Fresh
When You're Strange offers a worshipful but insightful portrait of the group...
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
When You're Strange
A film about The Doors
2010 · 1h 26m · R
Documentary, Music
Directed by
Tom DiCillo
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When You're Strange
Overview
The creative chemistry of four brilliant artists —drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Kreiger, keyboardist Ray Manzarek and singer Jim Morrison— made The Doors one of America's most iconic and influential rock bands. Using footage shot between their formation in 1965 and Morrison's death in 1971, it follows the band from the corridors of UCLA's film school, where Manzarek and Morrison met, to the stages of sold-out arenas.
Director and cast
- Tom DiCillo Director
- Johnny Depp as Narrator (voice)
- Jim Morrison as Self (archive footage)
- John Densmore as Self (archive footage)
- Ray Manzarek as Self (archive footage)
- Robby Krieger as Self (archive footage)
- Pamela Courson as Self (archive footage)
- Janis Joplin as Self (archive footage)
- Andy Warhol as Self (archive footage)
- Jim Ladd as Self (voice)
- John F. Kennedy as Self (archive footage)
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
60%
Tomatometer
Fresh
Although Doors fans will drool over the prospect of the previously unseen footage, they are unlikely to find anything new here.
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
Fresh
The vitality of crazed angel Jim Morrison is its driving force.
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Rotten
[A] muddled, pretentious assemblage of film clips of the band shot between 1966 and 1971, with solemn narration by Johnny Depp.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
Fresh
Seeing Morrison blithely hang a lei over the neck of an obviously giddy young woman or watching as Manzarek patiently fields questions helps humanize a group of men all too often shrouded in the mists of legend.
Preston Jones, Dallas Morning News
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