Movie review – Alice Cooper: ‘Super Duper Alice Cooper’
ALICE COOPER
SUPER DUPER ALICE COOPER
Released on April 17, 2014 (Banger Films, Entertainment One, Eagle Rock Entertainment, The Movie Network and Movie Central)
Review:
If you’re familiar with Alice Cooper, you’ll know that Alice Cooper started as a band rather than a solo performer. To be able to take a band and morph it into a solo act while using the same name has probably never happened again and never will again. That alone makes Super Duper Alice Cooper a must watch for any rock and roll fan and definitely for any Alice Cooper fan.
What I really like about Super Duper Alice Cooper is that I learned a lot about Alice Cooper that I wasn’t aware of, and it was fun, intriguing albeit sad being taken through Alice‘s darker periods in life. The documentary is also a great commercial for how alcoholism, addictions, etc. will destroy someone over and over again. The fact that former Alice Cooper members are narrating the story alongside the man himself really adds to the documentary and provides that extra layer and different perspective to make the film so compelling. Just think how even cooler the Kissology series would have been if Vinnie Vincent had provided commentary on those during the critical time that he was in KISS. The story of Alice Cooper is a combination of amazing triumphs including some of the most memorable songs of all time alongside disastrous failures with his addictions ruining years of his life.
What I don’t like about Super Duper Alice Cooper is the lack of real life video footage until Alice Cooper hits it big. It is totally understandable since Alice Cooper and company certainly would not have thought to film their humble beginnings and most likely did not have the funds to do so given that it must have been very expensive back in those days. It’s not like everyone had a video camera back then like it is now with cellular phones. Accordingly, the start of Super Duper Alice Cooper is not that visually compelling for a good portion of the documentary but the story of Alice Cooper is interesting and compelling enough to sit through and look at sometimes rather boring photos or images that were found to fit the story. It was also a bit disappointing to have Super Duper Alice Cooper pretty much stop after Alice Cooper pulled off his comeback in 1986. Didn’t anything interesting happen in the next 25 years? Or perhaps this will be saved for Super Duper Alice Cooper part two although this is doubtful with Alice having forged a steady and consistent but not as “eventful” career ever since his comeback in 1986.
Despite the lack of real life video footage available for a good portion of the film, Super Duper Alice Cooper is an entertaining, informative and interesting look into Alice Cooper as a band, and later as the man himself. The special features are also fun to watch and shows that a lot of good stuff was edited out or cut from the film. You’ll also find out where the title Super Duper Alice Cooper likely came from. Overall, Super Duper Alice Cooper is a good film, which is not surprising given that the man who gave us the amazing Metal Evolution series — Sam Dunn — is at the helm.
Starring:
Alice Cooper
Shep Gordon
Dennis Dunaway
Ella Furnier
Sheryl Cooper
Bob Ezrin
Neal Smith
Bernie Taupin
Featuring:
Iggy Pop
Elton John
John Lydon
Dee Snider
Production:
Produced by Scott McFadyen and Sam Dunn
Written and directed by Reginald Harkema, Scott McFadyen and Sam Dunn
Executive producers: Shep Gordon, Geoff Kempin, Terry Shand, David Reckziegel, Noah Segal and Reginald Harkema
Art director: Derek Tokar
Edited by Alex Shuper and Reginald Harkema
Associate producer: Lana Belle Mauro
Visual effects by Derek Tokar, Alexey Terehoff, Chris Moberg, Mike Sevigny and Jaan Silmberg
Music supervision by Amy Fritz and Erin Hunt
Visual research and clearances by Cindy Wolfe and Emma Kehayas
Band Websites:
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter
Reviewed by Olivier for Sleaze Roxx, December 2015
Super Duper Alice Cooper – Trailer
Super Duper Alice Cooper – TrailerAvailable ow: DVD:http://smarturl.it/ACooperSuperDVD Blu-Ray:http://smarturl.it/ACooperSuperBlu Deluxe:http://smarturl.it/A…