Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a 1970 American satirical musical melodrama directed by Russ Meyer and staring Dolly reed, Cynthia, Marcia McBroom, Phyllis Davis, John LaZar, Michael Blodgett, and David Gurian. The film follows an all-girl band that get caught up in the sleazy Hollywood excess. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a fun crazy over the top sleazy film that any fan of weird 70s cinema would enjoy.
The direction in the film is good. The film has a weird surreal nature to it with an unchronological order to it which adds to the films surrealness. The film then smash cuts to the band showing the main characters which has a typical 60s hippy feel. The film is full of sex, drugs and rock and roll complete with zany frantic fast edits. The film has lots of over-the-top 60s excess and shown through the rock band. Everything and everyone are over the top, this crazy over the top 60s excess is also shown with z mans over the top crazy bedroom. One of them in the film is clash between the old and young generation as well as a theme of industry exploitation z man sign them and changes their name. The film is about showing the darkness behind 70s stardom as Kasey gets disillusioned by it all. One of the themes in the film is the idea of old flames dying full of crazy over the top zany sex scenes. The film is full of 70s sleaze as everyone’s in it for themselves as showcased through the exploitive industry. The film is full of sex and nudity as well as having a very 70s style with Kelly dancing to jukebox music. As Kelly and Harris due drugs in a very 60s apartment as the film is full of sex and nudity but presented in a very zany way. The film has lots of sex which is crazy zany and sleazy. The film ultimately feels like a decent into madness as everyone fights and break up with each other. The film is about the destruction of relationships due to stardom as they all end up hating each other and descending into insanity. There is a cool montage showing the bands success despite their lives falling apart as the band gets bigger but the bond between Kelly and Harris weakens. The film is about showing the darkness behind the glitz and glamour as Harris attempts suicide by leaping from the rafters of a sound stage during a television appearance by the band, Harris survives the fall but becomes a paraplegic from his injuries. They then find out that Harris had an affair, and their friend has his baby showcasing 70s stardom sleaze and the film full of 70s excess such as lesbianism. The film has a bizarre surreal nature to it with z man dressed in a weird uniform and one of his staff members dressed like a Nazi as z man is portrayed as a 60s pretentious drugged up artist type. They all end up dressed in bizarre costumes in a surreal drug taking scene. The film contains a homosexual sex scene with a weird bizarre surrounding. The homosexual elements of the film are prevalent throughout with lesbianism in the film, all of this revolves around Z man who is portrayed as a 1970’s weird pretentious artist type. In the insane climax of the film, it is revealed that z man is a transsexual and kills Lance with a sword before going on a rampage, as z man stabs a Nazi to death with a sword on a beach. Z man then kills Roxanne and Casey who calls her friends just before she’s killed. They all tackle z man to kill him as Harris manages to be able to walk again. The film flashes forward to Harris and Kelly together with Harris slowly recovering form his injuries. The film ends with the three couples Kelly and Harris, Pet and Emerson and Susan and Baxter wedding whilst porter watches from outside the courthouse window.
The acting in the film is good. Dolly Reed does a good job as Kelly MacNamara a young bright-eyed signer that is exposed to the disturbing side of fame. Cynthia Myers does a good job as Casey Anderson Kelly’s friend and one of the members of the band. Marcia McBroom does a good job as Petronella Danforth one of the members of the band. John LaZar does a good job as Ronnie “Z-Man” Barzell the crazy eccentric record producer that signs the protagonist’s band and acts as the main villain of the film. Michael Blodgett does a good job as Lance Rocke a famous tough man that meets his demise. David Gurian does a good job as Harris Allsworth Kelly’s love interest in the film. Edy Eilliams does a good job as Ashley St. Ives a porn star. Erica Gavin does a good job as Roxanne one of the friends of the gang in the film that meets her demise. Phyllis David does a good job as Susan Lake one of the members of the band. Harrison Page does a good job as Emerson Throne a student that’s dating one of the members of the band. Duncan McLeod does a good job as Porter Hall a sleazy financial advisor that tries to steal Kelly’s inheritance. James Iglehart does a good job as Randy Black a famous tough guy that end up in a one-night stand with Kelly. Charles Napier does a good job as Baxter Wolfe Susan’s boyfriend. Henry Rowland does a good job as Otto Z man’s servant.
