Showing posts with label alice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alice. Show all posts

Friday, February 1, 2013

Alice Cooper - Special Edition EP (1971) Review

Alice Cooper - Special Edition EP (1971)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This DVD features live performances from the original Alice Cooper BAND in a television studio. Unfortunately there is no live audience to interact with, just cameras. So that dynamic is missing. This band was good at getting a reaction from live audiences. The original band is Glen Buxton-guitar, Michael Bruce-organ-guitar-vocals, Neal Smith-20 piece drum kit, Dennis Dunaway-bass and vocals and Alice on lead vocals. This is the band that Alice rose to notoriety with. If you have the Prime Cuts video you've seen this version of 18 already although this version has the complete song in it with a dramatic organ intro from Mike Bruce at the beginning. The Under My Wheels song is a different version than the one on Prime Cuts and has Alice with the old Spider eyes make up. One can see how Alice and Bob Ezrin felt the band was limited musically, primarily because of Glen. He tended to doodle on leads. This is why on the albums Ezrin brought Rick Derringer to play on Under My Wheels and Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter on later albums. Live, Glen was left on his own until he could no longer function onstage. Glen did start to develop more and the School's Out period was his peak of musical accomplishment and Public Aninal # 9 rocks with dynamic changes and creative use of guitar feedback. After the School's Out period, Glen began to fall. The band added Mick Mashbir on guitar and Bob Dolin on keys to the live show and really advanced musically although they still kept Glen. This band was really young when they made it. Would have been nice to see how they could have matured like Aerosmith did. This appears to be all there is of the original band. The Good To See You Again Alice Cooper movie of the Billion Dollar Babies show, the largest rock and roll show and tour in the history of rock n' roll at this point was botched by the film crew. The lighting was very poor and does not give an accurate view of the band and the stage. It's too dark. An ABC In Concert performance of the School's Out show is also no where to be found except on horrible bootleg copies. This video is a history lesson if nothing else. The original band was one of the coolest bands I've ever seen. Mike, Neal, Dennis were always unique and capable musicians who really knew how to put James Bond type theme music into rock n' roll and within a certain range Glen was good. No drummer can play Halo Of Flies or Billion Dollar Babies like Neal Smith. When Alice performs the old songs with new musicians, it always seems so sterile and antiseptic, something is missing for me. Alice should do a reunion album and tour with Mike, Neal, Dennis, maybe Mick Mashbir or other good guitar player and a keyboard player and Bob Ezrin. Public Animal # 9 rocks the best on this DVD. It kicks. ***NOTE*** This DVD has only 3 songs on it: 18, Under My Wheels and Public Animal # 9.***

Click Here to see more reviews about: Alice Cooper - Special Edition EP (1971)

Alice Cooper, the king of shock rock, is an innovative showman - one of the most bizarre and entertaining rock attractions of all time. The inspiration and flamboyance of Alice Cooper did more than forever alter the face of rock 'n' roll as we now know it. He virtually invented rock as theatre, created new fashion trends, sparked a new sexual revolution, established higher standards for teenage decadence, and found time on top of all this to write and record a library of classic rock 'n' roll albums. This DVD EP captures Alice Cooper performing live at the peak of his career. The collection also features one of highlight tracks 'Public Animal #9' from the 1972 album 'School's Out' which catapulted Alice Cooper further into stardom.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Alice Cooper - Special Edition EP (1971)

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Alice (Television Favorites Compilation) (1976) Review

