The Doors (film) - Plot

Plot

The film opens during the recording of Morrison's An American Prayer and quickly moves to a childhood memory of his family driving along a desert highway. Young Jim sees an elderly native American dying by the roadside. The film picks up with Morrison's arrival in California and his assimilation into the Venice Beach culture, followed by his film school days studying at UCLA; his introduction to his girlfriend Pamela Courson, his first encounters with Ray Manzarek, and the origin of The Doors: Morrison, Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore.

Morrison convinces his bandmates to travel to Death Valley and experience the effects of psychedelic drugs. Returning to Los Angeles, they play several shows at the famous Whisky a Go Go club and develop a rabid fanbase. Morrison's onstage antics and occasionally improvised lyrics raise the ire of club owners; however, the band's popularity continues to expand.

As The Doors become hugely successful, Morrison becomes increasingly infatuated with his own image as "The Lizard King" and degenerates into alcoholism and drug addiction. As he sinks deeper into an alcoholic haze he begins having several affairs, particularly mystical sexual encounters with Patricia Kennealy, a rock journalist involved in witchcraft. The rest of the band grows weary of Morrison's missed recording sessions and absences at concerts. Morrison is depicted arriving late to a Miami, Florida concert, becoming increasingly confrontational towards the audience and exposing himself onstage. The incident is a low point for the band, resulting in resentment from the other band members and Morrison's trial for indecent exposure.

In 1971, Courson finds Jim Morrison dead in a bathtub in Paris, France, at the age of 27. Pamela Courson similarly dies three years later of a drug overdose, also at the age of 27. The final scenes of the film before the credits roll are of Morrison's grave site in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris while A Feast of Friends(a spoken word piece by Morrison that features music by the rest of the Doors playing in the background), plays in the background. Just before the credits, the screen whites out and text appears saying "Jim Morrison is said to have died of heart failure. He was 27. Pam joined him three years later."

During the credits, the band is shown recording the song "L.A. Woman" in the studio.