John Waters reacts to Russ Meyer’s 1970 cult classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, written by Roger Ebert. Source: Criterion www.criterionchannel.com www.criterion.com
What I love about John Waters is that he can barely contain himself while talking about movies he loves. He jumps from one topic to the next and doesn't care if you're keeping up with his train of thought. That's true film fandom. In a world of overlong film video essays, I greatly prefer this.
I've had the rare honor & pleasure of seeing John Waters lose his shit, and it was as spectacular & catty & snappy as one could expect. A rare moment! ❤ John Waters lol
Some John Waters quotes I like (from memory): 'I wish cab drivers would stop trying to talk to me about how the Orioles are doing. I mean I don't get in their cabs and start talking about those early Fassbinder movies I like.' 'The first time I went to a gay bar I said, "I may be gay, but I'm not this."'
But look how influential it was with all these RU-vid videos using memes to punctuate their sentences. It’s basically what Myra did with all its clips from old movies
@@TomYaz I mean, that's kind of exactly to my point: that JW--- even at 23 or 24--- would have *transformed it* into *his style.* :) Speaking of style points, it suddenly occurs to me that the John Waters of 1970 might've been doing LESS ACID--- than the guy who made "Myra Breckinridge"! :D
@@HamishDownie :) I've heard that stylistic point offered about "MB" on many, many occasions, and my honest response is: Edward D. Wood Jr. :D You could give him just as much *"credit"!* :D
"She was living in a single room with three other individuals One of them was male and the other two Well, the other two were females God only knows what they were up to in there And furthermore, Susan, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to learn That all four of them habitually smoked marijuana cigarettes Reefers"
I remember when I first heard the line, after listening to Sublime for years. I felt like I had unlocked the secrets of the universe in that very moment. Also, "This is my happening and it freaks me out!" solidified it. I have always had a special place in my heart for this movie.
Dun Dun Dun guitar...I knew the movie but knew Sublime song...you really had to seek out the info although they may have put credits on 40 Oz...I'll have to ask Raleigh T Sakers!
I first saw this when I was a cinema usher at the Electric Cinema in London. The other guy working with me had seen it and said tiredly that it was stupid, so I was the one who took the duty of sitting in and watching it. I was knocked out. Like Waters says, the fact that you almost can't tell if it's a joke is what makes it so great. To me it was like a kids show - The Brady Bunch or The Partridge Family - or an Archie comics spinoff about a groovy teen pop group - but with boobs, class A drugs and the craziest ever trans villain. It's almost as if it's been made by someone who doesn't even know it's not OK to put those things in a movie for kids. The result is a sublime experience. It overwhelms you. Plus it has the great chess/paralysis joke at the end when the guy in the wheelchair says, 'I can't move.'
John Waters is right (as usual) about this one. This is one hell of a wild and crazy exploitation movie. The music is sensational - and crazy. Ebert's screenplay does top his reviews - and it's crazy. The acting is godawful - over-the-top crazy. The costumes are priceless - pret-a-porter crazy. The finale is crazier than crazy. As much as I like BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, I still think Russ Meyer's best movie remains FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL! KILL! because it's the craziest drive-in movie ever made! Cheers John and let's have another!
I watched this when I was ten years old. And, if adults didn’t get it when it came out, and young people don’t get it now, imagine how confused I was. I’ve never taken a drug in my life, but I felt like what I imagine an acid trip is like.
I love "Valley of the Dolls". So campy! I've only ever heard Rodger Ebert helped write the sequel, now I'll have to watch it. Oh, and John Waters is a total sweetheart. I met him at a book signing. After three hours of signing books before I had my turn, he was so considerate and thoughtful. We chatted for a moment before he signed the next book.
An incredible film, and what a treat to hear John talk about it. I love the old shots of LA in the film. The internationalism style of architecture, the smog.....
