Paul Ferrara

[J.B.Marx]

Vince, Paul Ferrara put a movie on his own website. It are snippits of Jim's film "HWY" with the music of BB King's "The Thrill Is Gone". Now in the beginning of the movie there's some text which mentions the state Jim's in around "the Miami period". At the end of the movie, Paul says Jim died of an heroin overdose.
Now we all know, that we don't know for sure how Jim died. Could Paul know this for a fact? If so, I don't think the Doors will be very glad by this statement.
The movie can be seen here: http://www.paulferrara.net.
Please your comment about this.

Thanks.

[vince]

Interesting about the clips. I wonder where he got them. I saw Feast of Friends. I did not remember how bad the camera work was on that movie. Frank must have had a horrible time trying to get usable fottage out of it.

The film shot by Ferrara was paid for, entirely by the Doors office and Ferrara had no right ot have clips. He was hanging on to Jim for all it was worth. He also sued the Doors for additional payments after the shooting of the film. Can you imagine the waste of film when the thousands of feet of film shot suring the summer of 1968 could produce only 30 minutes of finished film.

Everyone knows that Jim was not in a good metal position following his arrest and the many conferences with Max Fink. My testamony could have prevented that conviction but Max FInk decided not to enter that little bit of information. Jim feared prison and the conviction was greatly unsettling. So was the reaction of the group after the 22 paerformance tour was cancelled. It is likely that the guys were really angry as a result of the instant bad press that the Miami event brought about - not to mention no air time and no resod sales. Everything stopped two days after the news hit the streets.

If nothing else, Jim knew he had way overstepped the acceptable bounds but would never admit it.

[cutis]

Vince, Paul Ferrara put a movie on his own website. It are snippits of Jim's film "HWY" with the music of BB King's "The Thrill Is Gone". Now in the beginning of the movie there's some text which mentions the state Jim's in around "the Miami period". At the end of the movie, Paul says Jim died of an heroin overdose.
Now we all know, that we don't know for sure how Jim died. Could Paul know this for a fact? If so, I don't think the Doors will be very glad by this statement.
The movie can be seen here: http://www.paulferrara.net.
Please your comment about this.

Thanks.

The only people that know for a "fact" how Jim died was either Pam or the people who found Jim slumped in a bathroom stall at a seedy nightclub from an overdose of smack. It's up to you whether you believe the latter or not.

[vince]

Consider:

Jim would try anything at least once.
Jim was in the company of a heroine addict for several years.
Jim was buying heroine
Jim was 27 years old. Aside from being fat, was otherwise in fairly good health
Jim had spoken about returning to Los Angeles
Many people scatted when news of his death got out. All these were users or suppliers.
I agree, and have done so for a long time, that Jim died of an OD. Where was up for grabs - the Night club toilet is a new bit of news but likely there as anywhere

Remember that this would not be the first time that Jim OD'd.

1 - There was the acid incident that got them fired from the Whiskey
2 - The Alcohol/hash OD in Amsterdam - Had he not gone to hospital he might well have died that night.
3 - The excessive drinking at LA-Miami flight and more in dressing room
4 - At least one occasion where he was so drunk he could not function at a recording session.
5 - The extent of intoxication in New Orleans lead to being unable to perform.
6 - Excessive use of Cocain in recording sessions.

Jim was no stranger to excess. The heroin is just one more step along the path.

[Porsche]

Not that it's worth much, but I've always thought the heroin explanation fit best with the facts we have about Jim's death. I'm not sure I buy all the seedy stories that started circulating decades after his death, but the simple fact that he either mistakenly or intentionally used heroin the night he died makes the most sense. I find the asthma explanation a bit hard to believe given Jim's track record with drugs and alcohol (Re: Vince's previous posts).

It's obvious from that video that Ferrara has a copy of HWY and, by the looks of those clips, a very good copy indeed. The copy that's circulating is a workprint copy so it's always going to be inferior. Even my 3rd gen isn't as clean as Ferrara's copy which must be from a master print (no timecode!).

HWY may not be the best film ever made, but they should really get serious about making DVD releases of both HWY and Feast Of Friends with ample bonus material. Asking too much?

[J.B.Marx]

It's not that it sound strange to me. I only wonder if Paul could have heard this of any member of The Doors, Pam, Bill?
If that is the case, there will be a whole "new" truth.
If Paul is only guessing, don't you think The Doors will try to shut him up?

