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The Doors (Special Edition)

The Doors (Special Edition)

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $11.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: One of the worst movies I've ever seen
Review: For anyone who is interested in seeing this movie, you would be better off reading any of the books out there on the Doors, or listening to their music. Your money would be better spent that way instead on this movie. This movie was inaccurate and poorly made. Oliver Stone, even though he had help from the remaining members of the Doors and other people who knew Jim Morrison, didn't know what the truth was even if it bit him in the behind. Jim himself is probably rolling in his grave because of this movie and how he was portrayed as a stoned, drunk, abusive jerk who couldn't keep his pants zipped, even though he was talented and highly intelligent. That part, obviously, was forgotten. I personally hope that Mr. Stone is proud of himself for accomplishing that feat.

In conclusion, this movie is an insult to Doors fans, the remaining members of the Doors and those who knew them, but most importantly, to James Douglas Morrison.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE ARE IN DEATH
Review: I went to see this film the night it was released in Seattle. Not because it interested me so much but more because I had a friend who really wanted to see it when it came out and couldn't. He liked to see films immediately upon their release. I liked to do things that irked him, so I made sure to see the film before he did. This was a surprising film, really. When I heard that Val Kilmer had been cast as Jim Morrison, I, like many, was skeptical that he would be able to pull it off. The Val Kilmer we had to that point come to recognise looked nothing like Morrison in addition to which, Kilmer's roles had never really stretched his "acting muscles", so most were convinced that he would fail. However, Kilmer respectably fooled everyone with his convincing portrayal of Morrison. His performance was enjoyable. Meg Ryan was surprising also because her role was a bit of a departure. Still didn't like her, though. Kathleen Quinlan's blood drinking gothic diversion for Morrison was an interesting character. The story was not thrilling, as we all know the story, and in fact, many parts of the film were simply laughable. I noticed at the end when Morrison decides to move to Paris and is saying goodbye to his friends (other Doors members), he and the friends hug and not only do they perform that special "man hug" (which is a hug always accompanied by several hard slaps on the back... very manly) but also accompanied with tender sentiments like, "I'm gonna miss you" followed by the tempering insult, "you a**hole". No niceties for the sake of niceties. We all know Jim's fate... you can visit him in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An Interesting but Inaccurate Portrayal
Review: As in Oliver Stone's "Nixon" and "JFK", the director lards his rockumentary with large chunks of fiction. It's not surprising that Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek found this film so objectionable. How would you feel if thousands of people were seeing a movie about you that was mostly untrue, and cast you in a bad light?

Still, as long as you accept that this is a dramatization of how one person perceives the Doors and their music, this is an enjoyable film, made worthwhile especially by Val Kilmer's uncanny impersonation of Jim Morrison. Stone's quasi-surrealistic approach evokes the time and place and seems particularly well suited to the inner world of Doors music.

A major objection is the emphasis on Morrison as a drunken, obnoxious lout. This side of Morrison is an easy target for a film maker, but it's hardly an accurate portrayal. I strongly recommend The Doors Collection DVD, which will give you a glimpse of Morrison's sensitive side. Also Manzarek's memoir "Light My Fire" will balance the picture for you.

Although the listing here says that this is an anamorphic transfer, according to information on other web sites this is NOT ANAMORPHIC, but is the same transfer used in the previous DVD release (and the laserdisc). It's nice to have the extras, but early reviews indicate that this is a particularly low quality transfer, and I'd prefer to hold out for a new anamorphic release. (The first Doors audio CDs were of very poor quality and were quietly remastered and reissued about four years later; hopefully this film will get the DVD treatment it deserves.)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: ...
Review: ...Mr. Kilmer is dead-on as the Lizard King, the "band" nails the look of a band really performing and the trippy visuals are all in the spirit of the era from which the Doors sprang. Man, either rock or get the hell out of the way ...

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: In response to reviwer J.C. Hoyt's complaint,
Review: dated June 5, 2000, that no one has reviewed this movie from an unbiased standpoint --

Dude, I couldn't care less about Jim Morrison or his "doors" either way, so, rather unfortunately, I'm merely left with this movie that Oliver Stone dumped, like a pile of rubbish, on an unsuspecting world. *The Doors* features pretentious photography, time-lapse photography, jump-cut photography, murky photography, and downright MTV-inspired photography. Stone even uses a Steadicam at various points, for Pete's sake. The results are ugly, to be frank.

