Home/Episodes/The Doors

‘The Doors’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Chuck Klosterman

March 2, 2021 · The Doors (1991) · Biography · Drama · Music · 1:52:12

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsThe first band rehearsal where Light My Fire comes together in two minutes▶ 33:28
Chuck KlostermanThe everything's taking off montage with the plane scene where they introduce themselves▶ 36:51

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsThe Top Gun connection, the theme of death with the bald guy representing death moving closer to Jim, and the closing credits sequence with LA Woman▶ 1:00:01
Chris RyanThe Doors music and how well the band members look like they're actually playing their instruments, especially Frank Whaley on guitar and Kevin Doan on drums▶ 1:01:12

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsMeg Ryan's miscasting as Pam - felt wrong at the time and Stone later disowned the casting; plus Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama, terrible wigs throughout the movie, dated desert drug scene special effects, and problematic casting process behind the scenes▶ 1:04:32
Chris RyanAgrees Meg Ryan seemed like she was in another movie, and the wigs were terrible - specifically notes Whaley 'looks like a burn victim'▶ 1:05:18
Chuck KlostermanDisagrees that Meg Ryan was that bad, thinks Nicole Kidman would have been better casting but defends some of Ryan's comedic moments▶ 1:05:38

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsIan AstburyLists multiple casting alternatives: Ian Asbury (The Cult) offered Morrison role, Michael Hutchins and Bono considered, Michael Madsen auditioned for Morrison then moved to Tom Baker role, Billy Idol originally cast as Tom Baker before motorcycle accident, Patricia Arquette should have gotten Pam role over Meg Ryan, Kyle MacLachlan was Stone's first choice for Charlie Sheen's Platoon role▶ 1:10:51
Chris RyanBilly IdolJokes that Billy Idol would have multiple Oscars and played Abraham Lincoln if not for motorcycle accident▶ 1:12:01
Chuck KlostermanIan AstburyAgrees Ian Asbury would have been good choice for Morrison, notes Michael Hutchins could have been good, finds Bono choice strange but plausible for that time period▶ 1:10:56

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsMichael WincottMichael Wincott (the producer) - winner▶ 1:13:22
Chris RyanTitus WelliverAdded Titus Welliver as additional nominee and identified Michael Wincott from The Crow▶ 1:13:37
Chuck KlostermanMichael WincottMichael Wincott - agrees he's the winner▶ 1:13:16

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill SimmonsVal Kilmer memo instructing people not to make eye contact with him during filming; Patricia reporter character was a composite, not a real person; they filmed at Barney's Beanery for the bar scenes▶ 1:19:21
Chuck KlostermanOliver Stone told him Val Kilmer's biggest issue was being tired of wearing the same black leather pants every day during filming▶ 1:19:53

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsVal KilmerVal Kilmer - this made him an A-lister and changed his career, putting him in conversation with the most important actors▶ 1:22:57
Chuck KlostermanVal KilmerVal Kilmer - agrees this is by far his best role and a giant movie star role▶ 1:24:04

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsWould you have watched a prequel about Jim's entire stint at USC film school? Also asked about best use of Arthur Rimbaud book - Eddie and the Cruisers vs this movie, answered Eddie and the Cruisers▶ 1:40:31
Chris RyanYes, would absolutely watch USC film school prequel. Asked did they always have such incredibly telling books lying around as props - questioning whether the strategic book placement was realistic▶ 1:40:35
Chuck KlostermanObserved that Jim Morrison character needs to lay books out so every title is visible rather than stacking them, suggesting Oliver Stone was being very deliberate about book placement for symbolic effect▶ 1:41:07

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsVal KilmerVal Kilmer wins the movie convincingly, like a unanimous MVP vote in an NBA season▶ 1:42:36

Movies Referenced (33)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Natural Born Killers (1994)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman▶ 25:33
Pulp Fiction (1994)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck Klosterman▶ 1:12:58
The Beach (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chuck Klosterman, Bill Simmons▶ 8:38
Top Gun (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 2:28
Lincoln (2012)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 2:38
Platoon (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 25:18
Sing (2016)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chuck Klosterman, Bill Simmons▶ 8:17
Wayne's World 2 (1993)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:53
Apocalypse Now (1979)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:19
Fargo (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:55
Malcolm X (1992)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 2:38
The Meg (2018)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:43

Directors Referenced (7)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Oliver StoneIMDb ↗Lb ↗38Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck KlostermanBorn on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 1:37
Ray ManzarekIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chuck KlostermanThe X Files▶ 8:38
Brian De PalmaIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsBody Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 28:39
Dead or AliveIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe A-Team▶ 5:38
Roger CormanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Silence of the Lambs, Apollo 13, Little Shop of Horrors▶ 1:42:15
Warren BeattyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsHeaven Can Wait▶ 6:59
William FriedkinIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsTo Live and Die in L.A., The French Connection, The Exorcist▶ 28:49

Actors Referenced (75)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Jim MorrisonIMDb ↗Lb ↗51Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman, Chris RyanForrest Gump, The X Files▶ 2:12
Val KilmerIMDb ↗Lb ↗38Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck KlostermanThe Doors, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang▶ 2:26
Frank WhaleyIMDb ↗Lb ↗12Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck KlostermanBroken Arrow, Pulp Fiction▶ 24:42
Michael MadsenIMDb ↗Lb ↗12Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Hateful Eight, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Species▶ 45:11
Bill WaltonIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Chuck Klosterman, Bill Simmons, Chris RyanLittle Nicky, He Got Game▶ 15:41
Billy IdolIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Wedding Singer, Speed▶ 45:11
Ed SullivanIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 27:17
Meg RyanIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Chris RyanWhen Harry Met Sally..., Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail▶ 41:05
Kevin DillonIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris RyanPlatoon, The Doors▶ 2:57
Led ZeppelinIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan▶ 11:11
Patricia ArquetteIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck KlostermanTrue Romance, Boyhood▶ 41:21
The KillersIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Chuck KlostermanSpider-Man 3, About Time▶ 25:33

Writers Referenced (7)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Buddy HollyIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chuck KlostermanBig Fish, Almost Famous▶ 7:54
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman▶ 29:38
Charles MansonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanOnce Upon a Time... in Hollywood▶ 52:21
James CameronIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsAvatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 1:25:58
Johnny CashIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsWalk the Line▶ 7:51
Loretta LynnIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsLogan Lucky▶ 7:57
Malcolm XIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsMalcolm X▶ 2:38