As a huge Russ Meyer fan, this one is the pride of my DVD collection. "Josie and the Pussycats" takes on a new look... not to mention Phil Spector. Russ ROCKS.
@@misterpricklyno. Josie and the Pussycats was already in production when this movie came out. What this movie may have inspired was Hanna-Barbera’s removal of the live-action song segments that had been shot for the show. The show was supposed to be 5% live action, like the Hardy Boys cartoon show.
@@chillrhino Beyond the Valley of the Dolls has never been difficult because it's 20th Century Fox. But his other films which he owned the rights to have been out of print for a long time. Because he didn't have any family, I think he gave the rights to his former secretary or something in his will, and she doesn't want to re-release them.
Id call it a genre of making what would have been a grade Z movie into a grade A movie by doing it with style. In other words like having Orson Wells direct Plan 9 From Outer Space. Which is a what made that scene in Ed Wood so great. Having Orson and Ed finding common ground.
Steve Buscemi must must MUST play John Waters in a movie (that is deeply honest from start of life to today) that is directed by a MAJOR GREAT director like Scocesse with John's involvement directly with the script. It's SO overdue to do John's life story because it's ALSO about cinema itself. But I want to see early childhood, teens, college, and to adulthood so we care for this amazing, awesome weirdo hero. Itll be an American classic if Scorsese directs it. Steve is the ONLY man who could play the part. Tarantino could NAIL it too. Style. Scocesse would get the core story right. Tarantino would make it a party. My gut says Scocesse, but John should make that decision if it goes down. And NO, john shouldnt direct it. Why? He will get to be blown away by another artist looking at him with dignity, respect and humor. And if you do it right? If it has a heart and is funny like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood yet also hard and personally sad with courage and truth? You've made a masterpiece. Which John deserves, you little awesome, awesome creative Roger Corman-esk lovely werido. Big, big budget. Dont care when it breaks even. It'll have a shelf life for decades and get rewatched and repurchased endlessly. Plus, you can make MAGA squirm. Divine will make them implode. You just don't need to SHOW the pee-pee and the caca to sneakily get to em and maybe make a few laugh really really hard and CHANGE. The story NEEDS to be about JOHN. That's the key. Borderline Forest Gump meets Valley of the Dolls meets Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (which is THE most LA film I've ever seen). Stay away from Paul Thomas Anderson and a Boogie Nights feel because it would be terrible in that style and in his hands. That ain't the answer. Be careful what you show; not what you say. Dialog. It's gotta move out like the fastest fast car yet not lose John and the story of cinema struggle along the way.
The first time I saw “Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls” was in 1970 at a movie theater in San Francisco where I was a college student. It was also the first time I took LSD, although I took an extremely small dose so I wasn’t hallucinating much at all, but I definitely felt really happy and excited to see the movie. I had loved “Valley Of The Dolls” because it was so bad it was good (the exception being Sharon Tate who was stunning and you really cared about her character), so I was expecting this movie to be campy in the same way. However, this movie was so insane that wasn’t sure if I was seeing it as it really was. My friends and I went again the a few days later to see it and I wasn’t on anything and realized it actually was just as I’d seen it. Even now it still stands the test of time for being so bad that it’s great. And some of the dialogue in the movie should be on t-shirts or bumper stickers because it’s so hilarious or sick. Who would ever say “you’ll drink the black sperm of my vengeance!”????
actually, if I can remember it was in 1969 that I saw the previews . Also, Paul Morrisey's Blue movie came out with the first adult feature with actual sex, minus the close-up and money shots. Russ Meyers was hoping for an r rating, but due to the violence, it was given an x rating.
i saw BTVOTD in 1999 at age 15, and i was not confused. i was more shocked than anything else. i just couldn’t believe what i was watching, but i loved every minute of it. It was unlike anything i had ever seen up to that point. Especially for a 1970 movie, and i had seen a lot of different movies in the 90s. By the time Z Man bared his breasts, i was completely floored.
