors' but you probably won't enjoy it if you don't like the band!

"Nothing to touch the earth, not to see the sun, nothing left to do but run, run, run, let's run."

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 26 April 2003]

This is just a sampling of the lyrics that singer/writer Jim Morrison contributed to his group The Doors, and just this, as part of his epic piece "The Celebration of the Lizard" shows his skill as a master of the written word. He is shown in Oliver Stone's The Doors as a shy, though often obnoxious and crude, persona who self describes himself in one scene: "I think of myself as a sensitive, intelligent human being, but with the soul of a clown that forces me to blow it at the most crucial of moments." He may have blown it in the end, but it makes for a fascinating story.

As being a Doors fan, the music and words are the best character of the movie- the songs represent feelings and emotions, desires and hatreds, and other facets of life in the late 60's, are indispensable gems of rock and blues. While the Doors recorded only six albums together (not counting American Prayer, Morrison's awesome feat of an album) each one is still transfixed into the minds of people all over the world. It's thirty-two years since the king died, but in another thirty-two he will still be remembered. And that is a fact that Stone plays with like Travis Bickle in front of the mirror with his guns in Taxi Driver. He reveals only Morrison's known persona, and not the quiet moments. The concert recreations are grand, but there isn't more of the sweet Jim (one glimpse of such a Jim is seen at a birthday party when he gives out gifts as "Chief Mojo Risin)

What is shown is splendid enough for his abilities- he paints a vivid picture of Los Angeles 1965 onward, with Val Kilmer in the second best acting job of 1991 (deserved of an Oscar nomination), and puts Jim in the middle. He is a man who is fascinated with death, with man's wills to power, and how life gets painful without the chemicals top open the mind. Kilmer gets so much into your head in this film that by the end you'll love him, hate him, or feel wonder about him. I felt wonder about him, wonder why he looked to heroes who gave him such ideas about the love of death, wonder why he felt the need to take it to the limits.

But his desires are Stone's as well, and while this isn't a perfect film, it's one that isn't easily forgotten. A+

Not the story it should have been... but watchable

[ReyAce · 7/10 · 15 October 2005]

One thing you can say for Stone is that he knows how to make a good LOOKING movie. Unfortunately he plays so fast and loose with the truth that the end result is more a work of fiction rather than of history. Such is the case with "The Doors", a movie that any real Doors fan knows is only a caricature of the band's front-man, Jim Morrison.

Stone took the most sensational moments in Morrison's life and focused on it entirely, the end result being that he captured only a mere sliver of Morrison's true life and personality. While the film medium as a whole has never been as good as books when documenting someone's life or career, Stone's portrayal of Morrison unforgivably verges on fiction in its artistic license. Absent is the sensitive, intelligent person who many - including himself - considered a true poet, missing is the person who acknowledged the ridiculousness of his celebrity and sought to destroy it one glorious night in Miami, and equally missing is the source of the person who WAS James Douglas Morrison. As comedian Denis Leary once put it after seeing the movie, "Here I can sum it up for you - I'm a drunk, I'm a nobody, I'm a drunk, I'm famous, I'm a drunk, I'm dead!" Not exactly the best summation for a man whose cultural contributions to American music can still be felt 35 years after his death. Nice going, Oliver.

On the positive side the movie looks incredibly good, (most likely due to cinematographer Robert Richardson rather than Stone himself), and the viewer does come away with a feel for Morrison's charisma, stage presence, and mystical inclinations. Val Kilmer had deep shoes to fill and very convincingly does so - perhaps the only person on planet earth capable of bringing such a complicated character as Morrison to the screen. The rest of the cast also is well-placed, even though the characters on the screen were considerably different than who they were portraying. (Thanks again, Oliver.)

All in all, the movie is worth watching. If you're an intrigued first-timer being introduced to the music and legacy of The Doors from this movie, take it with a grain of salt and do yourself a favor - go out and get the biographies of former band members Ray Manzarek and John Densmore, then watch the live concert material available. You'll be glad you did.

changed my life

[dogge84 · 10/10 · 11 April 2003]

My eyes were closed until autumn 1995, when channel 5 in Sweden showed The Doors. I taped it and didn't think too much of it in the beginning. The only thing I knew about The Doors was their song "Light my fire".

A friend of mine, who borrowed the film from me, told me he liked the "cave" scene and the music in it. I myself liked the scene where Jim climbs up to Pam's balcony. That was pretty much it. But then I noticed the song "love street" which is played in the beginning, and then I realized that the guitar intro to "The end" wasn't that bad. After that I bought the soundtrack and now I was pretty much hooked. I put my eurodisco records on a shelf and became a "rock'n roller", and Jim was my role model. My relationship to Jim Morrison is actually the closest to being a gay that I will ever be.

