Classic Albums: The Doors
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DVD details
Actor: The DoorsBrand: Universal Studios
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 88 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-04-22
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Ent
DVD Reviews of Classic Albums: The Doors
DVD Review: It's all about the music
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are looking for a commentary about the meaning of the songs, or speculation about Jim Morrison's mysterious death, this is not the DVD for you. If you are interested in a story about FOUR musical geniuses creating a legendary album you will love this DVD. This DVD really demonstrates the Doors synergism and how each band member made equal contributions to each song. Light My Fire is my favorite example. Robby wrote the song which is no small contribution. Jim made a substantial contribution by adding one verse and singing it in that Doors style that only Jim could do. What a voice. John made his contribution by adding the Bossa Nova beat and his incredible drum work. Ray added the repetitive Boogie-Woogie style Doors signature left-handed bass line and that famous organ introduction. But the finished song is much greater than the sum of its parts isn't it?. The Doors polished that song by performing it live hundreds of times. My favorite version of Light My Fire is on the Live at the Aquarius Theatre: The First Performance recorded 3 or so years after the studio recording. I don't listen to the studio albums much anymore. The live Doors concerts are my favorites and are very different than the Absolutely Live album, which I call Absolutely Paul, which includes hundreds of edits by Paul Rothchild. I love Absolutely Live, but I no longer think of it as a Doors concert, but perhaps the best compilation album ever created. Also just released is the new 6-disc album The Doors Live in New York which is four unexpectedly good performances on two consecutive nights. Just think about that. More new music was just released in 2009 than the total music available when the Doors were still performing. And every performance is different. Ray said some days you eat the bear and some days the bear eats you. The Doors were always trying to eat the bear by creating those magical moments where everything came together to create some of my favorite performances. I listen to the Blues almost exclusively and The Doors seemed to break new ground musically without trampling over their songs' Blues roots. I love this DVD and highly recommend it to those of you interested in The Doors music.DVD Review: Shedding Light on the Incomparable Sound
Summary: 5 Stars
The Doors' debut album certainly calls for a classic album review. I submit that Side 1 of the vinyl LP is the best rock LP side ever and that "Light My Fire" is the greatest rock song of all time.
Why the high praise? The Doors represent a one-of-a-kind phenomenon of 1960s rock. Their early music is an amalgam of psychedelic blues and rock, also infused with an unflawed tightness of rhythm on the hard-driving songs. It is highly eclectic, utilizing Latin high notes and eerie twangs, minor chords, dark or streaming (or Bachian) organ sound, bottleneck guitar, German oompah, and even Indian raga sound. Combine that with lead singer Jim Morrison's larger-than-life personality, poetic sensibilities, and sexy voice, and you have the stuff of a musical legend. Through Morrison, The Doors transcend mere rock music by exploring the world of theater and lyrical images.
The sound of the Doors, from the explosive centripetal force of "Break on Through" to the majesty of "Light My Fire," is musical ecstasy. I once heard the sound of the group's first two albums referred to as "Trip Doors." Disc jockey Jim Ladd comments, "They took you somewhere that no other band seemed to take you. These were highly educated, well-read, smart people." Morrison and keyboard player Ray Manzarek attended UCLA Film School.
The commentators emphasize the debut album is representative of The Doors' legendary live performances at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. There is no studio finessing to dilute the group's raw power.
Each Side 1 song (except "Twentieth Century Fox") is discussed thoroughly. Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore talk about such diverse influences as the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, James Brown, Ray Charles, Latin music, and the bossa nova beat, in detail: They even show you the chords, licks, and drumbeats. "Backdoor Man," "End of the Night" (briefly), and "The End" are also discussed.
Jim Morrison's voice is isolated on several songs. The commentators note his voice was rich; he could be a controlled crooner like Frank Sinatra or go for the "feral, ferocious animal connection," as commentator Henry Rollins puts it. On "Backdoor Man," engineer Bruce Botnick observes: "It's like he's ripping his vocal chords out." All Doors joined in on the vocals on the "Alabama Song." Years ago, subletting a place in Manhattan, I discovered the tenant had the original on Brecht/Weill's "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny"; how great it is to hear it discussed on this DVD! Botnick also isolates instruments often, including the beautiful piano on "The Crystal Ship" as a finale.
The "Bonus" features are extensive and very interesting. One topic is how two different versions of "Moonlight Drive" did not make it onto the debut album. Another is Ray commenting on how John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" influenced the soloing in "Light My Fire." One of my few criticisms is that the latter should have been included in the main body and made more extensive.
