It's weird in a way that the biggest film critic in the world, Robert Ebert written one of the stupidest movies ever. I know it's probably cliché for me to say this, but it is a movie made by Roger Ebert, so I'd just like to say that I give, 'Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls' two thumbs down. It just doesn't look like something Ebert of today would do, even if it's supposed to be a 'parody'. Then again, it was the early 70s, so the young Robert Ebert must be a pervert on drugs. Thank God, he became a critic, instead. This schlock melodrama was supposed to be a sequel to 1967's Valley of the Dolls, but author Jacqueline Susann didn't want no part of it. As a result, the studio placed a disclaimer at the beginning of the film informing the audience that the two films were not intended to be connected. If they really wanted to make sure, it wasn't relate to the other film. Why didn't they just change the title of the film?! Wouldn't that be better than putting a disclaimer? So Ebert and director Russ Meyer retold the movie in a parody of the first movie. The movie became a satire of Hollywood conventions, genres, situations, dialogue, characters and success formulas, heavily overlaid with such shocking violence. The story is about all-girl rock band Kelly MacNamara (Dolly Read), Casey Anderson (Cynthia Myers), and Petronella "Pet" Danforth (Marcia McBroom) who travel to Los Angeles to find success, but instead find themselves in a world of sex, drugs, violence, and rock & roll. None of the actress could play or sing, and you can pretty much tell. At less, have one that has talent, rather than them stripping their clothes off. The movie is a pure acid trip as the characters over-act, and there is nudity everywhere and violent everywhere. It didn't help that the Sharon Tate murders happens just a year ago when this movie came out. Not only was it disrespect to Sharon Tate who star in the original Valley of the Dolls, but makes fun of her murders as well. It supposed to be nightmarish world of Show Business, but it's seem like hippies just doing downers or 'dolls' and being stupid. The film was badly put together as the film makes no sense. There is little to no plot that the movie meanders from meaningless scene to meaningless scene. There is a big twist in the end of the film, which is pretty shocking, but the movie ruins it by having the first scene show most of the events. You pretty much knew what was going to happen. When the film got a X-rating, rather than putting more of a story in the film, director Meyer's response was attempt to re-edit the film to insert more nudity and sex, but Fox wanted to get the movie released quickly and wouldn't give him the time. Who does that? It's weird in a way that the film characters were based upon real people at the time such as Muhammad Ali (Randy Black) and Phil Spector (Ronnie "Z-Man" Barzell) despite Russ and Ebert never meeting them at the time. The only good thing that came from this movie is it probably inspired some girls to form rock bands at the time when there were almost none at all. Supposedly this movie inspired a young woman name Joan Jett to form a band at the time. Altogether, the film is full of unbelievable dialogue, pointless gratuitous nudity, over the top cheesy violence, and campy drug scenes. Not worth the time and money buying this. The movie ask me one question, how on earth did Robert Ebert even became a critic by producing some trash? Still, Robert Ebert RIP. You will be miss.
Review of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