The writing in the film is good. The film is unchronological with the end of the film being shown at the beginning before jump cutting to the actual begging of the film. the film introduces a struggling band as the main characters of the film with the main character being in a relationship. The then go looking for her aunt as the film has the classic story of a struggling band trying to make it big. Kelly then meets up with her aunt and the guy helping to manage all of this as they get invited to a party being held by z man a famous rock producer. In this crazy over the top 60s party Z man feels like a cult leader as clashes between the old and young generation are shown. Tension is created between Harris and Z man as he signs the band and changes their name. The band then gets big however Kasey is Disillusioned by it all. It is revealed that Harris still has feelings for Kelly, but she doesn’t feel the same way, as Harris neds up hooking up with her. As this is going on Porter is trying to get Kelly’s inheritance money as Randy and Susan enter a nice, sweet relationship. Kelly turns down Harris by tricking him by getting him high and having sex with him so that they help each other out as the band becomes big and successful. A lot of the film revolves around rekindling old flames as Ashley and Harris have sex, but Ashley informs him that the sex was bad and thinks his gay. Harris and Lance, then gets into a fight resulting in Lance being beaten and Kelly breaking up with him as Kelly breaks up with Porter. Emerson then finds Pat in bed with Randy who beats him up and tries to run him down in his car as they all end up hating each other and descend into insanity. In an ironic twist of fate as the band gets bigger their lives get worse, as the film uses weird surreal music video style overlays of the band playing with images of Harris and Z man. Harris finally realises its over between him and Kelly as when the band palsy on live TV Harris tires to commit suicide from jumping form the rafter, he survives but has become a paraplegic. They then find out that Harris had an affair, and their friend has his baby, Randy then gets into a fight with Emerson and Pat until she threatens him with a knife. Casey and Roxanne end up in a lesbian relationship as Kelly and Harris rekindle their relationship. Z man gets everyone together as they all get dressed up in bizarre costumes creating a bizarre weird sexual role paly. At the climax of the film, they all take drugs leading to a lesbian sex scene. Ronnie doesn’t want to have sex with z man as his not gay, causing z man to go crazy like a weird pretentious cult leader. Z man then ties up Ronnie and reveals herself to be a transexual and beheads Lance with a sword and goes on a rampage. Z man stabs a Nazi to death with a sword on a beach as he then kills Roxanne and Casey. Casey then calls her friend to help her before she’s killed by Z man, they are then all tackle Z man and mage to kill him. Harris then manages to be able to walk again as Harris and Kelly get together with Harris slowly recovering from his injuries. At the end of the film the three couple Kelly and Harris, Pet and Emerson and Susan and Baxter all wed whilst Porter watches form outside of the courthouse window.
The film has decent cineradiography throughout. The film has a very interesting way of showing the passage of time as shown through a montage of overlays showing them traveling with a van with overlays of them traveling on a map of America. The film has a music video style to it with them playing in a black void with overlays of both recoding the album as well as Harris and Z Man, as the film also has a good use of intense close ups. The film has weird surreal overlays in a music video style of the band playing with Harris and Z man with very 70s looking zooms. There is an interesting use of lighting during the drug taking scene with green, purple, red and blue lighting, there is also some just ecstatically pleasing shots with two girls lying naked side by side with each other. There are some great silhouette shots as well as a coo shot of the gun in Roxanne’s mouth and great silhouette shots of Z man holding a gun.
The special effects in the film are good. The film has good gory 70s blood effects to it with things like the decapitated head and body. The film also shows fake breasts of z man as well as a bloody effect when Roxanne gets shot with a gun.
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a fun over the top film that any fan of weird 70s cinema would enjoy.
