The ever cranky, but very discerning Jeffrey Wells just saw a “viewing booth*” screening of the new Tom DiCillo’s documentary on ’60s acid rock group, The Doors, called “When You’re Strange” (*on a laptop in a booth? whatever that means) And he’s not feeling all of it.
Wells says the film is “engaging because Jim Morrison is still a fascinating wild man, and at the same time a little more average-human than he seemed in the [Oliver] Stone pic” [ed. a biopic that is so terrible, it’s actually pretty laugably enjoyable].
The obsessive movie writer likes it, but has issues with some key elements. “It’s stymied time and again by DeCillo’s trite narration. And I mean ‘give me a fucking break’ trite.”
“I began to go crazy listening to DeCillo’s litany of pat cliches,” Wells fumed. “It’s not that the narration gets it ‘wrong’ per se, but it makes one of the most electric and tumultuous times in American history sound so damn tidy and sorted out…almost vanilla.”
We were basically worried from minute one when DiCillo wrote on the Sundance page for the movie that, “The Doors are probably my favorite band.” Ew. We loved the Doors in high school, but hey, that was high school, we forgive you for your funny looking haircut too*. Apparently the film has a lot of rare footage that has even stumped the most obsessive of Doors archivists. [*ed. ok we do have a soft spot for their super schmaltzy and self-serious ballads, but there is a little ironic enjoyment going on there]
You just completely misrepresented what Jeffrey Wells wrote. His “review” was pretty much a solid one on behalf of the film. The only exception he took had to do with the voice-over narration and some of the dialogue from it. He felt it took itself too seriously.
Of all the things in a documentary, that seems the most “fixable.”
Second, what’s wrong with liking The Doors?
I like The Doors.
Nobody makes fun of the use The End in Apocaypse Now. It’s just too good. Perhaps one of the greatest movie/music moments in cinema’s history.
i wont argue there. i just used to love them a lot when i was 15 so i think i’ve very schooled on just how corny they can be at times.
Yup. The Doors are corny. That’s why people are still fascinated by them forty plus years later. And you used to like them, when, four years ago?
Hey, people are still fascinated with Ed Wood. Doesn’t mean he made good movies. And try 20 years ago.
[i]”Apparently the film has a lot of rare footage that has even stumped the most obsessive of Doors archivists.”[/i]
lol if Feast of Friends and HWY An American Pastoral are new to you then good you stopped listening to the Doors…For your own good! 😀
I caught the bootleg online! Will upload on google tonight!