This writer would certainly rather watch something or read about the history of The Doors than actually listen to them, the band’s history, and particularly that of charismatic front-man Jim Morrison providing enough material for Oliver Stone to make his 1991 biopic, “The Doors” (even if it’s a rather lesser entry in the director’s ouevre). Two decades on, it seems that another Morrison-centered project may be heading to the big screen, one that actually comes from one of his bandmates, no less, and one taking a more fantastical look at the musician.
“The Poet In Exile,” was a 2002 novel by Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek, which imagines that Morrison had actually faked his 1971 death to disappear to the Seychelles, and then 30 years later, reunites with Manzarek for a rock’n’roll reunion. Now, it appears that the book is heading to the big screen, with the musician setting up the project at Clubhouse Entertainment, the shingle of horror director Tim Sullivan (“2001 Maniacs,” “Chillerama“), who will direct, and co-write with editor Gavin Heffernan and poet Liz Sullivan.
Manzarek himself will produce and score the film, but is unlikely to make anything more than a cameo, saying that “I don’t know that acting is my forte.” It also sounds pretty low-rent and self-indulgent, but maybe this is something that could turn out as pleasantly surprising. The plan is to shoot the film next year, so assuming everything comes off, we should see this starting to emerge some time in 2013. [Variety]