Student Film Projects

Note: Members of The Doors are credited on various unlisted film projects.

JIM MORRISON:


FSU: TOWARD A GREATER UNIVERSITY


FSU Public Relations Project

FILM BY: Jim Morrison/Gerry McClain
DATE: xx/xx/1963
LOCATION: FSU - Tallahassee - FL
COLOR: B&w
LENGTH: 15:00+
AUDIO: Yes




Info:

This black and white footage was shot in 1963 at Florida State University, and re-discovered in the FSU archives in 2005. The original project was designed as a United Way public relations film titled 'Toward a Greater University'. The footage gives a rare, early glimpse of an almost unrecognizable Jim Morrison before his days with The Doors. The first 15 Minutes of the film project are circulating amongst collectors. Click HERE to view an early photo of Jim performing on stage at FSU in Harold Pinter's play 'The Dumbwaiter'.

FSU PROJECT


Unknown FSU Project

FILM BY: Jim Morrison
DATE: xx/xx/1963
LOCATION: FSU - Tallahassee - FL
COLOR: Unknown
LENGTH: Unknown
AUDIO: Unknown



Info:

Another 8mm film project is reported to have been made while Jim Morrison attended FSU, although the whereabouts of this film are unknown. It appears likely that Jim was involved with numerous film projects while attending FSU that no longer exist, or have yet to be identified by researchers. This 8mm film listed here supposedly features 'guys peeking around bushes' and other ideas filmed by Jim.

FIRST LOVE


First Love

FILM BY: Max Schwartz
DATE: xx/xx/1964
LOCATION: UCLA - Los Angeles - CA
COLOR: Yes
LENGTH: Unknown
AUDIO: Silent




Info:

This silent color film was said to have been shot in 1964, but may have been shot in early 1965. Jim Morrison does not make an appearance in this film, however he is said to be responsible for the camerawork. No credits are given. The original 16mm film is still owned by Max Schwartz, who also stars in the production.

UCLA PROJECT


UCLA Project

FILM BY: Jim Morrison
DATE: 03/xx/1965
LOCATION: UCLA - Los Angeles - CA
COLOR: Yes
LENGTH: Unknown
AUDIO: Yes



Info:

16mm film. Although portions of this project were shown in Oliver Stone's 'The Doors', the film was in fact a re-creation. Ray Manzarek claims the film as a prop was very similar to Jim's original project. Many searches, including one by Oliver Stone himself, have been conducted through UCLA's archives in an effort to find the film. Other films by friends of Jim are available in the UCLA catalogue, including Felix Venable's Psychedlic film, Frank Lisciandro's student films, and material featuring Michael McClure.

FIVE SITUATIONS FOR CAMERA, RECORDER AND PEOPLE


Five Situations For Camera, Recorder and People

FILM BY: Alex Prisadsky
DATE: 03/20/1965
LOCATION: UCLA - Los Angeles - CA
COLOR: B&w
LENGTH: 6:43
AUDIO: Yes



Info:

Jim Morrison is credited with sound in this 16mm, black & white film by Alex Prisadsky. Various portions of the original audio soundtrack recordings are used in the film, however several portions were re-recorded by the director for the final cut.

"Jim Morrison was the sound man on my first student film at UCLA. I asked a bunch of the crew and my friends at the housing coop where I lived to wear dark suits for the film - Jim didn't have one. That was one reason I asked him to be the sound recordist. The other was that he had shown a remarkable affinity for sound. 6 or 7 of us were in a group that took turns crewing for each other's films on successive Saturdays, in the Spring of 1965. Jim had shot part of his film the previous Saturday, in which we all played a noisy audience. A stag film we were watching broke and the screen was white with projector light. As the sounds of protest escalated, some of us made shadow puppets on the screen and yelled even louder. He had us repeat this for many takes. The experience made us literally high and influenced me to try to create that kind of crowd chaos, in my own way, in my film the next week.

