Oliver Stone made his Jim Morrison biopic a psychedelic trip through Los Angeles nightlife, the desert and Morrison’s mind. The 4K UHD mostly emphasizes the blackness of the nights, the clubs and essentially his soul. Back in the ‘90s, movies shot on 35mm film, so the ‘60s recreated in 1991 look grainy and tangible.
Those deep nights include the sky over the Sunset Strip, a bonfire, the vision quest cave, and surreal stage effects like spirals and wavy patterns. Backstage is really a void the band emerges from into the arena. Even the recording studio has those pockets of shadow, reflecting Morrison’s disillusionment with his own creativity.
Surround sound brings Morrison’s ‘60s into your living room too. Birds caw on the beach. Traffic flows both ways on the Strip. Concert crowds surround the viewer.
In a new intro, Stone explains the theatrical cut with one additional scene. A new 26 minute featurette features Stone, Kilmer’s son, Jack, co-stars Frank Whaley and Kyle MacLachlan and more. The late Val Kilmer is represented in the original features along with Doors member Robby Krieger and real Patricia Kennealy.
It’s interesting that Stone released The Doors and JFK both in 1991. As he explains, he discovered The Doors’ music while serving in Vietnam, and it became the soundtrack to the best Vietnam movie, Apocalypse Now. JFK was essentially Stone trying to reconcile with Kennedy’s death prolonging the Vietnam War.
Though released by separate studios, you can own both The Doors and JFK in 4K now. Though months apart in 1991, it would make a hell of a night at home to watch both.