On D List of Movie Reviews
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The Doors (1991)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
6/03, 10/04, 6/05, 10/21
6/05:
One described Oliver Stone's The Doors as "outrageous, exciting, boring, insightful, silly, and overly pretentious"
which sounds right to me.
The film drones on and on without any substance. I keep waiting for something interesting about the famous 60's rock band, but
it never comes. Jim Morrison's death, as anticipated, is neither shocking nor a revelation.
Yet Val Kilmer does a great job, sometimes too great, portraying the famed rocker. The film places more focus on him and his
wasted lifestyle of indulgence and drugs than the band members.
All in all, The Doors is a lethargic picture that sports Val Kilmer's almost-too-real performance of Jim Morrison.
10/21:
It's still an astonishing acting job by Val Kilmer in The Doors.
Val Kilmer didn't just play Jim Morrison; he became Jim Morrison. None of the actual band members had issues with Val
Kilmer's performance as they frequently couldn't tell his voice apart from Jim Morrison's. Instead, they ripped the movie
apart for not giving them much of attention.
Let's be real: The Doors is synonymous with Jim Morrison. When he died, the band died. In four years, they released six albums
which is a staggering output. Their music is universal and has deep lyrics, and many songs are among the best and most
memorable ever like "Break on Through," "Riders on the Storm," and "Light My Fire." Most can agree The Doors didn't have a
bad song in their catalog. One of them is the perfect opening for Francis Ford Coppola's timeless picture
Apocalypse Now: "The End."
The Doors is a creative film that's been converted into a psychedelic trip. Val Kilmer is often floating in and out;
the significant events as shown are generally accurate although Oliver Stone messes with the truth a lot.
The best scene is when Kyle MacLachlan had an unbelievable vision of Val Kilmer onstage dancing with
a couple of American Indians.
The casting choices are inspired. Whoever came up with Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek should be congratulated. Meg Ryan
finally gives a believable performance that isn't too Meg Ryan-y. Nobody went after Val Kilmer; he did that all himself,
going so far to memorize the songs and mimic Jim Morrison in every way possible, sending his music demo to Oliver
Stone, and never breaking out of his character for a solid year. If anyone thought Val Kilmer gave the performance of his
career in Tombstone, it isn't even half as brilliant as he was in The Doors. That being said, Val Kilmer
got robbed of an Oscar for Best Actor.
All in all, to watch The Doors is to be awed by Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison.