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This black and white adult drama film, released in December 1965 for Essence Productions, is considered a lyrical influence for Jim Morrison in When The Music's Over. John Densmore is said to have been walking the streets when he saw an advertisement for this film across the marquee of a nearby theater, giving away Jim's source. Original newspaper advertisements and promotional posters for this film are also known.
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On January 2nd, 1966 CBS airs its weekly television show Repertoire Workshop with an episode titled Op, Pop & Kicky Flicks. The program is designed to bring attention to local and unknown creative talent, and this episode focuses on the student films recently completed at UCLA. While the contents of the episode are currently unknown, there is a possibility that one or more of Ray Manzarek's student films may have been integrated into the production. Although Ray's Who And Where I Live is now lost, the film was included in the Royce Hall screenings of December 1965, and a small or complete portion of the film could possibly be found on copies of this episode.
In 1974 Thom Andersen completes a film titled Olivia's Place, documenting the existence of a small Ocean Park cafe owned and operated by Olivia Fair. Although the 16mm footage is shot in 1966, the closing of the restaurant prompts Thom to encapsulate the locally well-known restaurant on film. In the formative years of The Doors, Jim Morrison frequents Olivia's Place, which serves "The Best Chicken Dinners In The West" and "Cold Beer, Bottle and Tap". The small cafe becomes the inspiration for The Doors first album track Soul Kitchen. Details on the filming itself appear as a synopsis to the film during the opening title:
"On Sunday, January 16, 1966, we shot 200 feet of 16mm Kodak Ektachrome MS film, type 7256, at Olivia's Place, 2618 Main Street, Santa Monica, California. We shot with a static camera, mounted on a tripod, using only available light. A recording of "There Is Something On Your Mind" by Big Jay McNeely and his Band, with vocal by Little Sonny, was on the jukebox then. The Harlem Globetrotters and Tokyo Joe, starring Humphrey Bogart, were on TV that afternoon."
Approximately one month prior to the start of The Doors engagement at the London Fog in 1966, two rolls of 35mm film are shot from a moving car along the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Two angles are set up for filming, both from a sideview and rearview angle, and The London Fog can be seen. The Rascals are headlining the marquee of the Whisky A Go Go during this time period, and other familiar sites associated with The Doors can be identified. Each roll of film contains approximately two minutes of footage.
A brief segment of footage shot for this film shows a legible marquee of the London Fog. The Doors are the house band at this venue in 1966 before moving down the street to the Whisky A Go Go. For many years, the exact location of the London Fog was unknown despite heavy research, however the discovery of this brief segment of film has revealed the original location of the nightclub. While this footage is on the screen, the narrator states "This is Sunset Boulevard, legendary street of dreams and myths. Young people from all over the world are drawn here by the glamour and the film industry. For this is Hollywood. Now, just a small section of Los Angeles. Here are the favored clubs and watering places of the celebrated."
During this 19-minute short film shot by Agnés Varda in October of 1967, the houseboats of Sausolito, CA used as a backdrop during a 1967 photo session by Bobby Klein can be seen.
This half hour b&W German semi-documentary film titled Die Herren Von Morgen - Hippies features live footage of The Doors shot at two venues in June 1967. German filmmaker Jurgen Schroder-Jahn employs two cameramen to cover the 'hippies' of San Francisco, and choosing to include The Doors based on a tip that they were a 'hot' group in California. The filming takes at the Tamalpais Mountain Theater, and most likely later on that evening at the Fillmore Auditorium, where The Doors had been scheduled to play again the same day, however it is possible that the Fillmore footage was shot the night before. Original audio recordings from Tamalpais accompany the clips, including When The Music's Over and Break On Through.
In recent years the camera crew for this film reports shooting over 30 minutes of original material from both venues, along with a similar length of audio recorded on a Nagra. Further reports indicate that the original source materials, both audio and film, have since been trashed, with only the final film available to collectors for viewing.
