Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)

Three girls come to Hollywood to make it big, but find only sex, drugs and sleaze.

Director:

Russ Meyer

Writers:

Roger Ebert (screenplay), Roger Ebert (story)

Stars:

Dolly Read, Cynthia Myers, Marcia McBroom

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dolly Read	...	Kelly Mac Namara
Cynthia Myers	...	Casey Anderson
Marcia McBroom	...	Petronella Danforth
John Lazar	...	Ronnie (Z-Man) Barzell (as John La Zar/John LaZar)
Michael Blodgett	...	Lance Rocke
David Gurian	...	Harris Allsworth
Edy Williams	...	Ashley St. Ives
Erica Gavin	...	Roxanne
Phyllis Davis	...	Susan Lake
Harrison Page	...	Emerson Thorne
Duncan McLeod	...	Porter Hall (as Duncan Mc Leod/Duncan McLeod)
James Iglehart	...	Randy Black (as Jim Iglehart)
Charles Napier	...	Baxter Wolfe
Henry Rowland	...	Otto
Princess Livingston	...	Matron

Storyline

This film is a sequel in name only to Valley of the Dolls (1967). An all-girl rock band goes to Hollywood to make it big. There they find success, but luckily for us, they sink into a cesspool of decadence. This film has a sleeping woman performing on a gun which is in her mouth. It has women posing as men. It has lesbian sex scenes. It is also written by Roger Ebert, who had become friends with Russ Meyer after writing favorable reviews of several of his films.

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Plot Keywords:

friendship | satire | cult film | hollywood | drugs | 

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Taglines:

This time... they've really gone

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

NC-17

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 June 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$900,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$9,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Roger Ebert's audio commentary, Ronnie "Z-Man" Barzell's pad was a set originally to be used in Myra Breckinridge (1970).

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Goofs

When 'Z-Man' drops Lance Rocke's severed head, it breaks in half when it hits the floor.

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Quotes

Susan Lake: Porter, you have an unending capacity for counterfeit astonishment.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: Disclaimer: THE FILM YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS NOT A SEQUEL TO "VALLEY OF THE DOLLS." IT IS WHOLLY ORIGINAL AND BEARS NO RELATIONSHIP TO REAL PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD. IT DOES, LIKE "VALLEY OF THE DOLLS" DEAL WITH THE OFT-TIMES NIGHTMARE WORLD OF SHOW BUSINESS BUT IN A DIFFERENT TIME AND CONTEXT.

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Alternate Versions

The British Board of Film Classification have cut the UK video release by 53 seconds. New opening credits were required for this release, as the BBFC would not allow a montage shot of a gun being pushed into the mouth of a sleeping woman, a scene that also reappears in full at the end of the movie (and was also cut). Ironically, the film has been broadcast uncut several times on UK network TV, by Channel 4.

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Connections

Referenced in Dennis Miller Live: Critics (1995)

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Soundtracks

A Girl From The City
by Paul Marshall
Performed by The Strawberry Alarm Clock (uncredited)

User Reviews

this film has it all!

I freakin love this film! It has everything you could want, hot amazons, camp, melodrama, dancing, cool music, orgies, and some classic lines. Either you get it or you don't, even though the script makes no sense. Z man is awesome and creepy, ashley st ives is on fire, and the carrie nations rock in that dopey pill popping late 60's acid pop style. The question is why has russ meyer never released it on DVD? Come on dude this and faster pussycat kill kill are films that the people need to see. A cut above 90% of the Hollywood recycled crap and remade TV junk they throw at you. To be honest if someone remade this flick I would see it. I also love the fact that they completely went in the opposite direction of the original, which I cant even remember if i have seen.