The commentators give their perspectives on the group's genesis, the creation of the songs, and the debut album's significance: It launched widespread Doors appreciation. It also helped define the political and social consciousness of the 1960s and became emblematic of individuality and the pursuit of personal freedom. The Doors' message is often seen as negative. But a nirvana of brotherhood is achieved in the consciousness of Doors' enjoyment, as we "make the scene ... gate is straight, deep and wide." Commentator Michael McClure, a beat poet, quotes William Blake, whose book "The Doors of Perception" is the basis of the group's name: "The road of excess leads to the Palace of Wisdom."
DVD Review: Disappointed. I'll tell you why.
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm a big Doors fan. I'm also a fan of the "Classic Album" series.
My problem with this particular installment is that it is focuses way to much on how great The Doors were in general and their place in rock history, and not enough on the making of the actual album.
I expected in-depth insight on mixing, recording, equipment, performance, and instrumentation like the other installments I've seen (The Pink Floyd/DSotM and Hendrix/ELL DVDs are excellent examples of how these SHOULD be done). Instead, this one came off more like a VH1 Behind the Music puff-piece. Making-of aspects like the ones I mentioned above are present, but take a back seat to all the lauding.
Listen, if someone buys one of these Classic Album DVDs, chances are they are already a big fan of the band. So pontificating throughout the DVD about how great the The Doors are is preaching to the choir.
Bonus:
Cool to see Robbie Krieger on flamenco guitar. Ray M demonstrates organ parts & tells stories but comes off a little lame with an authentic but weak organ tone (Some more amplification would have been effective).
DVD Review: Light my DVD player!
Summary: 5 Stars
Another great DVD from classic albums. The only downside in the series is that EVERY song from an album is NOT talked about, that's too bad but I guess I can't complain. The surviving members of The Doors are interviewed often throughout, especially keyboard/bass player Ray Manzarek who fondly looks back on the Doors glory days of the late 1960's, and at nearly 70 years old, is a little worn like old leather but still a pretty cool hippy from the 60's. Densmore shows some interesting aspects of his drumming in the 'special features' and how Jazz drummers influenced him and how to make his playing more confortable and with tones, etc. Not surprisingly, "Light My Fire" gets more of the attention as compared to the other songs on origins, arranging, etc and a brief clip from the Ed Sullivan show was fun to see. I never was too keen on the poetry aspect of Jim Morrison's lyrics -some of which I will never understand nor try to- and they do go into that on this DVD a little bit too much for me by showing a friend of the band recite 'Break on Through(to the other side)' as if it was the greatest thing ever written in the history of human civilization and then offer his comments about almost every line in the song(as he does in the 'special features' of the DVD). It was quite amusing to watch... once. It strays too much into beatnick territory for me. Luckily they talk about the music too - there is no denying that Ray Manzarek was a HUGE part of the Doors sound, not to discredit Krieger and Densmore. Manzarek does a lot of playing and demonstrations on this disc and his stories of Morrison on stage are entertaining to listen to, as well Krieger and Densmore. I am a casual fan of the band, who grew up in the 80s so it's nice to see how one of the best bands of the 60's got started and to hear stories of Jim Morrison and antedotes that maybe even diehard Doors fan never knew. Definitely worth owning and the price is very affordable if you look in a certain huge retail store throughout the USA. Half the price of what you will find on the internet. DVD Review: Great find!
Summary: 5 Stars
Already have a lot of this, but it's a nicely arrranged collection. Just wish there were more of these. Fair price, as was shipping and handling. A+.
Description of Classic Albums: The Doors
The Doors eponymous first album is universally regarded as their finest achievement and as one of the greatest debut albums in the history of rock music making it a worthy addition to the acclaimed Classic Albums series. The three surviving members of The Doors: Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore are all featured in new interviews along with original engineer Bruce Botnick, musicians Henry Rollins and Perry Farrell and executives Billy James (Columbia Records) and Jac Holzman (Elektra Records) plus many more. What emerges is the extraordinary story of the creation of a masterpiece.TRACK LISTING: Features excerpts from: Break On Through (To The Other Side) - The Crystal Ship - Back Door Man - Soul Kitchen - Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) - Light My Fire - End Of The Night - The End - and more...
BONUS FEATURES * Additional & extended interview material not included in the broadcast version. * New instrumental demonstrations of songs from the album with Robby Krieger playing slide and flamenco guitar, Ray Manzarek performing the solo from "Light My Fire" and John Densmore showing his drum techniques. * The story behind "Moonlight Drive", which was cut from the album and later appeared in a different arrangement on the second album "Strange Days".
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