2/4  The Doors
The Doors is an interesting story that ends up being one big disaster. Oliver Stone's direction is blurry and his screenplay(which he wrote with Randall Jahnson.) is surprisingly sloppy and weak. Val Kilmer gives one of his best performanc... (read full)

2/4  Buried in France
The movie was pretty good, except I felt Meg Ryan was a tad out of place, just a pretty face. It sort of illuminated me and gave me an education about The Doors though. Come on Oliver Stone, light my fire. No, that sounds a tad too wrong. ... (read full)

2/4  These People Are Vampires, Man.
"Rock is Cock." Indeed, this film participates in rock star commodity fetishism, deifying Jim Morrison as a dionysian Phallic God -- a feat only Val Kilmer could pull off.

Oliver Stone is often accused of mythologizing. In this case... (read full)

2.5/4  The Doors Quick Review
It was an ok movie. Not too bad, but not too good either.

2/4  The Doors Quick Review
One of the most pompous and over-the-top movies I've ever seen. Val Kilmer is fantastic as Jim Morrison, but the movie is not cohesive at all. It seems like just a bunch of random scenes that happen.

2/4  The Doors Quick Review
This movie is so funny that it's hard to believe it's not a comedy. Maybe the worst movie about rock and roll ever made, but so good in so many wrong ways. A beautiful train wreck.

3/4  The Doors Quick Review
I don't know what this film would be without Val Kilmer. He channels Jim Morrison in look and feel. He makes this film work and owns the role. Like many of Stone's work, it gets self-indulgent, but in this case it helps the film.

3/5 mostly reviewing the new features
  by lawgiver4feh
"Pam joined him three years later . . ." is on my copy of the 15 Year Anniversary Edition; the movie is the same as the Special Edition.

The packaging and menus are updated and look great. Substantially better than the special edition.

On to the 2 new features.

The Doors in L.A. - 20 minute feature; Robbie Krieger, John Densmore, (yaaay!), Jimmy Greenspoon, and Pamela Des Barres are the prominent interviews on camera here. Nothing earth shattering, but it's nice to see/hear John Densmore's abridged opinions.

The Jim Morrison Phenomena in Paris - it's interesting. You've got a handful of people who met JDM in Paris and hung out; they describe his mood and what he was (arguably) saying at the time. There's a French librarian who breaks down a lot of the parallels in the subtleties of the lyrics w/Greek literature. There's a somewhat annoying 20 something saying Jim was done with music and The Doors and blah, blah, blah that isn't substantiated w/anything. There is an interview w/Michelle Rudler, who is listed as "Coroner" who says lots of things were done wrong in the documentation of Morrison's death. It's about 50 minutes.

All of the extras on the Special Edition are here as well.

So in conclusion, if you are looking to purchase The Doors movie on DVD, by Oliver Stone, this is the one to get. The movie is entertaining enough but, you know, it's fictional and not historically accurate enough to garner more than 3 stars from this reviewer.

5/5 "Does Anyone Really Know?" ~ Shamanic Excess And The Lizard King
  by Brian E. Erland (Brea, CA - USA)
'The Doors' were one of the greatest rock and roll bands of the sixties and the quintessential California group of the decade. They so embodied the West Coast counterculture experience that viewing this biographical film about Jim Morrison and The Doors also provides a fascinating view of the cultural and spiritual forces that drove Jim and that entire generation to challenge the status quo of the American mainstream.

What exactly is the true story of the life and death of Jim Morrison? Is it the story of one of the many rebellious young adults of the time who in looking for an alternative way of living got lost along the way in the drugs, alcohol and sexual freedom that so dominated that culture? Or is Jims' story a deeply mystical tale announcing the rebirth of ancient shamanism into the collective consciousness of the twentieth century? The story of someone chosen by the spirits to bring the 'old ways' to a new generation looking for something to fill the spiritual void brought about by the loss of belief in the Christian God?

Director Oliver Stone has played the mythmaker to perfection in this amazing film providing us with the unique experience of entering into the American Dreamtime. Layering mundane worldly events intermitently with glimpses of the psychic, shamanic forces motivating those events we are given the opportunity to chose for ourselves what level of reality we are willing, or ready to accept. A truly remarkable accomplishment.

As for the performance of Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, it couldn't have been better. His ability to capture both the physcial appearance and dark persona of the legendary rock star so completely is beyond extraordinary. Without question Val was born to play this role.

Did Jim really believe he was the "Electric Shaman" called by the spirits to open the "Doors of Perception" to a sleeping world? Was he Dionysus reborn, here to use his suggestive music and lyrics to arouse his followers and bring to fruition his new 'Rites of Spring' with "Golden copulations in the streets of L.A." More likely he was playing the part of the mischevious Indian 'Trickster' leading us once again in the wrong direction. Maybe it's just like his Mother said long ago while the old Indian lay dying along the roadside in the California desert. "It's just a dream Jimmy, that's all it is."

So relax, show no fear, "Kiss the Snake" and enjoy the ride!

5/5 "The Doors" Light Up the Screen.......
  by L. Shirley (fountain valley, ca United States)
This review refers to the Artisan Special Edition(2disc)DVD of "The Doors".....

