The “Godfather of Shock Rock,” ALICE COOPER, who rumor had it, “bit the heads off of live chickens, cut up plastic baby dolls, and wore boa constrictors around his neck, was a parents worst nightmare.
"Super Duper Alice Cooper" breaks down just what was so bad or so good about Alice Cooper. Under all that make up, is a pussy cat. Born in Detroit, MI, Vincent Damon Furnier (Alice Cooper), nearly died when his appendix burst at age 11. Thankfully, he lived, and he learned that life is a miracle. His family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, as they wanted their children to grow up in a healthier environment.
Later, Alice formed a band called “The Spiders,” and they gave L.A. a try. With all of LA’s distractions like “Whiskey a Go-Go,” the bar where “The Doors” used to play, Alice knew the band had to be outrageous. Their music just wasn’t that good, and they needed a gimmick.
With new costumes, and Frank Zappa as a mentor, they kept at it, however, concert promoter, Bill Graham, said they “should either be actors or musicians, but they can’t do both at the same time on stage. This is not theater.”
Alice Cooper left LA with his tail between his legs, however, did not give up. He refused to go back to being Vince, so they tried even more wilder gimmicks until it worked. Fire, blood, vaudeville, panties falling from the ceiling on to the crowd, chickens, dolls, boas, gothic appearances. Nothing was too crazy for them.
This documentary did, however, clear up the whole biting the head off of live chickens thing. It turns out, that Alice didn’t really bite the head off of a live chicken. They threw a live chicken into an audience full of hippies, and when they threw it back on stage, it was dead.
Interviewed live at the Tribeca Film Festival,
THE Alice Cooper shared with me,
“My whole life has been a doc op. ‘Super Duper Alice Cooper’ is a very theatrical documentary. It goes just beyond documentary. It’s as theatrical as the character I play. What shocks ME, Alice Cooper? How anemic rock is right now. There needs to be more rock and roll out there.”
Article by Sharon Abella
One World Cinema
“Super Duper Alice Cooper” is playing tonight,
4/19 at 10:00 pm AMC Loews Village 7
4/20 at 9:30PM, Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea 9-6
