At 40, The Doors break on through -- again

In 1979, eight years after the death of the Doors' magnetic frontman Jim Morrison, the band's song"The End" seared the psyche of moviegoers during the opening scene of Francis Ford Coppola's landmark Vietnam epic,"Apocalypse Now."

Then in 1991, Oliver Stone's Doors biopic relit the fire of interest in the band, recalls manager Jeff Jampol, commenting on the Doors' enduring and cyclical popularity.

Now, the band's surviving members -- keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore -- are preparing to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their 1967 self-titled debut album with a wealth of activities to spark interest in the band among a new generation.

On tap: a new boxed set, the band's first authorized biography and a push into areas ranging from ringtones to a theatrical production in Las Vegas that will feature the group's music.