Become immersed in the wild ride that Oliver Stone takes you on in this legendary film of a legendary rocker.The extrordinary life story of Jim Morrison, played eeriley by Val Kilmer, will keep you mesmerized and stay with you long after the movie has ended.

The film explores "The Doors", from their beginnings in Venice Beach, California, where they exploded onto the rock scene,breaking the mold of music in the 60's, to their rise as superstars. Morrison's life is the main focus as a senstive poet type dropping out of film school, to becoming the Peyote addicted,culture shocking, philosphical rock idol.The LSD trips, the visions of this genius, his personal life and of course the famous controversial concerts are all told through Stone's unique cinematic magic.

You'll get lost not only in the time setting of the story but of course in the music as well. "The Doors" electrifying music is heard throughout the film and follows them chronologically on their journey. It's a film for fans of the cinema and music alike.

As mentioned above Val Kilmer is uncanny in not only his performance as Morrison, but seems to take on the physical appearance as well. The band members played by Kevin Dillon, Kyle Maclachlan and Frank Whaley are extraordinary in their portrayals. Meg Ryan, in a very dramatic roll as Jim's girl Pam is brilliant.
This "Special Edition" DVD is the one to have(and it's not as expensive as the other) It's a 2 disc set, with a fabulous widescreen picture, and a 5.1 Dolby Dig(get to this through the special feature selections) audio track that will blow you away. Lots and lots of special features. On the disc with the movie you can listen to Stone's commentary where he fills you in on how the band met, the genesis of the songs, and where he has taken license with the story. The second disc is filled with featurettes and production notes. Looking at the Technical info for the other edition ("The Collectors") it seems to be longer by 30 minutes and may have some extras not included with this one, but it is not in the 5.1 which for me was the deciding factor in this film featuring this exciting soundtrack.

So get out those mood rings and leather fringe vests and get ready to rock with "The Doors".....
"This Is The End"...........Laurie

also recommended:The Very Best of the Doors

5/5 A Great Rock Spectacle.
  by Mr. Fellini (El Paso, Texas United States)
Oliver Stone's "The Doors" is a blistering, visually hypnotic, visceral and memorable film about Jim Morrison, that leather-wearing idol of the rock world. "The Doors" perfectly captures an era during which an enduring artist emerged. Like "Platoon," "Born On The Fourth Of July" and "JFK," "The Doors," which is less-serious than those other movies, is still an important dramatic film document of an era America, indeed, the whole world lived through. Val Kilmer gives his greatest performance as the rock star Morrison. Nothing Kilmer has done surpasses this. He seems possessed, incredibly making us forget who he is and making us believe that he IS Jim Morrison. He even sang most of the material live, especially the live concerts and went hoarse from doing the 1969 Miami concert sequence. He captures the energy and madness we see in Morrison's most wild performances. Stone's film is not an inside job into Morrison, but an outside view of the man and his times. And of course, there's some great music here. There are truly hypnotic scenes, like the one where the band performs "The End" at the Whisky A Go-Go. And on DVD the visuals look great. Of course there is a lot of unpleasantness when we see Morrison falling deeper into the trap of decadence brought by fame. But I think Stone was giving a warning of how excess can kill a great artist. The concert sequences are spectacular and have the authenticity of a documentary. I do agree that it is one of Stone's lesser movies, but still a good one. It is the best rock movie made so far. Of course it shouldn't be declared THE definitive account of Jim Morrison, but it should be seen by anyone who's either a fan of The Doors, intrigued by the 60s, or is just looking for a true rock movie. Vibrant and alive, "The Doors" is a blast.

3/5 Oliver Stone is drunk on Jim Morrison
  by ninjasuperstar (Iowa)
The Doors

Some reviewers seem annoyed that the film is actually about Jim Morrison and not about The Doors. And it's true. The band seems like a canvas upon which Jim Morrison can sing, act out, drink, and otherwise remain perpetually painted at the forefront of this film. Oliver Stone's camera is enamored with Val Kilmer's Jim Morrison. And Kilmer's performance is quite exciting, indeed. But I wonder why Stone lets Kilmer steal the entire movie. Where are The Doors? Where's the history of the band? The movie suggests that The Doors revolve entirely around Morrison and that the stories of the other band members, while likely less crazy and sensational, are not at all interesting without Morrison's presence and influence.

I think the tragedy of Jim Morrison's life is that he actually believed that drugs, sex, and alcohol - mixed with a soul trapped by societal conventions - somehow opens the artist to the infinite beauty of the universe. But really, it's pain that drives all good art. Morrison writes, speaks, and sings of his poor relationship with his parents. He sought the convention of a happy family by desensitizing himself rather than facing his fear of utter abandonment honestly and soberly. It's this pain that makes Morrison somewhat sympathetic. Despite his determination to live as an alcoholic drug addict, some pain seeped out, taking the forms of poetry, film, and music.

Perhaps psychoanalyzing Morrison is too easy, but we aren't given much else from Stone and Kilmer. Whenever Morrison appears drunken and aggressive in front of the band, watch the faces of the band members. They know exactly what's wrong with Morrison as they fight the futile battle of getting Morrison sober enough to sing another song.