But forget all that; that's technical stuff, and may be overlooked as long as the subject matter is worth watching. I'm afraid that Stone failed to make his case, here. The question before the Court is: "Was a movie about Jim Morrison entirely necessary?" This movie, as evidence, would fail to convict. Stone is preaching to a converted audience, presumably; an audience that knows all the ins and outs of the rock star's career, and he (Stone) expects us to fill in the blanks. Hey, all I knew for sure about the guy is that he sang a song called *Light My Fire* in which he sounded rather like a Sinatra gone literally to pot. The other reviwers here at Amazon assure me that Morrison was a serious Poet; that he was fearsomely well-read; that he should be regarded as an artist. Well, in the first place, if he had been a REAL artist, he would now be recognized as such by critics -- so far, that notice has failed to occur. Secondly, *The Doors* does nothing to prove Morrison's artistic cred. At any rate, we're offered a series of tawdry scenes where a celebrity behaves like . . . well, a celebrity. That's simply not enough dramatic juice to keep me interested for 2+ hours. Sorry.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Lizard King
Review: This movie was excellent. Val Kilmer played Jim Morrison impeccably. This movie really gave me a look into The Doors and really entertained me. I'd Reccommend this movie for anyone who likes The Doors or music from that time. I enjoyed it, before the movie I didn't know too much about Jim Morrison or The Doors but now I am a Doors fan. This movie is a must-see

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very well done, but the BS drags it down
Review: I really like this movie. I am a huge Doors fan...I have all the CDs and three books~ Break On Through, No One Here Gets Out Alive, and Light my Fire. The movie is really unfactual~ which irks me solely because people who don't know much about Jim get the completely wrong impression. It focused on the bad points of him. The direction was awesome~~ especially the Andy Warhol scene. Most of the content was made up in the movie (Jim graduated from UCLA film school, etc.) but it was good. I can't say that I love this movie, because it's the stereotypical view of Jim Morrison~ the easy way out. It should have focused more on his intellect and poetry. Ex~ When he was in college, he had lots of books. He would have his friends come in and pick any book...any page...and read him a paragraph. He would then tell them the title, author, and chapter of the book. He never missed. The movie helped to get the Doors message out~~ Break on through. I reccomend it, but you have to watch it with an opend mind and an objective point of view.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: excellent movie, very entertaining
Review: This is a great movie about one of my favorite bands of all time, The Doors! and their deceased lead singer, the great Lizard King poet Jim Morrison. i thought this movie was really good even though it wasnt 100% accurate. i think Oliver Stone and all the actors did the best they could in making this movie, and it came out really great. Jim lives on! RIP

P.S.- if you liked this movie you should also check out the book Angels Dance and Angels Die, which is about Jim and Pam and their romance.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: ZERO
Review: Oliver Stone yet again tramples and distorts the truth - this time the victim is Jim Morrison and not the U.S. government. Every scene is either blown way out of context or it never actually happened: There was no acid trip to the desert; Pam and Jim did NOT meet the way it was depicted in this film; Patricia Kennealy NOT meet Jim at the time and place shown in this movie; neither did Patricia meet Pam in that ridiculous "Thanksgiving" scene(which, by the way, never happened either). Val Kilmer's character comes across as an airheaded baffoon - never to match the personality with Morrison's geniusness. Furthermore, Kyle McLaughlan's performance as Ray Manzarek (another genius)is lame; Kevin Dillon's portrayal of John Densmore is that of an uptight and neurotic Jim Morrison-hater; and Robby Krieger is an airhead as well. ALL FALSE! This movie was not about the Doors, or Jim Morrison's life, nor was it about America in the 1960's. The only thing good and authentic about this film is the music. I just can't help but wonder why Manzarek didn't make a film about Morrison. After all, Ray Manzarek has a graduate degree from film school and he was with Morrison from the beginning to the end, and they were the best of friends. Maybe one day, huh Ray? Until then, I advise anyone NOT to see this awful and disrespectful movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Kilmer's Brilliance...
Review: Val Kilmer's extraordinary portrayl of rock legend Jim Morrison is timeless. The film has progressively become a cult classic because of it's chaotic yet introspective tale concerning The Doors and Morrison's rise as a legend.


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