Every year, there are many great films released into theatres. But it seems that the majority of them have no real staying power. Are we gonna look back on them twenty years from now and feel the same? More than likely, the answer is no. It is very rare to find a film that impacts you so much that it almost becomes a part of who you are. And for me, "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is that film.
"Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" was director Russ Meyer's first film for a major studio. Film critic Roger Ebert wrote the screenplay. In a nutshell, the film is about an all-girl rock group called, The Kelly Affair, and their rise to stardom and the downward spiral that success sometimes brings. Each member, battling their own weakness', forgetting who they hurt on the way to the top, and never knowing if they will find their true selves again.
I'll never forget my first experience watching the film. It was 4:00am and I was ready to go to sleep. My friend had recommended I rent a film called "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls". He had never seen it either but heard nothing but praise for it. I was just gonna set it up to tape while I went to sleep. The movie started and in less then thirty seconds, I was completely hooked. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. It defies a genre classification, being part drama, part comedy, part musical, part suspense, and part social satire. The characters and the dialogue are unforgetable. They are strong, believable characters you really learn to care about and want to see them succeed. We see their rise to the top and we see their descent. We laugh, cry, and sing-a-long with them wanting to savor every moment of their screen time.
With this page, I want to bring "BTVOTD" into the spotlight once again. During it's origional theatrical run in 1970, it wasn't treated fairly by the studio because it was smacked with an "X" rating. But regardless of the rating, the film grew into it's own and earning profit for the studio that basically turned it's back to them. With enough interest, this film could earn a grand Special Edition DVD release. But the audience has to make itself known. I just hope that I can help make this possible.