Wednesday, April 7, 2010
News When You’re Strange overdoses on Doors drama
Posted by Chad Radford @ChadRad on Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 4:24 PM
Writer/director Tom DiCillo has fashioned an unremarkable documentary about one of America's most remarkable rock bands, the Doors. When You're Strange's visual odyssey details the life and times of the group. More specifically, DiCillo keeps a tight focus on vocalist Jim Morrison's shenanigans as he transforms from a shy poet too scared to face his audience, into a fully fledged Dionysian star; part Marquis de Sade, part Elvis Presley. Johnny Depp narrates the film, fact-checking Oliver Stone's embellishments from the 1991 film The Doors, with a real-time narrative.
The true value of DiCillo's doc is its use of original footage and sound bytes of the band, on stage and off, mixed with images capturing the social and political turmoil of the '60s. When You're Strange posits, almost by accident, that the Doors were a by-product of the times – an idea that deserves more attention. What's most irritating, though, is DiCillo's insistence on returning to a dramatic reenactment of Morrison racing through the desert on some sort of pilgrimage to the Joshua Tree. When combined with Depp's narration, and butted against actual footage of the group, the film feels contrived to the point of being unwatchable. The archival footage alone conveys the feeling of careening out of control with much more elegance.
Continue Reading "When You’re Strange overdoses on Doors drama"
(Photo Courtesy Elektra Records)
Latest in Fresh Loaf
-
Fahamu Pecou deconstructs 'All Dat Glitters' on the canvas and the mic (and the iPhone) 1
He takes his artistic deconstruction of black masculinity beyond the world of fine arts with a 5-song EP of original music and a mobile app
-
City releases RFP for bike-share program in Atlanta 4
City officials want details from companies about setting up 500-bike program
-
City Council candidate discovers he's running in wrong district 2
Jon Jones plans to pursue City Hall dream regardless with bid to unseat Archibong
- More »
More by Chad Radford
-
Record Store Day goes super local 1
Indie record shops foster homegrown talent
-
Kool G Rap and DJ Polo are coming to Mic Club 1
"Snitches get stitches" - words to live by. If Kool G Rap didn't coin the phrase, he certainly owns it!
- More »
Search Fresh Loaf
Top Commenters
