|
SUPER DUPER ALICE COOPER (2014). Another winner from Banger films-their METAL;A HEADBANGERS JOURNEY and BEYOND THE LIGHTED STAGE (about Rush) are also recommended. This focuses on the singer/performer Alice Cooper AKA Vincent Furnier from his early bands to mega stardom with The Alice Cooper Group. Afterwards, his solo career and while doing well initially and finding enduring love (wife Sheryl who is still with him and performs in the show), his addictions begin to take hold and threaten more than his career-it's a miracle He didn't pass away. I knew about the alcoholism, but it's revealed for the first time that He was also addicted to Crack cocaine-News followed slower in the early 80's and I remember being shocked at how cadaverous He looked while appearing on THE TOMORROW SHOW. He managed to recover and return to performing in 1986, where the film ends. And while I thought it was odd to leave it at that point, it's explained it had been eighteen years since Vince "became" Alice Cooper and it ties in to the lyrics of their first big hit called "I'm Eighteen". Also showing how the man has learned to live peacefully with the stage character.
Lots of good music clips and audio, what makes Me enjoy SDAC more is there are no "Talking Heads", ie, no present day person sitting and talking about past events. Use of photos with the VoiceOver as well as clips from THE CABINET OF DR CALIGARI and the 1920 DR JECKYLL AND MR HYDE, which sort of make sense. Also, someone OTHER than Alice alone talks about the earlier days with thoughtful insight from Drummer Neal Smith and bassist Dennis Dunaway as well as other important people throughout the story.
And while I've enjoyed much of Alice's solo work (and also wondered what He was thinking on some of them) and He's been good every concert performance over the last 35 years or so (Eight times), it has to be stated that He will NEVER top the music He made with the group and while He seems to get along with them and praise their musical chops, He seems to often imply that He and He alone thought of the majority of their ideas. I'm also not happy that original Lead Guitarist Glen Buxton's 1997 is not included in the film's wrap-up and even more pissed off that R guitar/Keyboard Michael Bruce is not mentioned ONCE throughout the whole film-if You look at the credits on the albums, MB had quite the hand in almost all their songs. I know He and Alice have had differences , but "It was difficult to find him" just doesn't wash.
So while I'm not 100% happy with SDAC, I still quite enjoy it and think even a non-fan might be compelled to check it out. ****
|