Abramorama, PBS, Rhino Entertainment Company

The Doors, Jim Morrison, Robbie Krieger, Johnny Depp (Narrator)

When You’re Strange is a documentary shown originally on PBS about the rock legends “The Doors“.  Starting with the news from Jim Ladd on KLOS, Los Angeles that Jim Morrison is gone…and through the early days of the forming of the group, through the fantastic, but far too short, career these guys had.  At 1 hour 25 minutes, this is thorough look at the history of  “The Doors“.   There is a lot of music here, and if you’re a Doors fan, you’ll love to hear some really classic early live recordings.   Especially creepy is “The End” a song Morrison wrote about a breakup with a high school sweetheart.   It’s got to be one of the creepiest songs ever written!

It’s all here.  The controversy that got them banned from the Ed Sullivan show, the early and constant drug use, the inability of people to believe the death was not a hoax and that people had seen sightings of Jim, to the refusal of the French to admit there was anything drug related to his death.

Johnny Depp as a narator?  That could give folks pause, but it turns out he did a really good job.  Plus the footage is authentic footage from 1966 – 1971.  It’s not recreations or actors playing parts.  These are the real Doors.

Jim almost immediately lost it.  The band did the best to keep it together.  Finally, an intervention….that lasted about a week.

This documentary puts the story of the Doors in the background of the troubled world of the late 60’s, and it does an excellent job.   I really enjoyed watching this, and listening to the great music of the time.   I highly recommend for anyone interested in the subject.

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Movie Review - When You're Strange (2009), 4.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

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