The Doors

Live In Europe 1968


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Details At A Glance

General
Extras
Category Music Theatrical Trailer(s) No
Rating Other Trailer(s) No
Year Released 1968/1988 Commentary Tracks No
Running Time 58:00 minutes Other Extras None
RSDL/Flipper No
Cast & Crew
Start Up Menu
Region 1,2,3,4,5,6 Director Paul Justman
Ray Manzarek
Studio
Distributor

Warner Vision
 Starring Jim Morrison
RRP $39.95 Music The Doors

  
Video
Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame Full Frame MPEG None
Widescreen Aspect Ratio None Dolby Digital 2.0
16x9 Enhancement No Soundtrack Languages English (Dolby Digital 2.0 mono, 384Kb/s)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio 1.33:1
Miscellaneous
Macrovision Yes Smoking No
Subtitles None Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

Plot Synopsis

   I admit to only having a passing interest in The Doors, but thought I would educate myself a bit and review this title. What I learnt was that I was on the right track in the first place, and without wanting to upset those of you who love them, I can't say that I was impressed with what I saw or heard. Of course, one single film of The Doors does not a complete education make, but I think I will remain ignorant.

    The song list is thus: Light My Fire, Love Me Two Times, Back Door Man (?!?), Spanish Caravan, Hello I Love You, When The Music's Over (thank god), Unknown Soldier, Light My Fire (II), Five To One, Alabama Song

   If you are an absolute nutter for The Doors, then you will find any footage of value, regardless of how poor it is. This is for you. If you are not a fan (in its true sense, ie. fanatical), then leave this one alone.

Transfer Quality

Video

    Oooh ... this isn't good. This is really not good. This wouldn't have been good for 1968, let alone DVD.

    I can't comment on image sharpness, because there simply isn't any. Neither is there any detail of any kind, either during the (semi) recent interview bits, or the recorded archive footage. Imagine an old VHS which has been really put through the ringer, has rotted for ten years, gone mouldy, stretched and then left to bake in an oven on 180 degrees for 45 minutes. That will give you some pre warning if you are at all interested in this title. Okay, I know this is thirty odd year old footage, but it shouldn't look this bad. Shadow detail is just drowned out, and low-level noise is often abhorrent in its propensity. Only die-hards need apply for this one.

    As most of the footage is black and white save for the interviews at the start and the end montage, colour is another thing which is hard to talk about, so I won't.

    There were no MPEG artefacts, not that it would be a problem if there were. Film-to-video artefacts were also hard to pick, given that the film stock jumped, skipped, hiccupped and was difficult to make out with all the marks and lines dancing about on it.

Audio

    The single audio track, recorded at a blazing 384 kilobits per second, is atrocious and is well matched with the video. Presented in Dolby Digital 2.0, every single song is mono and sounds like absolute s**t. Distinctly compressed sounding and with no fidelity, this is a stinker. That's if you can hear it above the hiss. Sometimes, Jim's vocals sounded as if he were singing into a megaphone.

    There is no bass at all, nor of course is there any surround usage.

Extras

Menu

    The menu is accompanied by a rather poor sounding "Light My Fire", and it is a bad omen. After about a minute, the movie begins, and you really wish it hadn't. At least the menu is clear.

R4 vs R1

    Both versions appear to be identical, in that they are both not worthy of being coasters for your next glass of bourbon.

Summary

    An extremely poor presentation of material which is of dubious value unless you are an absolute worshipper of Jim Morrison (and I know you are out there). Get this one only if your eyesight / hearing is failing anyway because you did too many drugs around about the same time as this footage was shot.

    The video is of the worst kind, and not watchable.

    The audio is the equal of the video.

    No extras.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras  
Plot
Overall
© Paul Cordingley
8th March, 2000. 
Review Equipment
   
DVD Panasonic A350A S-Video output
Display Pioneer SD-T43W1 125cm Widescreen 16x9
Audio Decoder Internal Dolby Digital 5.1 (DVD Player)
Amplification Sony STRDE-525 5x100 watts Dolby Pro-Logic / 5.1 Ready Receiver; 4 x Optimus 10-band Graphic EQ
Speakers Centre: Sony SS-CN35 100 watt; Main & Surrounds: Pioneer CS-R390-K 150-watt floorstanders; Subwoofer: Optimus 100-watt passive