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Saturday evening I turned on the TV and Oliver Stone's "The Doors" was about to begin. I had never seen it before so thought I might take a look.

When I was about 14 my friend Mike got me into the Doors and I read a biography of Jim Morrison that made him out to be some sort of genius mystic poet. With age I outgrew my youthful fascination with the Lizard King but I still like the music.

Watching the movie was painful--awful. Stuff that sounds profound when you're 14 or stoned or both seems pretentious and very, very stupid when your an adult and sober. I dare you to read this aloud without laughing. "I believe in a long prolonged derangement of the senses to attain the unknown. Although I live in the subconscious, our pale reason hides the infinite from us."

The same holds true for Joseph Smith. I grew up idolizing Joseph Smith. Everything he said seemed so profound and transcendent. Now I wonder why. It's more interesting than Jim Morrison's "poetry" but not that much more profound.

5 to 1, 1 to 5, no one here gets out alive...

Bob Loblaw wrote:Saturday evening I turned on the TV and Oliver Stone's "The Doors" was about to begin. I had never seen it before so thought I might take a look.

When I was about 14 my friend Mike got me into the Doors and I read a biography of Jim Morrison that made him out to be some sort of genius mystic poet. With age I outgrew my youthful fascination with the Lizard King but I still like the music.

Watching the movie was painful--awful. Stuff that sounds profound when you're 14 or stoned or both seems pretentious and very, very stupid when your an adult and sober. I dare you to read this aloud without laughing. "I believe in a long prolonged derangement of the senses to attain the unknown. Although I live in the subconscious, our pale reason hides the infinite from us."

The same holds true for Joseph Smith. I grew up idolizing Joseph Smith. Everything he said seemed so profound and transcendent. Now I wonder why. It's more interesting than Jim Morrison's "poetry" but not that much more profound.

Maybe LDS Inc ought to hire Oliver Stone to do the next Mormon movie.

The Doors was very entertaining, if not as you say, Bob, full of drivel (I mean, pretentious 'insights') spouted by Morrison.

By the way, back in 1991, it was reported that Val Kilmer (who played Morrison in that movie) and Oliver Stone were at odds with one another throughout the filming. Stone wanted to deify Morrison even more so than is accomplished in the movie, Kilmer kept downplaying the part all he could.

Interestingly enough, I heard a few years back that Val Kilmer was slated to play Joseph Smith in Dutcher's new movie.

I listened to the Doors from age 13 - 18. I considered this music to be my little window to hell. I would often burn incense during my times with Morrison, against my mother's wishes. It was like the time that Bilbo Baggins peered down the stone corridor to Smaug's lair.

He defied proper etiquette by choosing to venture near.
Smaug lay foreboding and alluring; only fear prevented his entrance.
In the end, he entered, knowing a transformation awaited his return.

sock puppet wrote:

Bob Loblaw wrote:Saturday evening I turned on the TV and Oliver Stone's "The Doors" was about to begin. I had never seen it before so thought I might take a look.

When I was about 14 my friend Mike got me into the Doors and I read a biography of Jim Morrison that made him out to be some sort of genius mystic poet. With age I outgrew my youthful fascination with the Lizard King but I still like the music.

Watching the movie was painful--awful. Stuff that sounds profound when you're 14 or stoned or both seems pretentious and very, very stupid when your an adult and sober. I dare you to read this aloud without laughing. "I believe in a long prolonged derangement of the senses to attain the unknown. Although I live in the subconscious, our pale reason hides the infinite from us."

The same holds true for Joseph Smith. I grew up idolizing Joseph Smith. Everything he said seemed so profound and transcendent. Now I wonder why. It's more interesting than Jim Morrison's "poetry" but not that much more profound.

Maybe LDS Inc ought to hire Oliver Stone to do the next Mormon movie.

The Doors was very entertaining, if not as you say, Bob, full of drivel (I mean, pretentious 'insights') spouted by Morrison.

By the way, back in 1991, it was reported that Val Kilmer (who played Morrison in that movie) and Oliver Stone were at odds with one another throughout the filming. Stone wanted to deify Morrison even more so than is accomplished in the movie, Kilmer kept downplaying the part all he could.

You're talking about the next version of the temple movie - right?

There has been a few times I have wondered about a parallel with Jim and Joseph. It would not be similar wisdom. In fact it seems a bit silly to look for wisdom from Morrison. I cannot imagine him thinking he was a dispenser of wise insights.More likely a subverter of wisdom. People might have different theories of what some influential art expression is about. I was curious about the observation that the movie director wanted a more godish image. Again i can't imagine Jim wanting that. I imagine he wanted to find imaginative keys to ecstasy but that is just some critical theory.

I think there is something a bit malignant in his imagination which can be treated by laughing at it or simply avoiding it. I generally avoid his music. But then there can be moments ,walking down the street minding my own business and the lines drift through my mind, day divides the night, the night divides the day, breakonthrough to the other side.

Bob Loblaw wrote: "...our pale reason hides the infinite from us."

Oh, but this part is quite true. My friend Kate's husband often talks with Jim about this....