Just what is it about The Doors that inspires such fascination and passion? It has to be more than their poster-boy lead singer Jim Morrison and the handful of memorable songs that have stayed lodged in pop culture consciousness. Of course Morrison's death at the age of 27 of a drug overdose seemed to symbolise the downward turn that the optimism of the sixties was starting to take, much as the death of Jimi Hendrix had less than a year earlier, also at the age of 27. For some they epitomised the music and experimentation and rebellion of the sixties, and in an age where the corporate world holds sway, mainstream music has become faceless and generic and British politics have taken a sharp step to the money-grabbing right, it's easy to see why they influence continues to fondly linger.

Morrison's story made its way onto film via Oliver Stone's uneven and indulgent 1991 biographical feature The Doors, which band keyboard player Ray Manzarek described as a horrible account of the band's history, despite general approval of Val Kilmer's performance. One would hope he'd me more approving of When You're Strange, a documentary portrait of the band directed by Tom DiCillo, he of Johnny Suede and Living in Oblivion and narrated by Johnny Depp, whom Manzarek once claimed had "beatnik blood."

Using footage shot between 1966 and 1971, DiCillo presents the band and 1960s America in a fascinating and insightful way. With a narration written by DiCillo and delivered by Depp, the film opens a window into the band's world of fame, drugs and alcohol but always returns to their fierce commitment to their music. Though Jim Morrison's struggles and excesses shape the film, this is the story of Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore; musicians whose insistence on artistic freedom and refusal to compromise inspired generations.

When You're Strange will be released on UK DVD and Blu-ray on 30th August 2010 by Universal Indi Vision at the RRP of £17.99 for the DVD, £22.99 for the Blu-ray. Not extra features have been listed as yet.