6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Billed as "The film that out-grosses them all"... this movie which combines footage from the band's 1973 Billion Dollar Babies concert tour, with what might charitably be described as a storyline, had a brief theatrical run in the mid-'70s.
Starring: Alice Cooper, Dennis Dunaway, Michael Bruce (I), Neal Smith, Glen BuxtonMusic | 100% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM 2.0
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Even if they went to the moon, I would chase them to the moon.
To say that Alice Cooper is an untraditional entertainer would be a drastic understatement, so it only seems fitting that an Alice Cooper "feature film"
is no different. Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper is a film centered around concert footage of Cooper's 1973 Billion Dollar Babies
Tour, intercut with a loosely-structured plot featuring a crazed German director tracking Cooper and his band, presumably across the country,
seeking
revenge for their failure to fulfill contractual obligations to his movie and costing him his shot at directorial stardom. The plot barely makes sense
and
the dialogue and acting are just this side of atrocious, but it works, oddly enough, as a means of doing something unique with an otherwise
entertaining
but structurally generic concert. The side story actually supersedes the concert footage as the film's highlight, not in terms of energy but rather for
the novelty and train
wreck-like attraction it engenders, despite all of the whacky trademark Cooper oddities that are present and accounted for in the concert proper.
Originally conceived as a film featuring Cooper on trial for being "the Rock 'N' Roll Scourge of America" that was ultimately replaced with the German
director storyline, Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper enjoyed but a brief theatrical run in 1974, first with the storyline footage removed
altogether, and then several years later in what is now the final version. Released on home video for the first time ever in 2005 and now, five years
later, on Blu-ray, this sensationally ridiculous but undeniably appealing low-rent film/concert hybrid is a must-see for both the insanity of Cooper's
live performances and the hilarity of the no-budget film randomly inserted in between concert footage.
It wasn't that bad, Alice!
Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper features a rough but serviceable 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. Sourced from the original 16mm elements, Shout! Factory has done a commendable job in bringing this cinematic oddity to Blu-ray. The results are rarely stellar in terms of sheer eye candy, but this transfer handles the original source material -- which includes lessened details and poor colors -- well enough. Fine detail rarely proves eye-catching, and only close-up shots reveal much in the way of texturing on skin or clothing. Colors appear faded and worn, notably during the "film" segments; the concert footage is so dark that rarely is anything outside of the brightest splashes of color -- for instance the American flag seen at film's end -- even all that noticeable. The blacks are so overwhelming during the concert segments that all but the best-lit details vanish, leaving much of the screen covered in globs of impenetrable darkness. Additionally, there are some heavily jagged edges in some visible background objects during the concert scenes, making some musicians look like chunky digitized blocks rather than smooth and natural human beings. The film elements suffer from some heavy pops and scratches throughout, not to mention one spot where a giant green blob briefly covers about a third of the screen. Additionally, heavy grain coats the screen from beginning to end. The image isn't overly sharp, but it never gets excessively fuzzy or soft, either. This is by no means a handsome and slick high definition presentation, but given the 16mm elements and the history of the film, it's hard to be disappointed with the end results. If nothing else, the transfer's rugged and tattered appearance gives the film a handsome throwback character that can't be found on newer, cleaner films.
Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper delivers a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that, like the video presentation, is decidedly rough around the edges but certainly beyond adequate given the conditions surrounding the film. The track lacks much in the way of absolute clarity; even the lossless presentation can't magically make everything sound like it was recorded yesterday, but fans should enjoy the somewhat more vintage presentation. Audible hissing is heard throughout the movie, but it never drowns out any of the music, dialogue, or sound effects. The film segments feature virtually nothing in the way of atmosphere. The track is pretty much focused up front and around the center speaker, with adequately clean and accurate dialogue the primary element. What sound effects there are -- such as a bulldozer smashing a stage a few minutes into the film -- play as crunchy and indistinct. The concert footage is, commendably, the best part of the track. There's an unmistakable energy at work, and even if the track is absent that pinpoint clarity, spaciousness, and seamlessness of the best modern tracks, it never really disappoints. Music flows freely and accurately through the front channels, with crowd noise seeming to come primarily from the rears. There is a fair bit of bass in the track, but nothing that's going to challenge the subwoofer. In short, the film elements play as passable bland and the concert footage sounds exponentially better, and neither are a match for today's spacious and realistic presentations. There's no shortage of energy and excitement in this track, but it definitely shows its age.
Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper contains a few extras, highlighted by an audio commentary track with Alice Cooper. Sadly, Cooper's commentary has a patchwork feel; he occasionally has something interesting to say and he comes off as an intelligent individual, but he generally offers little more than a few brief words of little substance here and there, surrounded by plenty of empty space. The track really needs a second voice to fill in the gaps -- even if it was in the form of someone recorded separately and spliced in between Cooper's thoughts -- to make it a track that's more worthy of the listener's time. As it is, only diehard Alice Cooper fans will probably want to give this one a listen. Unfinished Sweet (Uncensored Edit) (480p, 3:57) is included, an uncut performance of one of the songs. Also included is the film's trailer (480p, 3:15), text-based band member biographies, a poster art gallery (480p, 2:57), and a deleted scene (480p, 2:00). The disc also allows viewers the opportunity to view the concert footage free of the added side story. In this mode, the film runs 59:35. Inside the case is a small booklet that offers a brief history of the film and chapter listings.
Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper would probably run away with the award for "oddest Blu-ray release of the year" if such a thing existed, and the movie itself would have to at least be in the running for recognition as one of the strangest films ever made. Made up of Alice Cooper concert footage -- normal enough, with "normal" being a relative term when talking about Cooper -- and supported by several barely-coherent vignettes about a crazy German director lamenting his failed efforts to track down the "Cooper Gang" after ruining his movie, Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper falls into the "so awful it's good" category. Combining terrible film footage with Cooper's over-the-top antics makes for one of the most unusual films ever made, and it's a must-see for anyone who loves fringe cinema and/or Alice Cooper. Shout! Factory has granted this film a few extras and provided a good technical presentation when taking into account the film's age, budget, and state of the elements. Recommended.
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