Russ Meyer

[lordofdance]

If I had to choose one director that epitomizes what I look for in a film stylistically, Russ Meyer would be that director. Out of the movies I've seen by him (Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Supervixens, Up!, Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens and Faster, Pussycat! KILL! KILL!), every one offers a visual smorgasbord of crazed editing, violence and bountifully endowed women.

From what I've read about him, he was a World War II photographer and a Playboy photographer before getting involved with filmmaking. He revolutionized the naughty film genre and developed a highly distinctive style that is impossible to mistake for any other director.

Up! is easily the nuttiest of his movies that I've seen (with a screenplay by Roger Ebert, who wrote several Meyer films), Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is the most stylish, and Faster, Pussycat! is the most entertaining (John Waters called it the greatest movie ever made). Supervixens is probably my favorite, though, partially due to the appearance of Uschi Digard.

If you're into visual (over) stimulation with real artistry behind it, Russ Meyer is the director you should check out.

[kiddo]

Can't say much here, since I've only seen Vixen! ('68). Rewathed it this other day, with some friends. Don't know what they thought about it, really (they're (nearly) all a bunch of mainstream-diggers), but I must admit that I enjoy the film pretty much. It has certainly a great flow, and I especially noticed this other time around how frequently Meyer uses music It certainly help the film, in that it's never boring or totally uninteresting. As far as I can see, Vixen! is sexploitation with a little dose of brain, kept behind all the harmless nastiness that fills the screen.

Would you recommend me a film to continue with, lordofdance?

[criterionmaster]

My parents watched “Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!” before and hated it, but then they watched “Mudhoney” and liked it much more, I accidentally fell asleep and missed them both, so I too want to know what I should start with, I want to check out some of this guy's films, it seems like I will dig him.

Also, check this out: King of the Nudies.

"The story of a filmmaker and his centerfold wife as they work together to create themselves and their movies. Based on the biography of Russ Meyer, who created such cult favorites as "The Immoral Mr. Teas", "Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens" and "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!""

Thoughts?

[lordofdance]

Would you recommend me a film to continue with, lordofdance?

Supervixens is my favorite. This is the first movie I saw Uschi Digard in, and her amazing breasts nearly blew my mind. Up! has Raven De La Croix in it, and she's not too shabby, either. Up! is really chaotic and strange, with a screenplay by film critic Roger Ebert. Russ Meyer has said that Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is the movie he's most proud of, and I would have to say that it's the best looking of all the movies from him I've seen. Roger Ebert wrote that one, too. Beneath the Valley of the Ultra Vixens is decent, but it's the least interesting of of the one's I've seen. Faster, Pussycat! is great, even though there's almost no nudity. I love the opening.

From what I understand, the Region 1 Russ Meyer DVD's currently available are over priced and not very good quality. I'm hoping for all his titles to be released in better versions. I've heard that the UK versions aren't all that great either. I've seen his movies on VHS, except Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.

EDIT: I should mention that Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is released by 20th Century Fox. It was one of Russ Meyer's few big studio movies. That is the only one I own. It's a worthy purchase.

Also, check this out: King of the Nudies.

Man, the guy directing it has been behind some shitty movies. I hope this turns out well.

[criterionmaster]

lordofdance said:

Would you recommend me a film to continue with, lordofdance?

Supervixens is my favorite. This is the first movie I saw Uschi Digard in, and her amazing breasts nearly blew my mind. Up! has Raven De La Croix in it, and she's not too shabby, either. Up! is really chaotic and strange, with a screenplay by film critic Roger Ebert. Russ Meyer has said that Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is the movie he's most proud of, and I would have to say that it's the best looking of all the movies from him I've seen. Roger Ebert wrote that one, too. Beneath the Valley of the Ultra Vixens is decent, but it's the least interesting of of the one's I've seen. Faster, Pussycat! is great, even though there's almost no nudity. I love the opening.

From what I understand, the Region 1 Russ Meyer DVD's currently available are over priced and not very good quality. I'm hoping for all his titles to be released in better versions. I've heard that the UK versions aren't all that great either. I've seen his movies on VHS, except Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.

EDIT: I should mention that Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is released by 20th Century Fox. It was one of Russ Meyer's few big studio movies. That is the only one I own. It's a worthy purchase.

Also, check this out: King of the Nudies.

Man, the guy directing it has been behind some shitty movies. I hope this turns out well.

Would you call these films without any redeeming qualities, and remember, by Ebert's standards I Spit on Your Grave has no merit? If so, then I call him a hypocrite for writing a film like one he calls shit, and says should have never been made. Also, do you know what he thinks of the films?

I added Beyond the Valley of the Dolls to my queue, as that is the only one on there. I will probably buy it if I like the film enough. Hopefully TCM will show some of his films again.

Ptahole, do you still have a copy of Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!?

Yeah, I hope he can make a good film. It should be a film like Ed Wood (respecting the man), which I really liked.

[lordofdance]

Would you call these films without any redeeming qualities, and remember, by Ebert's standards I Spit on Your Grave has no merit? If so, then I call him a hypocrite for writing a film like one he calls shit, and says should have never been made. Also, do you know what he thinks of the films?

I added Beyond the Valley of the Dolls to my queue, as that is the only one on there. I will probably buy it if I like the film enough. Hopefully TCM will show some of his films again.

Roger Ebert has basically said that even though Russ Meyer made sex movies, his talents exceeded the genre. There is no denying that there is some disturbing content in some of Meyer's movies. Like in Supervixens, there's a really brutal murder. And there is a rape in Up! The biggest difference between a Russ Meyer movie and I Spit On Your Grave is that 1) Russ Meyer has a great deal of style and 2) The sex and violence is played for humor most of the time. Russ Meyer is definitely an exploitation director, however. A very good one, but still.

It could be argued that I Spit On Your Grave is a more artistically honest movie than something by Russ Meyer, because it portrays sex and violence more realistically and doesn't try to make it entertaining (as far as I can tell).

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a dizzying experience. Not quite as sexual as Russ Meyer's later movies, but it's totally nuts. I still can't belive that Roger Ebert wrote this thing and was friends with Russ Meyer.

[PTAhole]

I think I still have my copy of Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and Mudhoney, so you can borrow them. FP!K!K! is stunning, you're parents are fools.

[eatawiiner]

I saw Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! during those friday night flicks Zombie was hosting on TCM. Very entertaining for what it was, all I remember was being amazed at how great the camera work was.

[criterionmaster]

i just watched faster pussycat in the theater, with i spit on your grave and really enjoyed it. i didn't have a clue what to expect, but it was really, really funny. the characters are all over-the-top and insane. that girl with the accent irritated me, though. my main complaint is that the girls weren't naked, they just taunted us. but yeah, the experience was really fun. i am pretty sure criterion released the film on laserdisc (?), which is funny, it doesn't seem "worthy", yet, in a way, it does. i would love to get a criterion dvd release of it.

does it even have a release?