[TheDoorsMusic]

HWY may not be the best film ever made, but they should really get serious about making DVD releases of both HWY and Feast Of Friends with ample bonus material.

Well said. I agree!

[vince]

Two points.

A work print is made from camera original. There is only one made since it is the print that is used to make up the preferred cuts of the film. The pieces cut from the work print are sp;iced together and the edge code noted. When a satisfactory "Cut" has been achieved that original film is cut and splices. From this, projections prints, using appropriate type of film, is made.

There is only one work print made and it is not suitable for making copies. The splices will show. The contrast is not suitable to make a release print from.

If Paul has a clear copy it has to be a projection print. HE may have received it as a result of his settlement with the Doors for his work. He may have gotten a copy from Frank when the projection prints were struck. In any case, it would not be a work print which, though Frank was scrupulously clean, neat and careful in handling the film, would have ,inor scuff and scratched in it from the editing machins.

Second - Paul has not introduced anything new. I mentioned this in one of my posts some time ago. It has been mentnoned several times by other people. The concept of OD was rampant right from the start but was squashed by the Doors press agent to get away from the sensationalism of other Rock Stars that went the same way.

The revelation that he may have died in the toilet of a restaurant is new. The original thoughts were that he dies in the tub.

The proof would be photos taken at the scene showing water in the tub. No one carrying his from the restaurant would stop to fill the tub. It is unlikely that Pam, had the sense to do it. Alan was one of the first on the scene - he would have one answer.

As far as hushing anything up - That time is long past. The Doors themselves have no advanced knowledge. Bill is the only one to go there and he arrived just in time for the burial. Things has been all cleaned up at that point.

The how is less a question than Where.

[Hamlet]

Everyone knows that Jim was not in a good metal position following his arrest and the many conferences with Max Fink. My testamony could have prevented that conviction but Max FInk decided not to enter that little bit of information.

Hi Vince, what could you have said in court, that hadn´t already been
stated, since Max Fink didn´t use it.

And were you ever questioned by him or the Miami police?

[cutis]

Everyone knows that Jim was not in a good metal position following his arrest and the many conferences with Max Fink. My testamony could have prevented that conviction but Max FInk decided not to enter that little bit of information.

Hi Vince, what could you have said in court, that hadn´t already been
stated, since Max Fink didn´t use it.

Didn't Vince actually PREVENT Jim from showing the ivory shaft in the first place? It's spelled out that way in NOHGOA...sounds like Vince's testimony could only have helped Jim's case. Again, stupid move by Max not to have Vince testify.....

[vince]

There are several points that Max brought out
No photos showing anything, No witness who could say that they saw anything. Even the police could not testify.

All these were telling points

What Max did not say Because of rulings by the Judge and for some as yet unknown reason

Community standards - a very weak arguement considering the location and reaction of the public

The fact that someone held Jim's pants up. Both the position and manner of this elevation would have prevented Jim from reaching in to pull it out over the top unless he was a rhinocerous.

I was never questioned by the Miami police. Perhaps they did not know what I had done. Ray did not shout when he told me "....don't let him take his pants down".

I did talk to Max Dink and I did go over the story in detail, beginning with out arrival, the threats of the promotors and the problems on and with the stage ending with the promotor pushing Jim off stage.

Not one word of it was ever introduced into the trial. I was not asked to go to Miami, not even if I would go.

Funny, now that I think of it. I got connected to the Doors when I called Bill after the December crisis is New Haven. With 4 of my friends, we stood in the passage at the back of the New Haven stage and watch the cops beat on Jim. That was my first lesson in police brutality. I told Bill we would be willing to testify to the rather interesting event. The Doors Managerments (Sal and Asher) did not persue the possibility of retaliation against the police. It seems like Miami was the same situation.

[The Royal Sperm]

i just saw the video, and the quality is great!

[vince]

That would have to be a first generation projection print. If it was a copy of a print or copy from the work print it would be neither clear nor clean.

[Porsche]

That would have to be a first generation projection print. If it was a copy of a print or copy from the work print it would be neither clear nor clean.

Yes, the copies of HWY in circulation among fans all come from a workprint copy or at least a version of the film with a running timecode on the screen. As you said and I mentioned in my original post, Paul's version must be from a finished print since the quality is superior. Now just imagine what a cleaned-up 35mm print on DVD would look like!

