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Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: IT'S EXTREME! OUTRAGEOUS!! Of Course, It's Russ Meyer!!!
Review: "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is released in Japan as "Wild Party," and the latter title might have told you everthing you see in it; and the director is Russ Meyer, famous for his movies like "Faster Pussycat, Kill!, Kill!" and "Vixen"..... Oh, if you haven't seen them, you can guess the contents, I'm sure.

Actually, "Beyond," which major studio 20th Century Fox asked Meyer to direct, is less outrageous, considering the track record this cult director had made, and was going to make. But still, for ordinary people, it is a shocking experience to see almost every genre is mixed in it: love story (too corny one), a sucess story (of Josie and the Pussycats-like rock band, I mean it), and even a gory horror movie (with the sound of 20th Century Fox's trademark fanfare, and Richard Wagner's classic you have heard in Coppola's very famous film!). And within less than 2 hours!!

However, remember, those were the days. Don't take anything too seriously. Besides, the soundtrack is great and if you like those songs of 1960s, you will love it. My favorite is "Candy Man," an Animals-type song, and believe it or not, in Japan they released a single cut from the soundtrack with the credit of Carrie Nations, the fictional band Dolly Read and others play in "Beyond." Oh, I almost forgot to say, you have a glimpse of "Strawberry Alarm Clock," psychedelic rock band that got the No.1 of the Billboard Chart with their "Incense and Peppermint," which you heard in "Austin Powers." They play it here, but sorry, it's lip-sync. And look for Pam Grier (credited as Pamela Grier), of "Jackie Brown."

Enjoy the extremism of filmmaking, I dare you.

(Technical thing: as the original film was shot in cinemascope, and Russ Meyer uses the screen wide, some scenes lose the impact on TV's small screen. Still, there is unmistakeably Russ Meyer's touch here and there in the movie. Don't miss it.)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Exploitation classic is not a sequel but a stand alone film
Review: This isn't a sequel to VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, but more an exploitative spoof directed by none other than Russ Meyer and co-scripted by Roger Ebert from his original story. Amazing that this movie comes from the pen of the same guy who would later famously condemn such cult classics as I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE and THE HITCHER. Talk about hypocrisy! BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is the story of the rise to fame of a ficticious all girl rock group The Carrie Nations. Meyer is less discriminating in this film- this time around the hot female cast don't all possess DD cowabungas- women of all cup sizes are cast. The movie is very funny in places: I nearly busted my gut laughing during the "Superwoman/ Jungle Lad" bedroom scenes, but I'm supposedly but one of those thousands (or one of a minority, depending on their mood) of morally vacant moviegoing heathens David Lame and his equally lame friend, the Rev. Gordon Dempsey blame for all NZ's perceived social evils. Actually BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is rather tame by today's standards, and surprisingly very enjoyable. Ironically, the movie concludes with a number of moralistic lessons!! One of the film's actors Michael Blodgett would later go on to write the novel which inspired the 1988 Chuck Norris film HERO AND THE TERROR. Probably one of Meyers greatest films. You owe it to yourself to see this at some point in your life. Look out for an appearance by hippie group Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: What's all the excitement about?
Review: Boring, stupid, laughable, dated and ridiculous.

Why would anyone want to relive the Silly Sixties?

And Roger Ebert is now a film critic? Give me a break!

I hereby award this disaster *minus* 5 stars.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: IT'S EXTREME! OUTRAGEOUS!! Of Course, It's Russ Meyer!!!
Review: "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is released in Japan as "Wild Party," and the latter title might have told you everthing you see in it; and the director is Russ Meyer, famous for his movies like "Faster Pussycat, Kill!, Kill!" and "Vixen"..... Oh, if you haven't seen them, you can guess the contents, I'm sure.

Actually, "Beyond," which major studio 20th Century Fox asked Meyer to direct, is less outrageous, considering the track record this cult director had made, and was going to make. But still, for ordinary people, it is a shocking experience to see almost every genre is mixed in it: love story (too corny one), a sucess story (of Josie and the Pussycats-like rock band, I mean it), and even a gory horror movie (with the sound of 20th Century Fox's trademark fanfare, and Richard Wagner's classic you have heard in Coppola's very famous film!). And within less than 2 hours!!

However, remember, those were the days. Don't take anything too seriously. Besides, the soundtrack is great and if you like those songs of 1960s, you will love it. My favorite is "Candy Man," an Animals-type song, and believe it or not, in Japan they released a single cut from the soundtrack with the credit of Carrie Nations, the fictional band Dolly Read and others play in "Beyond." Oh, I almost forgot to say, you have a glimpse of "Strawberry Alarm Clock," psychedelic rock band that got the No.1 of the Billboard Chart with their "Incense and Peppermint," which you heard in "Austin Powers." They play it here, but sorry, it's lip-sync. And look for Pam Grier (credited as Pamela Grier), of "Jackie Brown."

