A few words about…™ The Doors — in 4k UHD Blu-ray

Oliver Stone’s 1991 production, The Doors, is an interestingly constructed film, with some nice set-pieces, that has never really worked for me.

I’ll watch it whenever it arrives in a new format, and continually go back to my favorite reviewer, Roger Ebert’s comments, back in March of 1991, with which I fully agree:

“F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote that the problem with American lives is that they have no second act. The problem with Jim Morrison’s life was that it had no first and third. His childhood was lost in a mist of denial… and his maturity was interrupted by an early death, caused by his relentless campaign against his own mind and body. What he left behind was a protracted adolescence, during which he recorded some great rock ‘n’ roll.

If we can trust Oliver Stone’s new biographical film, “The Doors,” life for Jim Morrison was like being trapped for months at a time in the party from hell. He wanders out of the sun’s glare, a curly haired Southern California beach boy with a cute pout and a notebook full of poetry. He picks up a beer, he smokes a joint, and then life goes on fast-forward as he gobbles up drugs and booze with both hands, while betraying his friends and making life miserable for anyone who loves him. By the age of 27 he is dead. Watching the movie is like being stuck in a bar with an obnoxious drunk, when you’re not drinking.” – Roger Ebert 

The entire review can be found on ROGEREBERT.COM

Lionsgate’s new 4k Blu-ray from Studio Canal, is a gorgeous representation of the film. A film that was apparently heavily damaged, possibly by deluxe labs, which may have over-printed the film, especially if there was no 65mm dupe produced for large format printing.

I have no direct knowledge of this, except that it has been presumably, heavily restored.

Whatever has been done, credited to a 4k scan at Fotokem in Burbank, and L’Immagine Ritrovata, in Italy, must be hiding a multitude of sins, as the marketing tells us that a major restorative effort was necessary.

Hopefully, they’ve recorded out a restored negative as an asset to replace the damaged article.

Whatever work was performed, and starting with that aforementioned scan at Fotokem, what the viewer has is extremely film like, with beautiful grain, lovely colors, and proper levels of black and shadow detail.

The track, which had an original 6-track mix, seems faithfully reproduced, now using Dolby Atmos to heighten things a bit.

The disc offers two cuts of the film, the only difference of which, as I recall, is an added ending.

If there’s a reason to grab a copy of this, it would be for Val Kilmer’s take on Morrison, which for me is worth the price of admission.

And then, of course, there’s the music of The Doors.

Image – 5

Audio – 5 (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Upgrade from Blu-ray – Yes

Recommended

RAH