Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Spoilers!

After the big success of VIXEN,  independent director/large breast aficienado Russ Meyer got a studio gig - 1970's BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, originally intended to be a sequel to VALLEY OF THE DOLLS.  In the hands of the lascivious Meyer and screenwriter Roger Ebert, it became a vicious takedown of not only the original movie but straight faced narratives in general.  To say nothing of show business, Los Angeles itself, and maybe conservative values.  Many (especially today's viewers) might argue that last point, feeling instead that the filmmakers were embracing them.

The Kelly Affair is an up and coming rock band comprised of lead singer Kelly (Dolly Reed, barely hiding her English accent), guitarist Casey (Cynthia Meyers), and drummer "Pet" (Marcia McBroom).  With their manager Harris (David Gurian, entertainingly reminiscent of Barry Williams from The Brady Bunch) - who is also Kelly's boyfriend - the girls travel to L.A. to seek out Kelly's long lost aunt Susan (Phyllis Davis) and a significant inheritance.   But Susan's skeevy middle aged financial advisor Porter Hall (Duncan McLeod) proves to be an obstacle.

Meanwhile, the girls meet the outrageous record promoter "Z-Man" (John LaZar), who throws huge soirees at his mansion and stokes overnight sensations.   He dubs his new clients "The Carrie Nations", leading to fame and success and all sorts of soap opera jealousies and illicit couplings.  And eventually, murder.  Meyer indulges his usual hyper cutting and repeated montages, sometimes with scenes that will occur later in the movie.   There's plenty of female nudity on tap, though despite the X (later NC-17) rating, the bumping and grinding will be rather tame compared to the director's other efforts. Some of the violence is rough.  There is also some Nazi humor, a recurring thing in a Russ Meyer picture.

Ebert's verbosity is a fountain out of these caricature's mouths, often commentary on themselves.  I credit the actors for playing it all so straight, though it could not have been easy.   His jabs at '60s culture (and the filmic tropes of the era) are dead on.  I couldn't help also but be freq of the later ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, especially as Z-Man reminded me so much of Dr. Frank N Furter.  Surely the influence was there.

Meyer runs with a big budget and large scope, achieving a manic energy throughout and even allowing some genuine emotion from time to time.  Or maybe not, hard to tell.  The movie is both funny and repulsive.  The climax and final scene will make you wonder about those conservative values, whether they are prized or jeered.  There's evidence on both fronts, though consider that the trans and homosexuals die violently while the heteros survive, get married, and even overcome paraplegia! Where does satire end/begin? I can imagine Meyer and Ebert must've chortled heartily while cooking this thing up.