MovieChat Forums > The Doors (1991) Discussion > Was the real Jim Morrison EXACTLY or eve...

Was the real Jim Morrison EXACTLY or even ALMOST like this in real life?

posted 3 years ago by TheMan18 (12538)
9 replies | jump to latest

Hi, does anyone know, personality-wise, based on this movie, was the REAL Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors, who died of heart failure in 1971 in France, exactly or almost like he was portrayed in this movie, The Doors (1991), by Oliver Stone?

I mean, did he really cheat on his wife or girlfriend? Take drugs? Publicly expose himself? Get mad and angry with his band mates including throwing a television in a fit of rage after discovering their "Light My Fire" song was used in an advert? Fantasize about death a lot? Get angry on stage and also make a profane mockery of one or more of their songs? And others?

What was he like in general and is it anywhere near to how this movie portrayed him? Thanks.

P.S. Few know about this. But in 1968 Jim Morrison was touring with the surrealist (and in some aspects controversial) Spanish/French filmmaker Fernardo Arrabal (who also co-founded with Alejandro Jodorowsky, more or less, the "Panic movement"), responsible for such films as "Viva la Muerte" ("Long Live Death") (1971), "I Will Walk Like a Crazy Horse" (1973) (his most extreme and controversial little cult film, I dare you to see it) and "Guernica Tree" (1975). He is now 88 years old (Arrabal) and still alive by the way, even more than that, he is currently online including on Instagram a lot, lol.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

"I mean, did he really cheat on his wife or girlfriend? Take drugs? Publicly expose himself? "

Yeah, pretty much.

[–] TheMan18 (12538) 3 years ago

Cool. And with regards to anger issues and whatnot, all true in life as well?

P.S. Otter, it is OFF-TOPIC I know, but have you heard of Fernando Arrabal and have you seen any of his movies? Come to think of it, since he knew the real Jim Morrison before his death, what did HE think of this movie and how accurately in his mind did it portray him?

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

I don't know that much about Morrison, but I do know that circa the late sixties it was fashionable to be a drugged-up hot mess, and Morrison was, shall we say, a leader of fashion.

And I know nothing about this Arrabal guy.

[–] TheMan18 (12538) 3 years ago

No worries, although later if you have time, do try and track down those or one of those aforementioned of his movies. Are you aware of Alejandro Jodorowsky though. (His movie masterpiece "Santa Sangre" (1989) by the way is one of my top 20 favorite films EVER, although his others El Topo (1970) and The Holy Mountain (1973) are just as good.)

[–] TheMan18 (12538) 3 years ago

And back to the main topic. I take it that despite his asshole-like persona and personality, if we are to take what this film says and how it portrays him at face value, people including his friends and band members etc still respected and adored him and he was ultimately forgiven for many of his misdeeds, including throwing the television, setting that cupboard on fire with Pam briefly trapped inside, cheating, public exposure, anger and profanity in public (did the audience necessarily feel insulted when he yelled "You're all a bunch of f*cking slaves" at them?) and other misdeeds?

[–] janX9 (446) 3 years ago

"Exactly" no.

It was a movie and exaggerated like all movies, for dramatic effect. When making a movie, because of how people are desensitized by cinema you have to exaggerate to get you point across.

"Almost like" yes.

He was a drunk, he did cheat, he did have spats with band mates. He did push limits and get arrested on stage for profanity and indecent exposure. No, he didn't show his penis for real, he didn't expose himself in the movie either. He got plastered at shows too. He had a concert with two performances and was set to go on for 7pm and 10pm. He didn't start his 10pm set until midnight because he was at the bar drinking. The owner was pissed and ended the show "early" by turning the power off on the stage! Jim pushed to keep the show going and the owner told them to leave or he would call every venue in town and tell them not to have the doors play there. Essentially saying "you'll never work in this town again".

Did things happen like in the movie, no, but his antics were almost comparable when the "big screen" isn't between the audience and the show. If you get my meaning.

[–] ebhaynz (3537) 3 years ago

Well, he was on good terms with a lot of other rock stars, who saw him as a very cool dude but incredibly reckless. So reckless in fact that when Morrison died they were surprised he made it to age 27. As far as his inner circle they saw the huge decline caused by Morrison's addictions. He was so bad he became bloated and his voice was practically shot. He had burned a lot of bridges along the way, but rock stars get a lot more free passes than non rock stars.

In short, Jim Morrison had drank and drugged his way to an early death. Many friends and family members mourned not what Morrison was at The End, but what he could have been had he been clean.

[–] liscarkat (16592) 3 years ago

If he had lived he would have ended up playing county fairs and Elks clubs, made an acting appearance or two on "Murder She Wrote" or "Fantasy Island", and be nearly forgotten today in his late seventies. Early death made him a legend.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

It's true. I've heard other fans say that Morrison was fed up with being a rock star and would have become a full-time poet or writer, but being a rock star pays about a million times better than being a poet. And Morrison had some expensive habits.

Personally, I think that if hadn't died that night he would have died before long, his habits were even more unhealthy than they were expensive.