LuckyWill"The Doors" Film Review
October 13th 2006 09:42
Oliver Stone's biopic of the 60's and early 70's psychedlic band of the same name - and moreover pop idol Jim Morrison - is one of the best musical artist biography translations to film that's ever been.
Chronicling their humble beginnings, the film details the early life of the band in the radical 1960's of drug experimentation, free love and the iconic philosophical and societal shift from prior right-wing conservatism in middle America. We see the founding members Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer) and Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan) meet at UCLA's film school to later collaborate on like-minded ideas of Nietzsche and Dionysian fundamentals to ultimately conjure jazz influenced drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Kreiger into a band that shaped the sound of the sixties we know today.
Rehearsing admist the sunny rays of a Californian summer we begin to see a glimpse of the formation of a pop-orientated four-piece slowly be accustomed to their wildest dreams of excess and hedonism, counterposed by Jim's growing (and sweet) relationship with girlfriend Pamela, played by Meg Ryan. Playing in some of the coolest bars in L.A. (featuring the Whiskey A GoGo), girls instantly begin to be drawn to the charismatic yet unexperienced Morrison to which he eventually finds a confidence 'to face the crowd' at shows and greatly enhances the mesmerising tunes and askew lyrics to a near eurphoric state of performance.
The film is brilliantly told, interspersed with infectious imagery of the mood and songs that reflect his state or the time in which they were made. It's ultimately a tragic tale of an artist that struggled with the idea of the public obligating something from him which he wasn't or couldn't provide to the amount they wanted. It's poignant and revealing featuring both the highs and lows of stardom with real characters and the issues which constrain them and why they revolt.
Val Kilmer invades the role to an extent that the real Jim Morrison almost becomes of secondary importance. His portrayl of Morrison is spot-on from a near identical look, uncanny mannerisms and singing voice. Together they all create a picture of a moving fixture of history and is one of the best impersonations I've ever seen. It's really that good. Collectively with the film, it takes on such a personal expose of representation that's near flawless. It's a true life story and one you should watch whether a music enthusiast or film-goer alike.
4/1/2 starz
Images from amazon.com
and doors-online.de
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Comment by Cathy
Fakes Frauds Fools
Comment by Justin
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
Oh, yeah, and on a complete tangent: love your photo. Always liked it as a System of a Down album cover, but discovered earlier this year that it's a piece from the '30s by the German Dada artist John Heartfield. His photomontage work is just awesome (and to think it was done before Photoshop: with a SCALPEL and GLUE).
Comment by Justin
Really - a German artist piece? Didn't know that. Heh, art must've been a lot more limiting and time-consuming given the lack of tools that we have nowadays and the time it would've taken back then.
I'm not suprised the picture has got a historical background. S.O.A.D. have a lot of influences (debtedly) from Charles Manson philosophy, transcendentalism, scepticism, Armenian history, etc plus a wholse host of others only te band really know.
Thanks for dropping by.
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
If you want to check out more John Heartfield stuff, including the original artwork used for the SOAD cover entitled "The Hand Has Five Fingers, click here.
It's from the late '20s, not the '30s. I was close though.
Comment by Justin
Aah, von replica! Funny how 20th Century German art always looks pro-Nazi, until further inspection is actually anti-Nazi. Thanks for the link.