Goofs for
The Doors (1991) More at IMDbPro »

• Factual errors: As with most biopics, some of the events did not occur exactly as they are portrayed in the film, or may have happened at a different time. Some did not take place at all and are included purely for dramatic purposes.
  
  
• Anachronisms: When Morrison is on a window ledge in 1971, a billboard advertising Another 48 Hrs. (1990) can be seen.
  
  
• Anachronisms: The edition of "The Portable Nietzsche" (Viking/Penguin) that Jim Morrison is shown reading out of in the film school project scene is an edition that was first published in 1982, long after Jim Morrison's death.
  
  

• Miscellaneous: Morrison (Val Kilmer)'s journalist friend calls him "Val."
  
  
• Crew or equipment visible: As Morrison follows Pam along the boardwalk, a large group of crew members and a boom pole are visible reflected off a shop window.
  
  
• Crew or equipment visible: During the San Francisco concert sequence, the shadow of the cameraman is clearly visible on Jim's shirt.
  
  
• Crew or equipment visible: During the cemetery sequence in Paris, the Steadicam operator's feet can be seen reflected in the grave of Marcel Proust.
  
  
• Anachronisms: The home movie camera being used by the Doors is a super-8 sound model manufactured in the late-'70s, ten years after the scene took place.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: During the Magazine photo shoot, Jim begins to wander around the studio with the photographer following him, still taking pictures. As she is taking pictures, a flash continues to go off, yet there is no flash on the camera - they are still on the stands on the set.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: In the UCLA film school scene one of the students stand up to leave and the film shines on his back, but there is no alteration to the film being shown on the screen
  
  
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the band is playing "The End" at the Whiskey a Go Go, the drums are not in time.
  
  
• Anachronisms: Jim is in the bar drinking Miller Genuine Draft, which was not available until the late 80s.
  
  
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: At the Miami concert Jim Morrison is seen first with a boom stand for his microphone then they cut to an audience shot. When the camera goes back to Morrison there is no microphone stand. Another audience shot and then when the camera returns, there is the microphone stand again.
  
  
• Factual errors: The Doors New Haven concert was held at the New Haven Arena. In the movie they showed a balcony. The New Haven Arena did not have a balcony. Also the New Haven Arena was a broken down hockey rink that was half empty that night not a sold out beautiful theater like was shown in the film.
  
  
• Factual errors: In the film a female photographer sexily encourages Morrison to take his shirt off, which results in the iconic "Young Lion" photo first seen in the Village Voice, and later used as the cover photo for the Doors 1985 "Best Of" album. The photographer who took this famous shot was actually a man, Joel Brodsky.
  
  
• Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Morrison says "Well we're a sullen group, Ed" without moving his lips. This was done deliberately to allow the audience into Jim Morrison's thoughts for just a moment. He could not say "Well, we're a sullen group, Ed!" directly to Ed Sullivan without being thrown out immediately. Instead, we are allowed to hear him think it, which leads us to the mischief Morrison got up to live on air. Another example of deliberate audio/visual mismatch is when Jim is approached by a groupie at Andy Warhol's party. Replying to "Hey Jim, remember San Francisco?", Jim says "Uh no, not really", without moving his lips. We are allowed to hear him think in his drug addled state.
  
  
• Continuity: In the scene where Jim is in Patricia Kennealy's apartment & he is chasing her, he is wearing a covering from the waist down. When they both fall on the bed and make love, it is instantly gone.
  
  
• Factual errors: Before the scene where Morrison is arrested on stage, the woman he is with says that he attended the University of Florida. In actuality, Jim Morrison attended Florida State University.
  
  
• Anachronisms: The Doors manager tells Jim that he is not going to go through this again with him and lose him at the bottom of a bottle of Southern Comfort like Janis. This is referring to Janis Joplin. The scene takes place in the studio right before a 1969 concert. The next scene after that takes place in spring of 1970. The thing is Janis Joplin did not die until October 4th, 1970.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: While singing Five to One, Val Kilmer's beard begins peeling off the right side of his face. It's clearly visible on the closeup shot.
  
  
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: "The End" is shown being performed using two small organs but the recording used in the film used a Hammond B-3 organ.
  
  

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