The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Anything Alice Cooper or AC band related goes here

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pitkin88
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The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by pitkin88 » Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:25 pm

Alice Cooper are arguably the biggest band in America with a No 1 album and playing sell out shows. They have the number one album in the UK spawning 3 hit singles. They are at the peak of their powers and yet they make a complete bollocks of their concert movie. What the he'll happened? It would seem like it would be near impossible to mess it up.

1) Why was Warner Bros not behind this?
2) Why was it filmed in 16 mm and then blown up to 32 making the picture quality poor?
3) Aside from The Lady is a Tramp sketch who okd the other sketches which are just abysmal?
4) Why did the movie have such a horrible title? It sounds like it could be a David Cassidy movie.
5) I think Michael Bruce said Shep kept some of the money to finance solo Alice. Could that be true.

All in all it is a complete mess apart from the concert footage. It barely got a U.S. Release and never made Europe at all.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by padre_sliprat » Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:11 pm

Pitkin, while I understand what you're saying, my favorite parts of the movie are the absolutely goofy skits. They're so bad that they're funny. I remember when I was a 13 year old in 1973, I was sure that we'd get a live B$B album when fall rolled around. Instead we got MOL, while solid, it needed more time in the oven. There was a lot of resentment on my behalf when they released the live show on CD a quarter century too late. Anyway, I've seen two versions of the GTSYA film. I didn't like the one with old movie clips at all, although opening with Never Been Sold Before was cool. As for the failure, it seems to have been a planned failure to nail the coffin shut on the old band. My two cents worth.
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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by Toronto Bob » Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:39 am

Very good questions that we'll never get to the bottom of. It would be interesting to know who and how much financing was arranged and procured for this project. The ideas and execution of the film is amateur hour. Some drunken and stoned ideas passed around by Alice/Dennis and friends? 16 mm makes the filming on the cheap. Doesn't look like the production team had any rehearsals to know what to expect and what to shoot. In a word - slipshod. And as you pointed out - no WB involvment? wtf?

Maybe MB was on to something and another missed opportunity. Love that there's the footage and soundtrack for sure - it just could have been so much better

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by Si » Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:55 am

Toronto Bob wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:39 am
Very good questions that we'll never get to the bottom of. It would be interesting to know who and how much financing was arranged and procured for this project.
It was financed by a "men's magazine", "Penthouse", so that could explain the lack of big budget - and possibly lack of expertise/money behind the scenes.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by del » Thu Mar 21, 2019 11:43 am

Si wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:55 am
Toronto Bob wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:39 am
Very good questions that we'll never get to the bottom of. It would be interesting to know who and how much financing was arranged and procured for this project.
It was financed by a "men's magazine", "Penthouse", so that could explain the lack of big budget - and possibly lack of expertise/money behind the scenes.
Weird.. I'm assuming this was their first and last rock related movie.

Evidence of the whole AC camp, including Shep, losing the plot precisely because of the success they had achieved, the excess they were enjoying and their collective inability to think clearly?

It's hard to think that anyone around then was calculated enough to plan such a spectacular failure. I'd go for the blind "take the money, now lets party" option.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by pitkin88 » Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:05 pm

I don't believe Penthouse was a small operation. Not as big as Playboy but a very close rival. I'm guessing there would have been money available. The movie could certainly have been financed by multiple investors. The lack of involvement by Warner beggars belief due to the $ the Coppers were making them. This should have been a home un.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by mestreech » Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:11 pm

I like the fact that we have some movie from this time but what a strange result.
Possible one of the worst concertfilms with a lousy quality and the director could be a kid. What a shame and disaster for the BEST group (at that time) in the world.
A lost opportunity for WB that I can only explain on the soon to be leaving Alice. They could have made lots and lots of money if they released a decent film and the soundtrack.
Also I suspect Shep was involved in this failure to get Alice split the band. He was and is THE manager for the band and Alice solo but for a person that smart it is unthinkable he let slip that opportunity. So I suspect he wanted it this way.
He **** up the BAND and WB.
We will never hear the real truth but what a waste.
If WB released B$B then the movie and soundtrack and then (more time) Muscle of love the band had still some good years to go.
But that wasn't the plan for Shep and Ezrin.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by mestreech » Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:13 pm

padre_sliprat wrote:
Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:11 pm
Pitkin, while I understand what you're saying, my favorite parts of the movie are the absolutely goofy skits. They're so bad that they're funny. I remember when I was a 13 year old in 1973, I was sure that we'd get a live B$B album when fall rolled around. Instead we got MOL, while solid, it needed more time in the oven. There was a lot of resentment on my behalf when they released the live show on CD a quarter century too late. Anyway, I've seen two versions of the GTSYA film. I didn't like the one with old movie clips at all, although opening with Never Been Sold Before was cool. As for the failure, it seems to have been a planned failure to nail the coffin shut on the old band. My two cents worth.
Padre what version is with Never been sold?