The best part of the film are the opening thirty minutes, where Jim "quits" his film class on UCLA, follows Pam home from the beach and takes her out on a night walk, rehearses with the band and "Light my fire" is introduced. Too bad we never get to see the band being formed. I love that story, when Jim meets Ray on the beach and that conversation leads up to Jim singing "Moonlight drive". This scene is also one of few which shows the real Jim Morrison, but I will get back to that later. Around this time, Jim meets his girlfriend with whom he stayed until he died.

After half an hour, the movie takes on in a different direction. It is from now on, a very dark movie. This is for a reason, and the reason is that Oliver wants the audience to see everything through Jim's eyes. The result is that some scenes are very surreal and after a while you may think that Oliver Stone himself took some acid before shooting them.

The negative side of the film, which have made many people upset, is the way Jim Morrison is presented. Jim is high or/and drunk in nearly every scene he appears in, and since the movie is shown through his angle the result is the surrealism and spaced-out scenes. "Jimbo" has unfortunately a bigger part than Jim. (See the movie and you'll know what I mean.)

I have read practically every book there is to read about The Doors, including the one named "light my fire", written by the organist Ray Manzarek. This guy isn't too happy with the movie. I see his point but at the same time, he confirms in the book that most of the things in the movie has actually happened; the back against the audience, the Ed Sullivan sequence where Jim sings the word "higher" on national television, the TV-throwing in the studio. Other things could never happen or are just simply wrong; the Andy Warhole-party where Jim is abandoned by the rest of the band (something that true friends would never do to one another), Jim's student project (his movie didn't look like that at all), Jim's red mustang (Jim had a blue mustang which he actually called "the blue lady").

Oliver Stone focuses the movie on the wrong things. Sure, Jim Morrison was a pothead, but he was also a very intelligent, sensitive, friendly and funny person. This is far from the picture most people have of him after seeing the movie. But if you know this, and just want some Rock'n roll in your life you will like the movie anyway. Another strange thing is that Oliver Stone has said that he loved Jim and wanted the movie to be a sort of homage to him!? Some homage. So the film is great, however it is not the real story of Jim Morrison. The only time we see the sensitive side of Jim is when he turns down an early offer from a record company man who tells him to "drop those guys".

The music numbers are the scenes that impresses me the most. The choreography, the lighting of the stage, and, above all, the fact that Val Kilmer actually sings all the songs by himself. Look at the "Not to touch the earth" sequence and you'll know what I mean.

And now we come to the best thing with this movie. The ONE thing that made me buy it and watch it about 30 times after that. That thing is Val Kilmer. An actor who hadn't made anything spectacular before this and haven't really done anything after it. He was born to do this part. It isn't the real Jim, but an alternative Jim who you kind of love to hate. But now I'm only talking about the personality. Kilmer walks like, talks like, sings like, and above all looks like Jim. And some looks. What wouldn't I give to have that hair or that wardrobe.

Besides Kilmer, there are many more great and well-known actors in this movie; Mimi Rogers, Michael Wincott, Josie Bissett, Crispin Glover, Kathleen Quinlan (who plays the very true character Patricia Keneally), and one of the few actors that I can't stand; Michael Madsen. Also, some artists gone acting; Billy Idol, Swedens own Eagle-Eye Cherry (whose scene were cut out from the final film), and if my eyes aren't lying to me; Billy Vera. And oh yeah, I almost forgot: MEG RYAN (arrr).

Also, do not forget to check out the cool end credits, with fast speeding pictures of night time L.A, being played to "L.A woman".

I now see that channel four is showing "Wall Street". Very appropriate way to spend the rest of this evening, don't you think? Of course, it can't be compared to The Doors but nevertheless!

Excellent Film

[whpratt1 · 7/10 · 8 October 2007]

If anyone did not know anything about Jim Morrison and his rise to fame as a great Rock "N" Roll performer, Director Oliver Stone gave one fantastic biography in this film. Jim Morrison was played by Val Kilmer who gave a very outstanding performance who put his heart and soul into this role along with Meg Ryan, (Pamela Courson) who is a faithful young girl who fell in love with Jim after he walked into her bedroom and broke up her marriage. Pamela stayed with Jim through out his entire career from 1960 until his death in the 70's. There is nothing left for your imagination, plenty of female nudity, sex, drugs and indecent exposure by Jim Morrison on the stage of one of his rock band concerts which caused great commotion and put Jim Morrison into a court of law with jail sentences. Great film about a performer who had a great message but lost his way by using drugs and booze.

No Insight At All

[dgjones-62258 · 5/10 · 28 May 2021]

This was a self-indulgent middle-aged man's idea of what it would be like to be a rock god - lots of sex, drugs, and rock n roll, but very little else. I was bored by this movie and it took me three viewings to finish it.