Alice (Television Favorites Compilation) (1976)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I totally agree that this should be a season set instead of a Best Of. But I post at Sitcoms Online, where the voting for the episodes for the disc took place, and apparently Warner Bros. is unsure if season sets of Alice would sell well or not. So they decided to test the waters by releasing a TV Favorites collection with 6 episodes. If it meets their expectations, they will for certain release seaon sets, but if it doesn't sell well then there is basically no chance.
I understand it's absolutely ridiculous for us to have to buy a Best Of release in order to get season sets, but doing so for Alice would be worth it. That's why I encourage ALL Alice fans to please buy this DVD and not boycott it because it's only a Best of release. This DVD can make or break it's chance for season sets. We have to make this disc a success.
The episodes on the disc are as follows:
08/31/76
Alice Gets a Pass
Alice falls for an ex-football player, who is now an actor.
02/26/77
The Odd Couple
Flo's trailer is stolen, and Alice has the heart to let her stay at her house for a spell. The spell is broken when Alice finds out that Flo is an all-out slob and have unwelcomed visitors (Flo's latest boyfriend, not roaches).
01/22/78
Close Encounters of the Worst Kind
Hostility rages at Mel's after the workers decide to vent their petty grievances.
10/22/78
Block Those Kicks
The diner personnel try to kick their bad habits.
12/02/79
Cabin Fever
Mel, his girlfriend and the waitresses spend the weekend packed like sardines in a fishing cabin.
02/24/80
Flo's Farewell
A wealthy Houston restaurateur offers Flo a job she finds hard to refuse.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Alice (Television Favorites Compilation) (1976)

On her way out to Hollywood to become a singer, Alice's car breaks down in Phoenix. With no money and a son to care for, Alice takes a waitress job at Mel's Diner. Here she works with the ornery owner and chef, Mel, the man-hungry whipper-snapper, Flo, and the ditzy Vera. Together they encounter the lovable regulars and other interesting characters passing through. Based on the Oscar-winning movie "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," this classic television series lasted nine seasons and touched the hearts of all with its witty

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Alice (Television Favorites Compilation) (1976)

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Alice Upside Down (2007) Review

Alice Upside Down (2007)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a movie about a girl who has to start life over again in a new town just as she enters the most awkward time of life -- middle school. Her mother passed away when she was five and she doesn't have any maternal role models.
The cast has a lot of potential to put together an outstanding movie. I have watched Alyison Stoner grow up on Disney as "Mike's spunky (and smarter) sister" on the quickie "Mike's Supershort Show". She has developed into a fine young actress and obviously has a lot of talent in terms of acting, singing and even dancing. Lucas Grabeel of High School Musical fame is given a better opportunity to be a likable character and show his talent.
In a way, this movie reminds me of a tragic version High School Drama Queen with Lindsey Lohan. You watch as everything goes wrong for Alice and after awhile, you just wish SOMETHING would go right... And if the stuff that went wrong was somewhat funny, it would be easier to take. But very little of it is funny... just sad.
It tries to involve too many themes and does none of them justice. You find yourself feeling like you came in in the middle and missed critical pieces. Like what happened to her mom? Who is the lady they left behind in Chicago and why does the dad want to get away from her when she clearly was a help to Alice? Lucas' character gets caught dating 2 girls at the same time but we didn't even realize that he was dating one of them so that scene just seemed out of place. The dad starts dating an old high school friend but once again, that never gets fully fleshed out and doesn't really seem to be relevant.
Despite the shortcomings, I would still recommend the movie -- particularly if you have a tween-ager. I started watching this movie with my son who just started sixth grade today and his experience was pretty similar to Alice's. Kids won't be bothered by the continuity stuff but they will be able to relate to the awkwardness and the feeling that nothing ever goes their way. And, in the end, Alice does finally find her way so the movie ends on a high-note.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Alice Upside Down (2007)

Still mourning the death of her mother a few years back, Alice McKinley finds her life seriously disrupted when her father Ben buys a store and moves her and her older brother Lester to a new town. In the painful throes of adolescence, Alice has a rough time adjusting to her new school, especially after she gets the stern Mrs. Plotkin as her core teacher. Feeling shy and isolated, Alice frequently escapes into a vivid fantasy life that occasionally gets her into hot water. But with a little unexpected help from Mrs. Plotkin, Alice learns not to judge by appearances or jump to conclusions. More importantly, she confronts her father over his inability to accept their loss and move on into the future.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Alice Upside Down (2007)

