Fans of the iconic Los Angeles band The Doors will find much to love in this time capsule, composed entirely of footage shot between the group’s formation in 1965 and mercurial frontman Jim Morrison’s untimely death in 1971. Tom DiCillo’s revealing documentary is a treasure trove of live performances, TV appearances, home movies, studio footage, and a never-before-seen independent film made by and starring Morrison.

DiCillo (Living In Oblivion, The Real Blonde), a veteran of independent cinema, avoids the cliché of nostalgic ‘talking head’ interviews, immersing us in the band’s rise from the clubs of Hollywood to America’s living rooms. With narration by Johnny Depp, When You’re Strange offers a rare glimpse of Morrison and bandmates John Densmore, Robby Krieger, and Ray Manzarek discovering their art and their place within a time of great political and cultural turbulence.

Los Angeles Film Festival