The Gamer's Quarter

Ebrey · . Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 38

The Silent Movie Theater in LA's been playing a bunch of Russ Meyer flicks lately, so I've seen five. They're fun! Despite being softcore porn, there's always a good mix of straight men, straight women, gays and lesbians at Meyer movies, so you won't feel weird seeing them at a screening.

The best and most accessible is Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, the first Russ Meyer/Roger Ebert collaboration. The best character is Z-Man, the transsexual Phil Spector sendup who says things like "Drink the Black Sperm of my Vengeance." It has less sex and plainer actresses than his other movies, so it doesn't work that well as porn, but you don't care because it's so fun.

The second Ebert written Russ Meyer film is Up!, which is a lot weirder. It's still funny, but the humor comes from individual gags (Hitler getting whipped by a cowboy while stuffing his head between giant breasts), and not a coherent storyline. It's definitely less accessible than BVD, though the actresses are really hot in this one.

The last Ebert screenplay, and the last Meyer film, is Beyond the Valley of the Ultravixens. It's got the same incoherence as Up!, and the sex is now so silly that it's hard to find it erotic. But it's worth watching. Kitten Natavidad, whose in both Up! and Ultravixens, is adorable. She also appeared in person at the screenings and she's an awesome person.

I also saw two pre-BVD Russ Meyer flicks, Vixen and Faster, Pussycat, Kill, Kill! Vixen is very funny and hot, like BVD but less complex. It's got brother-sister incest, a girl who will sleep with anyone as long as he isn't black, and a Scottish communist. Pussycat is a slightly more serious movie about a violent female gang vs a creepy redneck family. Gay men, trannies, and Quentin Tarantino love it to death.

Are there any other Russ Meyer movies I should see?

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

aderack · . Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 1105 Location: San Francisco

The one time I saw Faster, Pussycat was in a Midnight Mass with Peaches Christ. She had the lady there who played the villain, who spoke for about six years about what a bad-ass she was.
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dhex · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:26 am Post subject:

looking back, beyond the valley of the dolls is the only really good one. everything else is more like a troma film - great trailers, not so much with content.
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Ebrey · . Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 38

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

dhex · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:55 am Post subject:

with a few exceptions, namely surf nazis must die and the first nuke-em high movie, i completely agree. (fun fact: the first toxic avenger was filmed all over parts of nj not far from where i live.)

the trailers tend to be great, though. too bad no one's figured out how to make a movie company that gets by on trailers alone.

also i am glad my efforts to help "blowjob" as a pejorative make a comeback are spreading.
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