Original Audio:
When The Music's Over (Segment) > Break On Through (Cut)
This hour and a half documentary film, also known as 'The Second Coming, 1967 A.D.' or 'The Scene', was shot in 1967 in various locations around California, and released in 1968. The film includes various footage related to The Doors, including a shot of an Elektra Billboard during the 1967 Sunset Strip riots, a venue marquee and brief footage of The Doors at the Cheetah in August 1967, footage of The Doors performing at the Shrine Exposition Hall, and an illustrated schedule from the Fantasy Fayre (Jul. 15th-16th, 1967). Native audio does not appear to have been recorded for this film, however it does make use of I Looked At You and The End. Original film sources are yet to be uncovered, however a poor quality VHS review tape of a 1992-93 re-edit by the films director, Pierre Sogol, is known to collectors. The whereabouts of the director, whose real name may be Fredrick Wolf, and the master filmwork, are currently unknown.
The semi-documentary film titled 'Rock It' by Martin Holt includes approximately 5 minutes of footage shot near and on the stage at The Doors performance in Tucson at Hi Corbett Field on October 7th, 1967. Along with other 60s era footage, the film includes a soundtrack featuring Jefferson Airplane. The Doors portion of the final cut is said to have been made from approximately 10 minutes worth of 16mm film that do not feature audio. The master footage reels are believed to be intact, but have not been located at present date.
In this short on-stage interview by Bitter End club owner Fred Weintraub, Linda Ronstadt discusses her recent tour with The Doors in Rochester and Boston, and the complications with the flight schedule due to bad weather. This footage was likely shot in late March 1968, or early April.
Titled EYE FILM, an undocumented 16mm silent black and white experimental film features still photographs taken by an unknown photographer during The Doors Fillmore East performances in March 1968. The producer/director of this film is currently unknown, however its purpose is described as "What the Eye experienced in the 1960's". The film also features other 1960's events including scenes of the Kennedy's, the Kent State shooting, civil rights riots, Apollo 11, etc. This film is in private hands and does not circulate amongst collectors.
16mm film marked 'Five To One' and shot by Frank Lisciandro. It is unknown wether or not this footage was intended for Feast of Friends, or another project. Prior to its sale, this reel has never been put through a projector.
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For Jacques Demy's 1969 film Model Shop, partial filming takes place at Venice Beach and Ray Manzarek's Venice Beach house complex can be seen during the opening credits. This beach house serves as Ray Manzarek & Dorothy Fujikawa's home as well as The Doors rehearsal space in 1966. This building was located at Speedway & Northstar St.
Jim Morrison and Leon Barnard appear very briefly in this 1969 film directed by "The Mother Of The New Wave" Agnès Varda. Filmed in Los Angeles, their role is miniscule, forming part of an audience in a theater as an uncredited extra. Jim Morrison would later visit Agnès Varda in France in June of 1970 on the set Jacques Demy's film Peau d'Ane along with friend Alain Ronay. The circumstances surrounding Jim Morrison's involvement in the film are relatively unknown.
Lions Love, orignally titled Lions Love And Lies but cut back after being found too long and overexplicit by the actors, refers to actors known as Lions in the 18th century. The film, opening with a segment borrowed from Michael McClure's play The Beard, features Shirley Clarke as herself in the role of a New York filmmaker who has come to Hollywood to make her first movie. Also featured in the film is Viva! of the Andy Warhol entourage, along with James Rado and Gerome Ragni of HAIR, all portraying the actors who Shirley meets. Lions Love premieres at the 7th New York Film Festival in September 1969 at which The Doors' Feast Of Friends is also given a screening.
This 90 minute talk show hosted by Allen Ludden with co-host Betty White began airing in 1969, and subjects for discussion in this episode include Jim Morrison & Nancy Sinatra. Author Digby Diehl is invited to the show to talk about Jim, and Rona Barrett to discuss Nancy. Shot in color at KTTV Studios in Los Angeles, this program was syndicated across the country on multiple networks, with this particular episode airing on July 29th. Other guests on this show include singer Merrilee Rush, comic Scoey Mitchell, and actor John Saxon. This program was cancelled in late 1969, and no surviving episodes are currently known to exist.
Following the Bastille Day celebrations at City Hall South in Los Angeles on July 14th 1970, Pamela Courson is a guest at an after-party attended by Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty, Mme. Charles Lucet, General Consul Didier Raguenet of France and his new wife Beatrice Le Damany, and other unidentified government officials. The event is captured on film by an unidentified cameraman, and subsequent filming of Pamela in a change of outfit takes place. Another portion of the footage includes Pamela's confidante Jean de Breteuil. This filmwork is incorporated into a 1995 film titled Memories Of A French Ambassador.