I don't believe this was meant to be a deliberate parody; tongue in cheek (and ear in Edy Williams' case), to be sure, but the filmmakers were clearly trying to make a hip new soap opera for a hip new generation without TV's restrictions. There's deliberate camp and unintentional camp: this movie manages to be be both. It got an X rating because of the lesbian sex.
I remember I saw this like 25 years ago on Cinemax and I was like, "This clearly some crazy 60s/70s shit!" Also, X-rated...GTFO. This was R, sure, but come on...barring a couple moments of gore, and copious nudity, I have seen FAR more graphic.
i was really hoping in the Criterion copy of this film that there would be John Waters would doing a full-length commentary as he has done for "Mommy Dearest", and "Boom!" but sadly no...though there is an interview with him which is this, I guess. he's always a joy to listen to, and his commentaries for his own films make it feel like you're getting 2 movies for the price of one, they're that entertaining.
I was just watching this film again after 15 years and I thought to myself "I'd love to know what John Waters thinks of this film!" and then I immediately found this video. I could watch the whole film again with his commentary.
I have to disagree the movie had got not a thing to do with Transgender it was called Transsexual way way back into those times once this film was and if the real director Russ Meyer heard someone saying it he would cuss up the storm. now I will admit the ending was really creepy especially when the guys had womens breast which it sure blew my mind when I use to watch it before But! the guys having a wild life for being in a rock band that sure said it all
I just watched Polyester for the first time last night and I could tell it took inspiration from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Loved it. Wild this vid gets uploaded and recommended to me the very same day.
I wonder why John didn't mention he was friends with Meyer. I seem to remember reading about him in Waters' book Crackpot. Also, why is Edy Williams always left out. She deserves her own documentary.
I think it was The Village Voice that titled the New York Russ Meyer film festival in the early 80s as "Berlin Alexandertits", almost as great as the NY Post news item "Headless Woman Found In Topless Bar", or is that just an urban legend?
Actually the X rating may have actually helped the movie at the time, It added a bit of scandal and naughtiness that audiences were craving. Unlike the deplorable, horrible, rotten Myra Breckinridge that Fox released around the same time, people seemed to be talking about Beyond.. while in theaters. Also when both movies were released on a double feature (remember them) many patrons walked out on Breckinridge but stayed for the Meyer
It's been too long since I've treated myself to a viewing of this priceless sh!tshow. Maybe perfect for this weekend after Mosswood Meltdown? (and... I absolutely love that Waters still does this awesome little festival after all these years.)
Long time favorite and a litmus test for what I can (or can’t) watch with friends. Lots of people are still confused. John Waters’ friends are clearly more evolved in their humor and or camp. Posting this for you.
Roger Ebert had been attacked for it because he wrote the script but he always defended it saying “ Beyond The Valley of the Dolls “ is a very funny movie “
I find this movie to be reactionary and conservative in its message,as the bisexual,lesbian and non-white characters wind up dead and the homicidal villain is a transgender man.
When I saw this I thought it was the craziest funniest thing I ever saw. It was awesome. Watching it it’s like can this get crazier and then it keeps going. The story and the story telling is nuts. This is easily one of the most fun crazy things ever created. To Russ and Roger easily two thumbs up.
FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL KILL! Is easily my favorite RM movie. This one is one of my least favorite. I found it painfully boring. I get what people dig about it, but it just didn't connect with me.
I saw Beyond the Valley of the Dolls years ago and it was one of those movies that utterly surprised me. Beyond the Valley is a tricky movie because it was a hybrid/ blended film. It was satire and arch camp done largely as a straightforward dramatic film. Waters is probably right when he talked about the audience not getting this I knew Roger Ebert who came to my hometown film festival for years and interviewed and talked to him a number of times. I never brought up this movie. Ever
Roger Ebert - Pulitizer-prize-winning movie critic and movie "expert" - wrote Beyond the Valley of the Dolls... Just shows that those who can do and those who can't critique.