From what I understand, even The Doors only have a copy of HWY with a running timecode on it. (At least that's what Danny Sugerman told me in 2000.) The video made for "The Ghost Song" uses cropped footage in black and white to mask this fact. If they did get permission to use the footage in the video, why didn't they get a better print from Frank or Paul? Perhaps something in color? Weird scenes inside the goldmine that is The Doors archives...

It's a real shame they didn't get you involved with the trial, Vince. But it seems like that whole trial was poorly handled and one-sided from the start. It was a classic witch hunt and given the political climate in Florida -- even today -- I can't say I'm surprised by the verdict. Hopefully a pardon will come before too long. It won't give Jim or The Doors back those missed tour dates and missed opportunities, but it's the least the state can do.

[J.B.Marx]

That would have to be a first generation projection print. If it was a copy of a print or copy from the work print it would be neither clear nor clean.

Yes, the copies of HWY in circulation among fans all come from a workprint copy or at least a version of the film with a running timecode on the screen. As you said and I mentioned in my original post, Paul's version must be from a finished print since the quality is superior. Now just imagine what a cleaned-up 35mm print on DVD would look like!

From what I understand, even The Doors only have a copy of HWY with a running timecode on it. (At least that's what Danny Sugerman told me in 2000.) The video made for "The Ghost Song" uses cropped footage in black and white to mask this fact. If they did get permission to use the footage in the video, why didn't they get a better print from Frank or Paul? Perhaps something in color? Weird scenes inside the goldmine that is The Doors archives...

It's a real shame they didn't get you involved with the trial, Vince. But it seems like that whole trial was poorly handled and one-sided from the start. It was a classic witch hunt and given the political climate in Florida -- even today -- I can't say I'm surprised by the verdict. Hopefully a pardon will come before too long. It won't give Jim or The Doors back those missed tour dates and missed opportunities, but it's the least the state can do.

Well spoken.

[vince]

Guys:

I will try to assist with dient of a "Code" on motion picture film.

There is no "Time code" on either camera original or on the work print. The camera has no way to put a code on the film. So how do we find out where to cut the film.

Along the edge of the original film there are markings every 20 frames (If I remember correctly). these are put on the film when it is made. That number - which is more s length code than anything else, is progressive along the edge of every piece of film from a specific batch.

When the film has been exposed and is then processed this number shows up. Then, a work print is made and the numbers along the camera original is printed on the work print. The work print and the camera original are both marked with subject and, based on the work print, the starting and ending edge code.

The Editor finds a shot he wants to use. He cuts the work print at the beginning point and marks in a log book the edge number following by a second number indicating the exact frame.

EXAMPLE - I want a shot and the frist code I come to is ECO4844. The shot starts 7 frames after that edge number so I mark my log

with the roll number, let's say #17 - 4844+7. That is the beginning. The shot extends to 3 frames before number 4981. I mark my log 4981-3

I then take this section of work print and but splice it to the previous shot with special tape that has sprocket holes in it. The beginning and training edge of the tape will show on the work print as it runs through the editing machine.

When I am making the printing roll, the edges of the film are glued together on the little blank space between the frames. That joint will not show in the projection print.

And, the edge numbers are not printed on the side of the projection print.
You might asl why - Because that is where the sound track goes.

The projection master is printed twwice - once for the picture and the second time for the sound track along the wide side of the projection print. That side has no psprockets to make room for the sound track.

Pretty clever - huh???

So if you see a print that shows numbers slong the edge. these numbers will change every time the shot changes. Because the film in the shot is not sequential from the camera or from the work print made from the camera original.

Now - take a good look at the film clips and see what is there. If it IS sequential, then is has been transferred to video and you are looking at a real time code ont he video tape copy of the master printing roll, Camera original or a copy of the printing roll.

As for High2way - Likely Jim might have given Paul a projection copy. Paul had it transferred to video and the video is a working - editing print - with a time code to make editing easy.

The time code on a video is the same as the footage number on film. It helps the editor to locate the exact location he wants to start and stop.
ANything with minutes & Seconds is video. Anything with numbers that jump with each change in shot is from film.

By the way, printing rolls come in pairs - A roll and B roll. There can also be other rolls that carry special effents, shadows, ghosts, fire and such. Those are lettered in order of importance C, D, and so on. They all have a starting point and that 10 second count down strip = to 240 frames. Then a 2' black strip and then the first frames of the picture.

Just for the record, from 1973 to 1982 I did a lot of motion picture work. Mostly camera, but sound, Camera assistant, and editing. I am passing my learning along. It is all obsolete in these days of video.