In 'Five Situations', Jim's job was to record sound to go with each scene after filming of the scene was completed (the film was not shot in sync sound). For instance, after the bottle breaking scene, he had someone break some more bottles so he could mic it closely. Maddeningly, many of the bottles were bouncing instead of breaking. After awhile I yelled ‘cut’, but he insisted on more bottle smashes until he got what he wanted. After we finished shooting all the picture takes of the bathroom scene, we did another run through for sound. Jim decided he wanted to be in the mob, not outside it, during the jostling. He stood in the middle of the group in what was essentially a mosh pit, recording the concussions as well as everything else. When I was editing the film, I decided to try slowing down the sound to see how it "worked". The scene worked much better with the sound slowed down this way, so I transferred it and put it in. I did the same with the bottle breaking scene.

Long digression: The concept of judging an edit on whether it 'worked' or not, yes or no, black or white, was introduced to us by Edgar Brokaw. He taught the advanced editing class and the script writing class that both Jim and I took. He was to have been the advisor for our Saturday Workshop group. (Due to his illness, another professor took over.) Brokaw was harshly critical of Jim's film at the student screening because Jim had failed to 'double splice' his edits and they wouldn't go through the projector (ironically, much like the broken stag film in his project). For all that, Brokaw was among the few on the faculty who respected Jim's talent. I remember seeing Brokaw years later, probably the early 70's; he had a big poster of Jim with The Doors on the wall of his office. He said something like "Jim made it work", meaning he found a way to turn his vision into art."

Alex Prisadsky
http://www.Prisadsky.net
Copyright © 2011 Alex Prisadsky
A Special thanks to Alex Prisadsky for his contribution to this page! To watch 'Five Situations For Camera, Recorder and People', please visit http://www.prisadsky.net or click Here to see the film on YouTube!


RAY MANZAREK:


THE WINO AND THE BLIND MAN


The Wino & The Blind Man

FILM BY: Jose Gonzalez
DATE: xx/xx/1964
LOCATION: UCLA - Los Angeles - CA
COLOR: B&W
LENGTH: Unknown
AUDIO: Yes




Info:

Rays first appearance on film. This is fellow UCLA film student Jose Gonzalez's 1964 student film, entitled 'The Wino and the Blind Man'. Niko Kopp plays the wino, and Ray plays the part of the blindman.

EVERGREEN


Evergreen

FILM BY: Ray Manzarek - 'Raymond D. Manczarek'
DATE: xx/xx/1964
LOCATION: UCLA - Los Angeles - CA
COLOR: B&W
LENGTH: 12:13
AUDIO: Yes




Info:

Ray's U.C.L.A. student film from 1964 with Dorothy Fujikawa, and Henry Crismonde (aka Hank Olguin) who allowed The Doors to use his piano and living room for their very first rehearsal in September of 1965. The Whisky A Go-Go is featured in this film, two years before The Doors make their performance debut at the nightclub. This film was officially released on the 'Collection' DVD.

INDUCTION


Induction

FILM BY: Ray Manzarek - 'Raymond D. Manczarek'
DATE: 05/xx/1965
LOCATION: UCLA - Los Angeles - CA
COLOR: B&W
LENGTH: 15:04
AUDIO: Yes




Info:

Ray's second U.C.L.A. film shot during the spring semester in May, 1965. A showing of 'Evergreen' can be seen in this film, as well as Jim Morrison who appears briefly in the party segment. Also featured is the 'Lucky U Cafe', a place where the Doors would later enjoy meals. This film was officially released on the 'Collection' DVD. Click HERE to see a screenshot featuring Jim Morrison's appearance.

WHO AND WHERE I LIVE


Induction

FILM BY: Ray Manzarek - 'Raymond D. Manczarek'
DATE: xx/xx/1965
LOCATION: UCLA - Los Angeles - CA
COLOR: Color
LENGTH: 8:00
AUDIO: Yes




Info:

'Who And Where I Live' is an 8-minute, 8mm color design film by 'Raymond D. Manczarek' featuring Dorothy Fujikawa. At UCLA's Royce Hall, the project was used as a stage film in which The Doors are said to perform a musical 'soundtrack' while the audience watches on. This film has never seen an official release.