Friday, January 27, 2012

Alice (2009 Miniseries) (2009) Review

Alice (2009 Miniseries) (2009)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
There's a girl in a blue dress, a Queen of Hearts, and a a magical looking glass that whisks the heroine into a surreal Wonderland.
But beyond that, don't expect this SyFy miniseries to have much in common with Lewis Carroll's classic novel, "Alice in Wonderland." Instead, "Alice" is a whole different animal -- a deliciously gritty sci-fi adventure filled with action, romance, monsters psychedelic horrors, and a revolution against a drug-peddling queen. It's a little silly, but still immensely entertaining.
Alice's (Caterina Scorsone) dinner date with her boyfriend Jack (Philip Winchester) falls apart when he offers her an heirloom ring. When she chases after him, she sees him being dragged off by some suit-wearing thugs -- and promptly trips THROUGH a looking glass. Of course she ends up in Wonderland, a world of grimy urban ruins and art deco casinos. And it's ruled by the Queen of Hearts (Kathy Bates), a ruthless tyrant who keeps her populace drugged with emotions from kidnapped "oysters" (ordinary humans).
Alice ends up following the eccentric Hatter (Andrew-Lee Potts), who offers to take her to the Resistance -- but when they get there, they discover that Jack's ring is actually the Stone of Wonderland (which powers the transdimensional Looking Glass). Since everybody in Wonderland wants the Stone, Hatter and Alice end up on the run from both the Resistance and the Queen's assassin Mad March. Alice is still determined to rescue Jack and return home, but she soon finds that her boyfriend isn't quite what she thought -- and that one of her loved ones is the Queen's brainwashed slave.
The whole idea behind "Alice" is that Carroll's story was real, and that Wonderland has become a very different place in the last 150 years -- crumbling smoky cities, insectile airships, bunny-headed cyborg assassins, and a pair of sadistic interrogators called Dr. Dum and Dr. Dee. It's a far darker, more complex affair than Carroll's books, and that's what makes it so brilliant.
There's plenty of sci-fi action and chaotic battle scenes, including aerial chases, bombing runs and the occasional attack from the grotesque Jabberwock; and the writers keep the complex plot flowing along nicely. But they also keep the story grounded with a love triangle between Alice, Jack and Hatter, as well as Alice's quest to free the oysters and a long-lost family member. And there's just enough humor to keep it from being excessively grim ("We don't have to use a user manual, do we? I HATE user manuals").
Problems? A few of the homages (the grinning cat, the "drink me" bottle) are pretty superfluous, and the siege of skeletal soldiers is kind of silly (especially the "Hit them with everything we've got").
Scorsone makes an excellent modern Alice -- intelligent, capable and capable of butt-kicking her way out, but still vulnerable and young ("You don't remember me!"). Potts makes a deliciously quirky, sexily disheveled Hatter, and Frewer rounds out the main trio as a mildly insane White Knight. Winchester and Colm Meaney are also excellent, Tim Curry is brilliant but underused, and Kathy Bates absolutely rules as the casually cruel, petulant Queen. And yes, she does say "off with his head!"
I don't know what beloved children's story will get reworked next, but "Alice" does a great job with Lewis Carroll's classic novel -- lots of action, a touch of romance, and just enough surreality.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Alice (2009 Miniseries) (2009)

Abandoned by her father as a child, the independent twenty-one-year-old Alice is accustomed to men being unpredictable, but Jack Chase is something else. Just moments after surprising her with a rare family ring, he’s suddenly kidnapped by two thugs and driven into darkness. It is then that Alice is confronted by a sharply dressed stranger who calls himself White Rabbit, and who promises to know more about Jack than she. Where Alice follows him is through the liquid glass of an ornate mirror. Where she lands is Wonderland, an outlandish underground city of twisted towers and parapets, staircases conceived in a Dali dream, and an otherworldly purple horizon. Soon, the word’s out that Wonderland has its most prized captive. It seems Alice has the ring that controls the looking glass—the key to the power of the Queen of Hearts. It was mad folly for her son Jack to give it to a girl he barely knew. But Jack had his reasons. Discovering them is up to Alice.

Buy NowGet 20% OFF

Click here for more information about Alice (2009 Miniseries) (2009)