[3] It also includes the first public release of material from Morrison's 1969 featurette HWY: An American Pastoral.

"[4][5] When the film entered production, the surviving members of the band decided not to be too involved in the project to try to obtain the right neutral balance that an outsider would try to achieve.

[7] It received somewhat favorable reviews from that showing, but the narration (by director DiCillo) was singled out by most viewers as very seriously flawed for its monotonous delivery.

The consensus notes: "It's far from a critical assessment of the band's music or its legacy, but When You're Strange gives fans a beautifully filmed, lovingly assembled tribute to the Doors.

[15] Doors guitarist Robby Krieger felt "really happy" about how the film turned out, crediting in particular the editing work.

[16] The film was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Series following its airing on American Masters on PBS.