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by pitkin88 » Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:25 pm

Re Toronto Bob. I agree with you over the pre production on the actual show. I'm wondering if there was very little time to plan out the shots, angles etc. It should have been epic. Was the director the same for the live show and the skits? I'm guessing no one spent anytime on the skits which are just painful. The ideal solution would have been interviews with the band, audience and maybe some celebs interspersed with the live footage. Backstage footage would have worked too if they'd show just what it was like putting a show like that on the road

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by pitkin88 » Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:32 pm

I think you make some good points Mestreech. There does seem to be evidence to support Michael's claim. A product was turned in that was basically un-releasable. It was little short of a crime. Imagine what Penthouse thought when that Turkey was delivered.

Again the blame falls on Shep. Done right the movie could have made way more than him pocketing the money for Alice's solo album.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by pitkin88 » Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:36 pm

Does anyone know if Dennis addresses the movie in his book? Also why did the owners of the original VHS choose to replace the skits? It is not like they were bettered by the slapstick replacement.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by pitkin88 » Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:50 pm

Im just watching the movie and noticed for the first time that a different version of NMMNG is playing. Pissed off and feeling green. Is this the quad version?

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by Si » Thu Mar 21, 2019 6:36 pm

pitkin88 wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:36 pm
Also why did the owners of the original VHS choose to replace the skits? It is not like they were bettered by the slapstick replacement.
It had nothing to do with the "owners of the original VHS".
There were two versions made in 1974/5. One with the skits, one with the news clips.
Honestly can't remember why at the moment (and don't have time to search it right now), maybe the studio didn't like the skits either. I don't remember, but to the best of my knowledge both cuts were put together by the original producers, not a third party later on.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by Toronto Bob » Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:16 pm

getting the rights to all that old film footage would have been nightmarish and possibly too much money, so I can understand ditching that version.

Just another drug and booze fueled vanity project but at least there's some audio and film documentation of the band during the height of their fame. That's the only value in GTSYAAC

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by pitkin88 » Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:07 pm

Thanks for that Si I had no idea. Do we know which version was shown at the cinemas that screened it?

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by Si » Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:29 pm

pitkin88 wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:07 pm
Thanks for that Si I had no idea. Do we know which version was shown at the cinemas that screened it?
I can`t remember, but I have a very vague recollection that one was shown originally, and then they switched to the other version later in the run.
It was turning up at late night cinema showings for some considerable time after it was released, as was the WTMN Wembley film a year or so later. That was still turning up in theaters in 1978/9 if I remember the adverts I found when researching.
Could be worth scanning Andy's ACA (which you can find in the trivia section). That may have some info.

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by padre_sliprat » Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:05 am

pitkin88 wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:05 pm
I don't believe Penthouse was a small operation. Not as big as Playboy but a very close rival.
Speaking as a former 14 year old perouser of Penthouse, I can say that it was a very polished magazine in the same league as Playboy.
Last edited by padre_sliprat on Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by padre_sliprat » Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:09 am

mestreech wrote:
Thu Mar 21, 2019 5:13 pm
Padre what version is with Never been sold?
Mestreech, it's the one with the movie clips and news clips. Never Been Sold Before is the theme when the stage is being built. It gives the scene a real sleazy feel. In the skit version, it's NMMNG playing during the erection of the stage. Whaaat?! :evil:
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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by pitkin88 » Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:06 am

Never knew you where such a literary scholar Padre! Anyone know about the different version of NMMNG?

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Re: The Complete Failure of Good To See You Again

Post by padre_sliprat » Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:21 am

pitkin88 wrote:
Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:06 am
Never knew you where such a literary scholar Padre!
To be fair, the publishers did include lots of visual learning aids in each issue.
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