Doors, The-L.A. Woman (DVD-Audio) (1971) (NTSC)

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General		Extras
Category	Music	Booklet Gallery-Photo Lyrics Music Video-The Changeling (4:23) Biographies-Cast Notes-Credits
Rating
Year Of Production	1971
Running Time	49:41
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	None Given
Studio Distributor	Warner Vision	Starring	Jim Morrison Robby Krieger Ray Manzarek John Densmore
Case	DVD-Audio Jewel
RPI	$32.95	Music	The Doors

    For those who have read my ramblings (or is that rantings?) regarding DVD-Audio, you will know that I attended the launch of DVD-Audio in Perth over a year ago. At that evening, one of the albums that was used to demonstrate the new format was The Doors-L.A. Woman. As I pointed out at the time, the music had never sounded so good before. So when I pulled this disc out of its jewel case, you could say I was expecting something very special. The other thing you might remember me mentioning about the launch was the fact that the gear that the format was demonstrated on was very expensive stuff. Now I wish to make it very clear that my gear is not that expensive at all, at least in comparison.

    Which might explain why what sounded so terrific at the launch sounds something less than terrific when I play it on my gear.

    There is little that really needs to be said about The Doors, given the almost god-like status that Jim Morrison has achieved since his death. If there is one album that The Doors are known for it would probably be L.A. Woman, and if there is one song that symbolises the album more than any other it would probably be Riders On The Storm. Indeed, were it not for this song I would almost be tempted to completely dismiss the album as an over-hyped piece of tripe that is only remembered because of the cult status of Jim Morrison (is this a good time to mention that I have my flame-proof racing suit on?). Indeed, my views on this album are likely to be offensive to all Jim Morrison fans, but they have been unwavering in the thirty years since the album was released. Despite that view however, I have the CD in my collection and have always found it a little underwhelming.

    Despite my views on the album in particular, and the group in general, I actually went out and bought the album in the DVD-Audio format not so long ago. So, I have had a chance to hear the album in a more advanced sound format. Has it perchance changed my mind on the album? Well, certainly hearing it in DVD-Audio certainly changes the album a fair deal. It also demonstrates that some of these songs are actually better than I have long believed. Sure, the stand-out tracks remain Riders On The Storm, Love Her Madly and L.A. Woman, but there is more to the album than just those three big ones.

    Whilst the album might sound a lot different in its DVD-Audio incarnation, I have to say that my basic views on the album remain resolute. Still, my personal views on the album are unlikely to sway the legion of fans for whom The Doors, and especially Jim Morrison, can do no wrong. That's fine - unfortunately there are issues with the recording itself which do not necessarily enhance the legendary status of the album.

Video

    There is actually no video on the disc at all and everything comprises NTSC menus and stills. These are quite clear and sharp, with the text being easy to read.

Audio

    The disc contains three sound format choices: the default DVD-Audio MLP 96 kHz/24 bit 5.1 soundtrack, a DVD-Audio MLP 88.2 kHz/24 bit 2.0 soundtrack and a DVD-Video compatible Dolby Digital 5.1 448 Kb/s soundtrack. I listened to the 5.1 soundtracks in their entirety and sampled the 2.0 soundtrack.

    One of my big concerns with the surround sound efforts is the lack of artistic integrity. There are a number of places where the new remix has used some front to rear sweeping sounds that are somewhat unnatural and draw attention to the soundtracks. That is fair enough, but this has been achieved I feel without due concern for the integrity of the music. The song especially noted for this effect is L'America. Frankly, I feel that this has spoiled the album somewhat, which is a great shame as at times the surround sound formats have released some interesting shadow vocals that I certainly do not recall having heard on the CD of the album.

    The DVD-Video compatible Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is quite a good effort, notwithstanding the issues with L'America. As is to be expected I guess, there really is not a whole heap happening out of the rear surround channels. Love Her Madly is somewhat afflicted with a slightly too prominent bass track, but other than that there is nothing much to worry about if this is the only track you can access. I can certainly attest to the fact that this sounds so much better than the CD that it is not funny.

    Where the MLP 5.1 soundtrack scores is in the extra detail to be found, most especially with the integration of the storm effects in Riders On The Storm. Unlike the previous, now obviously inferior versions of this music, the storm effects have been okay but never really giving the effect that was striven for. Now we have surround sound and the storm effects finally do envelop the listener. It might have taken thirty-odd years, but we finally have a format that will allow the song to do what it should have always done! In addition to the much improved storm effects, the song is also blessed with a whole heap of shadow vocal detail that to a very large extent was not heard on the CD incarnation - and could only have been hinted at in the LP days. Whilst a more recent recording would perhaps have given a better separation of the instruments and vocals overall, this really is as fine as the album has sounded ever.

    The DVD-Audio MLP 2.0 soundtrack is quite acceptable in every respect, having a slightly more compressed sound that in some ways points to the CD incarnation, whilst still being superior.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Booklet

    A completely unacceptable 4-page booklet that just gives us a track listing. Okay, I don't think much of The Doors but there are plenty that do and surely their final album deserves at least something a heck of a lot better than this?

Music Video - The Changeling (4:23)

    Not so much a music video as a collection of still photographs displayed whilst the song plays.

Biographies - Cast

    Taken from the original 1967 Elektra bios, that for Jim Morrison runs to seven pages and has a first person narrative followed by the usual favourites-type listing. Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek get three pages of first person narrative each whilst John Densmore manages to get just over on to a fourth page. Interesting. One minor point - someone forgot to put a top menu button on the bios page itself, so you have to be in a bio to get back to the top menu (pushing the top menu button on my remote did not work).

Notes - Credits

    Two pages of text covering the DVD-Audio reissue.

Gallery - Photos

    Twenty seven photographs that can be accessed at various times from the MLP soundtrack playlists.

Lyrics

    The obligatory lyrics, which are accessible only during the songs in DVD-Audio mode. For some reason, there are no lyrics for Crawling King Snake.

    This DVD-Audio is identical in content and format around the world.

    My basic opinion of the album has not changed - perhaps ameliorated a little however - but for fans of The Doors and L.A. Woman in particular, this is about as good as you are ever going to hear the album, short of inventing time travel and being able to go back and record the sessions on modern equipment. There is some dubious mixing trickery that I have qualms about but overall this is another good release of a classic 1970s album.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall