The Doors

1991
R
2h 20m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

101K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:53

Biography Drama Music

The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison, from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death i... Read allThe story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison, from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971.The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison, from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971.

Director
- Oliver Stone
Writers
- Randall Jahnson
- Oliver Stone
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

101K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

4,562

1,036

Director
- Oliver Stone
Writers
- Randall Jahnson
- Oliver Stone
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 nominations

Trivia
Robby Krieger, the guitarist in The Doors, insisted that the scene showing the band rehearsing "Light My Fire" makes this clear that he, not Jim Morrison, composed the song.

Goofs
When Jim Morrison is on a window ledge in 1971, a billboard advertising Another 48 Hrs. (1990) is visible.

Quotes
Jim Morrison: Some of the worst mistakes of my life have been haircuts.

Alternate versions
A special edition of the movie was released in 1997 on laserdisc with additional scenes that were cut from the movie:
A scene taking place circa 1965 with Jim Morrison (Kilmer) jamming onstage with Ray's band, adding obscene lyrics to the Van Morrison song "Gloria."
2 additional scenes of a bearded Jim reciting poetry in the recording studio.
Additional footage of Jim singing "The Unknown Soldier" at the New Haven concert.
A scene of Jim getting roughed up and harrassed in jail by police officers after being arrested at the New Haven concert.
Jim in his hotel room with 2 young women and Pam (Meg Ryan) yelling at him from outside.
Additional footage in the scene where Jim is on an airplane en route to Miami.
Additional scene at the end with Jim and Ray (Kyle Machlachlan) walking around Venice and talking before he departs for Paris.
Jim and Pam talking in the airplane en route to Paris.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Scenes from a Mall/Nothing But Trouble/He Said, She Said/King Ralph/The Field (1991)

Soundtracks
The Movie
Written by Jim Morrison
Performed by Jim Morrison

User reviews290

Review

Featured review

7/10

solid biopic

It's 1965 L.A. Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer), UCLA film student, meets Pam Courson (Meg Ryan). He quits school and forms The Doors with Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan), John Densmore (Kevin Dillon), and Robby Krieger (Frank Whaley). They become one of the foremost counter culture rock banks of the era. The band drifts apart as Jim travels a different path with witchy journalist Patricia Kennealy (Kathleen Quinlan). In 1970, he faces charges for exposing himself during a Miami concert. He's living with Pam when he dies in Paris at age 27 in 1971.

Director Oliver Stone delivers a solid biopic with his cinematic style to depict the drugged out hippie time and the chaotic nature of the band. Val Kilmer delivers his most impressive performance of his career. The movie could probably add some drama but I'm not sure how exactly. The world is burning down and he's a part of the chaos. His end is predictable for fans and newcomers alike. There may be a dramatic story in there somewhere.