32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Revelation of Rock Music in a More Innocent Era, June 14, 2004
Any lack of polish in this production is pretty much due to the available video and film equipment of the day. That said, much of the old camerawork is quite creative and nicely done. In fact, I was riveted to this film from start to finish.
The onstage performances have a beautiful, timeless quality to them. The musicianship of the band comes across very nicely, this being a time before bands had stylists, directors, choreographers, and wardrobe masters.
Just amazing to see how, more than Morrison's charisma, more than any stoned-out vibe, the music itself was the true source of the Doors' power and energy. So seldom do we get to see excellent rock music performed without a lot of record company b***s***. Nobody told the band how to behave onstage, nobody but Jim dictated what he was going to wear, and so on. This footage was a revelation in that way.
To observe, on this DVD, Ray Manzarek hunched over his keyboards, fingering some amazing riffs, is to see a rather amazing illustration of rock performances that were all about THE MUSIC.
An absolute "must" for all Doors fans, and a real treat for fans of west coast rock. Recommended to anyone who has an interest in classic rock or sixties culture.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining And Interesting., April 6, 2001
The Doors were a great band and here we have some great film documentation of their performances during the 1968 European tour that captures the visceral energy Jim Morrison and the rest of the band captured on stage. The songs are great and on this DVD, they sound magnificent. Well, I was a bit disappointed that the performances of "Light My Fire," "Backdoor Man" and "Spanish Caravan" are a bit crudely recorded. They still work though. The best piece of film here is when the band performs "When The Music's Over." The performance captures the viewer with the intricate playing, provocative lyrics (as in "The End") and Morrison really comes off as an impressive rock artist. I especially loved it when he says, "We want the world and we want it now." "Unknown Soldier" and "Love Me Two Times" are also magnificently done. The fault of this DVD (and video for you VHS watchers) is that we really don't get THAT much information on the tour itself. Jefferson Airplane give a few interesting insights, but nothing very fascinating that keeps your attention. All we really get are the good performances, and that's it. Yes, The Doors are the greatest rock band of all time, but this film deserved a wee-bit more work.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Newsflash: Doors Rule!, August 15, 1999
This is one of my favorite DVD's. I have always liked the Doors, but being only 22 years old obviously never had the oppurtunity to see them live. Well, now I can. The audio and video are in great condition considering it's three decades old. Morrison truly becomes part of the song and he definitely sets the mood. The organ will shake the walls with home theatre. Grace Slick provides a mini-interview, it shows the band and fans showing their respects to Morrison at what I assume is his burial site (it had a bust where people threw flowers), and there is even a music video.
SONGS INCLUDE: Light My Fire/ Love Me Two Times/ Back Door Man/ Spanish Caravan/ Hello, I Love You/ When the Music's Over/ Unknown Soldier/ Five to One/ Alabama Song
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