Enjoy the extremism of filmmaking, I dare you.

(Technical thing: as the original film was shot in cinemascope, and Russ Meyer uses the screen wide, some scenes lose the impact on TV's small screen. Still, there is unmistakeably Russ Meyer's touch here and there in the movie. Don't miss it.)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Come into my den," said the spider, et cetera
Review: "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is perhaps the best movie ever made. Unlike other campy movies, there are virtually no lulls -- each scene is packed with brilliant one-liners, ludicrious characters (portrayed by equally crazy actors), fun music, and tons of hairspray. While Roger Ebert has claimed that the movie was intended to be satirical and hillarious, its dated-ness adds to the effect, inadvertently creating the funniest and most watchable movie of the entire Russ Meyer catalouge (though other gems of Meyer's include "Supervixens," "Vixen," "Up," and the delightful, "Fater Pussycat! Kill! Kill!"). Dolly Reed's often failed attempt at an American accent only adds to the fun. The reason "BVD" isn't more widley loved: it takes a person with certain sense of humor to enjoy the high level of camp this film offers. If you enjoy being tricked into thinking that a legitimately excellent film is really so bad that it's good, indulge yourself in the debauchery.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: This movie is so 1970
Review: Worst thing that can happen to an already-bad movie is that it becomes dated, and alas, that's what became of "BVD". So we get wooden acting and a howlingly bad script right alongside "square", "groovy", and bad color reproduction. They tried to work a rock band somewhere into this movie, but it all seems to have gotten lost in the mess of flamboyant scenery-chewing and several women with bubble hair missing their cues.

The "racy" stuff this film is famous for has not endured the march of time, and even the creepy part at the end (...)is of little shock value in our modern world brimming with "transgenders".

Lastly, the tacked-on moralizing sequence at the end of the flick effectively nullifies everything that occurs in the movie up to that point, sort of a "don't try this at home" band-aid for a Hollywood too cowardly to take a "chance" on this release.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Movie That Takes Risks and Attempts To Make A Statement
Review: "Beyond The Valley of the Dolls" is a movie that was made over 30 years ago but is still enjoyable to watch today. I truly admire this film, Roger Eberts writing and the direction of Russ Meyer just make this film unique and amazing. At some points the film can be so dramatic and at other times so light hearted. The film also set some trends, like the African American woman at Z Mans party with the gold rhinestone eye shadow decoration, everyone thought Alicia Keys was doing something new when she wore rhinestones on her eyelids to the Grammy's and then all these rappers talking about Bentley's the one woman in the movie was talking about how a Rolls is better than a Bently.

This movie is awesome for so many reasons. For one its 2004 and we will never see a movie on the big screen that takes so many risks. How many movies are there where the White and African American characters have true friendships and both characters have developed story lines? It was the 60's and Ebert and Meyers weren't afraid to bring taboos like sexual orientation, well let me not be a spoiler.

The women were so beautiful, Casey, Pet and Kelly. They had bodacious bodies and big hair and perfect make-up. They lived life so carefree. The underlying storyline about the money was never really resolved but so much was going on in that flick.

It's a really great movie and it's funny because at the end, the very end they try to be moral and tie it all together and make a social statement. This is a wild and crazy trip of a movie and I catch something new everytime I watch it. As a writer and a one time aspiring film maker movies like this one make me want to go out and take risks.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ONE OF THE GREATEST CULT CLASSIC MOVIES YOU CAN WATCH
Review: THREE FEMALE MUSICIANS GET FAMOUS AND BEGIN TO GET INTO THE BAD HABITS OF THE HOLLYWOOD LIFESTYLE. FOR A SOFT-CORE MOVIE, THIS ACTUALLY HAS A LITTLE PLOT AND THE ACTING AIN'T REALLY BAD. HAS GOOD SEX SCENES AND IT HAS A CRAZY FINALE, WHICH ADDS A WHOLE LOT TO THIS MOVIE. THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO ''THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS'', IN CASE YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: camp classic
Review: Ignore the one-star reviewers,they were all born in the 80s.They simply are NOT qualified to critique this or any other film of the era.Please enjoy this delicious slice of early 70s americana.Screenplay courtesy of Roger Ebert.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Delicious!!!
Review: A masterpiece of camp and contender for the most enjoyable movie to ever be filmed , BVD is not just magnificent, but orgasmic! Any mod rock'n roll sex romp would not be complete without orgies, drugs, breasts, awesome music, murder, and inventive dialogue. BVD goes above(and beyond) all that like a B-movie H-Bomb.The real gems are the performances of the stunning Cynthia Myers as Casey, Michael Blodgett as Lance Rocke, and Edy Williams as raunchy vamp Ashley St.Ives.Though no performance in all of filmdom is comparable to the brilliant John LaZar as Z-Man.He doesn't get the recogition he deserves as a gifted b-movie actor.Z-MAN FOREVER!!!!!!


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