When You're Strange
2009
***
Director: Tom DiCillo
Cast:
The story of The Doors. Or, as usual, mostly the story of its iconic lead singer / poet Jim Morrison, who died at the age of 27. This L.A. band was formed in 1965, and they released six studio albums between 1967 and 1971. Morrison's substance abuse is well-known, and this documentary provides an entertaining if very familiar look into his troubled soul. Tom DiCillo's attempt to place the band's short career in its historical context, the rise and fall of the counter culture, seems a bit forced, though. DiCillo uses some fascinating archive footage of the band and previously unseen clips from Morrison's film HWY: An American Pastoral. Oliver Stone controversially dramatised the same story in his 1991 film.
