While its obviously impossible to replace the late, great Jim Morrison, the addition of British vocalist Ian Astbury (who bears more than a passing resemblance to Morrison) is a risk that pays off surprisingly well during this 102-minute gig, recorded in Houston, Texas, during The Doors' 2003 world tour. Astbury respects Morrison's legacy, but wisely avoids a slavish recreation of the Lizard King's inimitable style; he's paying affectionate tribute while channeling his own vocal energy into Morrison's rock 'n roll poetry. Morrison didn't live long enough to perform the classic album L.A. Woman (which includes the title track, “Love Her Madly,” and “Riders on the Storm”) before a live audience, so surviving bandmates Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger consider this a long-overdue opportunity to rewrite history (original drummer John Densmore moved on to a variety of solo projects; he's replaced here by Ty Dennis). Making good on a 32-year-old promise to give Doors fans the concert that Morrison's death preempted (other songs performed include “Break on Through,” “Love Me Two Times,” “Soul Kitchen,” and “Light My Fire”), they also add what the band never officially had: a bass player (Angelo Barbera) to recreate the LP's rhythm section. Presented in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, this isn't exactly a classic revival, but the happy conclusion to be drawn here is that new Doors are better than no Doors at all. A strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (J. Shannon)
The Doors of the 21st Century: L.A. Woman Live
(2003) 102 min. DVD: $19.99. Image Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 19, Issue 5
The Doors of the 21st Century: L.A. Woman Live
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: