Review of When You're Strange (2010) by Mack G — 07 Jun 2011

Even with great music and rare footage, the documentary "When You're Strange" only manages to scratch the surface of The Doors. A lot of that is due to the narration in all its pretentiousness in trying to link the band to not only the youth movement of the 60's with unnecessary archival footage but also a Deeper Meaning.(Just don't blame Johnny Depp because he is only reading it. And with a William Blake reference hanging above it all, who else were they going to get?) If you're watching a documentary about The Doors, then you already know about the 60's. If you went to a Doors concert and dropped acid, then you might actually need a reminder or two.

There is one bit of narration that is actually informative in pointing out the band's lack of a bass guitarist, adding to the band's unique sound which possibly inspired progressive rock bands to come. Sadly, the documentary is mostly only interested in Jim Morrison who apparently would have been happy just writing poetry on a beach somewhere(who wouldn't?), never quite planning as far ahead as the following week. Whereas the charismatic and mercurial lead singer contributed to a lot of The Doors' appeal, as Keith Richards wonderfully pointed out in his recent autobiography, a rock band is much more than just the lead singer.