The Doors: The Doors Are Open - The Roundhouse, London

Rating:
Summary: Rock N ROll
Review: Everyone has heard about the intensity the Doors brought to the live music stage. In this film, the blend of chaos, theatre, blues, and jazz successfully resulted in a great rock n roll concert. Finally, one can see what Morrison could do on stage. And, hear the band at it's raucous best. THankfully, the film is black and white and the sound goes snap, crackle, and pop. Everything to be desired in a 1968 road film. Best of all, There is no post-Morrison death tribute syndrome here from Manzarek and company. Only a look at what should be remembered about the Doors, and why they should be considered along with VU as one of the great American rock bands rather than Oliver Stone's Hollywood fluff or a "greatest hits collection" only hype band.

Rating:
Summary: Rock N ROll
Review: Everyone has heard about the intensity the Doors brought to the live music stage. In this film, the blend of chaos, theatre, blues, and jazz successfully resulted in a great rock n roll concert. Finally, one can see what Morrison could do on stage. And, hear the band at it's raucous best. THankfully, the film is black and white and the sound goes snap, crackle, and pop. Everything to be desired in a 1968 road film. Best of all, There is no post-Morrison death tribute syndrome here from Manzarek and company. Only a look at what should be remembered about the Doors, and why they should be considered along with VU as one of the great American rock bands rather than Oliver Stone's Hollywood fluff or a "greatest hits collection" only hype band.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional Performance by The Doors!
Review: I agree with the first two reviews. The performance is exceptional and represents the whole band at their absoulute best. Stand out tracks are a brilliant Spanish Caravan and outstanding When The Music's Over. Pity the sound quality which merits a star deduction but all the instruments are perfectly discernable and cranked up loud enough it sounds good to my ears. Its not DVD modern quality but look folks it was recorded using Granada TV's technology at that time which was 2 track mono. Not much can be done about that even if it was well recorded which I believe it was considering the equipment used. Jim Morrison shines in this performance which is his best of any of the taped performances I have seen. The concert is far better than the Hollywood Bowl show which has vastly better sound and color to it but is only an average performance. The Roundhouse show also is better than the PBS performance featured on the Soft Parade which is a good performance but features a rather worn out and shaggy Jim Morrison. This DVD feautures the Doors at their best folks and is only bettered by the 2CD set "In Concert" which was a compilation of a variety of performances but is a fantastic overall live set of the Doors produced by the late Paul Rothchild. Get this DVD the original 6 albums, the in concert 2 cd set and the Doors Collection DVD and you will have the ultimate Doors Collection.

Rating:
Summary: A Special, Not a Concert
Review: Previous reviewers haven't made the point that isn't exact a concert film but a British television special, which means an overly creative director often interrupts a song to show period footage of riots, fighting in Vietnam, etc. Sometimes this is effective, sometimes annoying, but it does provide a historical setting perhaps useful to younger Doors fans. And the picture/sound quality isn't as bad as some reviewers indicate; this is like watching TV back in the 1960s, no better, no worse. The Doors play well, the newsreel stuff provides a context for this political band, and I don't regret buying this at all.

Rating:
Summary: Rip-off. Only worth if you're a die-hard fan
Review: This DVD is terrible. I understand it is from 1968 but
the quality (audio and video) is horrible. My main problem
with this was the the cover says it is a great show,
remastered, etc. At times, the image is so dark, you can
barely see Jim. I don't think the reason is for the poor
quality is the year of the concert. I have other concerts
in DVD from before this period (see for instance Nat King Cole)
with a FAR better quality. By the way the concert is in black-and-white. My message: DON'T BUY IT

Rating:
Summary: Please Consider, The Point (break on through)
Review: This DVD, mostly because it's a Doors DVD, should be deemed the best exception of all time. If you want DVD quality sound and picture, you'll trash it. Care for exclusive DVD menus? Then trash it. But if you're a true fan of the Doors/ their art/ art in general, i think no DVD screams for your attention louder than this one. Some old composer who's name i can't recall once said this. "Music is like physics, and like physics, it's not able to be understood by everyone." I couldn't have said it better, but i think this film managed to come close in terms of the performance DVD. The Doors Morrison is at his best, bravely posing as an imperial divide between all dark and all standing for being truly alive. Sure you can't hear him sing it that well, and the instruments are being played underwater...but if one gazed before a TV-before time, would that one really care? No, it's called opening the doors. It's the great black and white time machine to "one of the best concerts i've ever attended, anywhere." - John Platt. That says enough about the performance. But what reviewers will still refuse realize is that this is the action that happens when there is only muscle sans bones. Only picture sans a fancy frame. But if i wanted to travel back through time,(as this picture offers) i'd be sorely dissapointed upon the discovery that it's been changed to the present. That is the point of this DVD, methinks.

Rating:
Summary: Please Consider, The Point (break on through)
Review: This DVD, mostly because it's a Doors DVD, should be deemed the best exception of all time. If you want DVD quality sound and picture, you'll trash it. Care for exclusive DVD menus? Then trash it. But if you're a true fan of the Doors/ their art/ art in general, i think no DVD screams for your attention louder than this one. Some old composer who's name i can't recall once said this. "Music is like physics, and like physics, it's not able to be understood by everyone." I couldn't have said it better, but i think this film managed to come close in terms of the performance DVD. The Doors Morrison is at his best, bravely posing as an imperial divide between all dark and all standing for being truly alive. Sure you can't hear him sing it that well, and the instruments are being played underwater...but if one gazed before a TV-before time, would that one really care? No, it's called opening the doors. It's the great black and white time machine to "one of the best concerts i've ever attended, anywhere." - John Platt. That says enough about the performance. But what reviewers will still refuse realize is that this is the action that happens when there is only muscle sans bones. Only picture sans a fancy frame. But if i wanted to travel back through time,(as this picture offers) i'd be sorely dissapointed upon the discovery that it's been changed to the present. That is the point of this DVD, methinks.