A 'Strange' Look At The Legendary Doors

: by Mark Jenkins; on April 08, 2010

Here's Looking At You: When You're Strange uses historic and never-before-seen footage to tell the story of The Doors, an iconic rock group made up of classically trained keyboardist Ray Manzarek, Spanish-style guitarist Robby Krieger, jazz drummer John Densmore and singer Jim Morrison. Rhino Entertainment

Doors frontman Jim Morrison often went too far, so it's a relief that When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors doesn't. Tom DiCillo's documentary does use the s-word — that would be "shaman"—but doesn't stumble as far into the mystic as Oliver Stone's tripped-out The Doors did.

The film opens in transcendental/existentialist mode, with clips from HWY, a 1969 road movie starring the Lizard King himself. A onetime UCLA film-school student, Morrison plays both a hitchhiker and the guy who gives him a ride in this short, one of numerous pieces of previously unseen footage used here.

While many of the images are new, the story is familiar. When You're Strange is essential for Doors devotees and a good introduction for newcomers. But everyone outside those categories will likely find the movie—and Johnny Depp's flat reading of DiCillo's banal narration—just another cruise down an oft-traveled highway.