Plot: What’s it about?
Sometimes dead on and sometimes off the mark, The Doors is Oliver Stone’s vision of Jim Morrison and his life. So don’t expect a traditional biopic with accurate facts throughout, as this is more like Stone’s version of history, which won’t be much of a shock to fans of his work. Stone veers at times, but I don’t think he takes too much liberty here, just enough to enhance the drama and impact of the picture. The film tracks Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer) from his film school days until his death, which allows for a lot of story in a minimum time frame, which Stone uses to sheer perfection. A blend of personal moments, public manipulation, and musical performances, The Doors seeks to expose the era more than the man, which is not always obvious, but you can see it at times. Stone follows Morrison and uses him as the main character, but I think the movie touches on much larger topics also, with effective results. There’s a basic premise and a storyline here, but if you look deeper, there’s a lot more to take in under the surface, which is what to me makes this such a good flick.
Artisan released The Doors a while back in a bare bones edition, but now they’ve graced us with a new double disc special edition. But while the supplements are very welcome, the same miserable transfer was used, which pulls the disc’s value down a lot. Add in a very steep retail price and this one loses the gloss, but if you want this title in your collection, this is the one to own. As far as the film itself, I think it is a wild ride and a lot of fun, but offers little real insight into Jim Morrison, although I don’t think that is the real point anyway. The film offers some excellent visuals (which are all but ruined in this transfer) and superb performances, especially from Val Kilmer, who nails the role of Morrison. The rest of the cast is good also, with such names as Meg Ryan, Michael Madsen, Frank Whaley, and even Billy Idol, who I always like to see. I don’t think this is one of Stone’s best overall efforts, but his direction is almost flawless and I think that alone warrants a look, if not a purchase. As I mentioned above, this one is expensive and offers little value, but fans of the flick will still want to upgrade, to take in all the rich supplements.
The driving force behind The Doors is Oliver Stone, who directed and helped write this feature. Stone has a lot of respect for the material and it shows in the film, although some complain about some elements Stone used. Even though he met with many people to gain a better knowledge of Jim Morrison and his music, Stone felt like there was such an open venue, he decided to create his vision of Morrison, which some folks didn’t like. But this was his movie and Stone knows a lot about the subject, so I can’t complain and in the end, I think Stone delivers on all counts. From the visuals to the characters to the nuances here, Stone seems to hit all the notes and once again, comes through with a powerful and controversial picture. Other films directed by Stone include Platoon, Any Given Sunday, Wall Street, Natural Born Killers, Nixon, and Born on the Fourth of July. The cast here includes Val Kilmer (The Saint, Real Genius), Meg Ryan (Proof of Life, French Kiss), Frank Whaley (Swimming With Sharks, Pulp Fiction), Kevin Dillon (No Escape, True Crime), Kyle McLachlan (Showgirls, Blue Velvet), and Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Species).
Video: How does it look?
The Doors is presented in a 2.35:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is the same transfer used for Artisan’s previous disc, which means it falters in all respects. I saw a lot of edge enhancement, pixel breakup, and other compression errors here, which is unacceptable for a major studio this versed in authoring, as Artisan has shown they can do fine work when they choose to. In addition to those problems, this transfer shows poor color saturation, bleeds, smears, and all sorts of other color related problems, not cool in the least. Add in imbalanced contrast levels and inconsistent detail, and you’re now watching one of the worst transfers I’ve seen. I know some budget lines feature poor transfers like this, but Artisan is a money player here and this disc retails for a stiff price, so I expected at least a decent effort here. I like the supplements, but when the laserdisc sports a better visual presentation, you know you’re in trouble.
Audio: How does it sound?
At least this one sounds good though, which is vital since this is an audio driven feature. The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track handles all the issues here and sounds good, but I wasn’t blown away by this mix. I think the music sounds terrific and all, but the surround use seems false at times, which is a let down at times. I think in terms of this case, the mix is up to the task, but when compared to more recent efforts, this one falls short in the end. But I do think this is an above average treatment, as the music and sounds effects come across in fine form, just not as natural as I’d like at times. No issues with the dialogue either, as the vocals are clean and crisp, with no volume troubles to report.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This new special edition release contains the same extras as the Pioneer Special Edition laserdisc version and then some, which means a lot of cool stuff can be seen here. An audio commentary track with Oliver Stone is included and as usual, Stone has a lot to discuss and seems well prepared, though not overly so. He reveals much about his approach to the material and his personal ties to the subject matter, which sheds some light on certain aspects of the film. He does ramble at times, but stays close to the issue at hand, so no real complaints with another solid Stone commentary option. The documentary piece The Road To Excess is also packed in here, which provides a wealth of interviews and behind the scenes information. This is by no means a promotional fluff piece, as the interviews are in depth and a lot is revealed about The Doors, especially in terms of Stone’s choices while writing and filming the picture. Two shorter featurettes have also been included here, one which deals with cinematographer Robert Richardson and the other focuses on Stone’s casting choices. I found both to be very interesting and informative, but I wish the running times were longer, so as to allow for a deeper look into the processes involved. Next is a wealth of deleted scenes, which amount to over forty minutes of unused footage, much more than the previous laserdisc offered. The scenes don’t offer much in terms of impact, but there are some worthwhile ones in there, so don’t pass these up by any means. You can also view the film’s theatrical and teaser trailers, which are always nice to have on deck. The final supplements include some talent files, production notes, and a special feature that allows you to access the film’s songs in direct form. All in all, a superb set of features that unlike most extras, actually enhance the experience.
