Beyond the Valley of the Dolls poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Dolly Read, Cynthia Myers, Marcia McBroom, John La Zar, Michael Blodgett ... see more see more... , David Gurian , Edy Williams , Erica Gavin , Phyllis Davis , Harrison Page , Duncan McLeod , Charles Napier , Henry Rowland , Robin Bach , Sebastian Brook , Mary Carroll , Joseph Cellini , The Strawberry Alarm Clock , Pam Grier , Haji , Jim Iglehart , Heath Jobes , Marshall Kent , John Logan , Bebe Louie , Ashley Phillips , Lavelle Roby , Karen A. Smith , Coleman Francis , Ian Sander , Frank Corsentino , Bruce McBroom , Stan Ross , Bert Santos , John LaZar , James Inglehart

After nearly a decade as one of America's most successful independent filmmakers, legendary sexploitation auteur Russ Meyer first reached out for the brass ring of major studio success with this frant... read more read more...ic cult favorite, once described by Meyer and screenwriter Roger Ebert as "the first exploitation-horror-camp-musical." Kelly McNamara (Dolly Read), Casey Anderson (Cynthia Myers), and Petronella Danforth (Marcia McBroom) are the three members of an all-girl rock band called "the Kelly Affair" who pull up stakes for Hollywood in search of stardom; they're accompanied by their manager, Harris Allsworth (David Gurian), who also happens to be Kelly's boyfriend. Kelly has an aunt in Hollywood, fashion mogul Susan Lake (Phyllis Davis), who takes Kelly under her wing and informs her she's entitled to a share of a recent family inheritance, much to the chagrin of Susan's lawyer, the shifty Porter Hall (Duncan McLeod). Susan arranges for Kelly and her bandmates to attend a wild party thrown by Ronnie "Z-Man" Barzell (John La Zar), a flamboyant and very successful record producer; Z-Man renames the band "the Carrie Nations," signs them to a record deal, and they're one of the biggest acts in America practically overnight. However, Harris is pushed out of the picture as the band's manager by Z-Man, and as Kelly's boyfriend by actor and gigolo Lance Rocke (Michael Blodgett), sending Harris into a deep depression even after he becomes the new boy-toy of adult film star Ashley St. Ives (Edy Williams). Meanwhile, Petronella finds love with law student Emerson Thorne (Harrison Page) until her head is turned by heavyweight boxing champion Randy Black (Jim Iglehart), and Casey explores her sexual boundaries with Roxanne (Erica Gavin), a beautiful lesbian designer. This nonstop train of decadence, drugs, and betrayal finally comes off the rails during a drug-fueled orgy at Z-Man's mansion, which erupts into violence when the rock mogul's darkest secret is revealed. Featuring one-hit wonders the Strawberry Alarm Clock, supporting performances by Meyer regulars Charles Napier and Haji, and a bit part from future blaxploitation icon Pam Grier, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls proved to be Meyer's biggest box-office success, though after his next film (The Seven Minutes) bombed at the box office, he returned to independent production in 1973. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

70% liked it

7,630 ratings

Critics

68% liked it

22 critics

NC-17, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Russ Meyer

Release Date: June 17, 1970

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: June 13, 2006

Stats: 753 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Poster Ronnie 'Z-Man' Barzell Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Upload a Photo | View All Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (753)

  • ajv2688
    December 13, 2010
    ajv2688
    This movie is a semi spoof of Valley of the Dolls, and it's very funny. The girls find themselves in crazy situations, there's a lot of crazy orgy parties, and the characters are crazy too. A classic cult film, check it out, I love it.
  • FilmFanatik
    November 27, 2009
    FilmFanatik
    Absolutley insane and bizarre. I loved it!
  • ceWEBrity
    July 13, 2008
    ceWEBrity
    I have no idea what the fuck I just watched, but I kind of loved it. This is High Camp, effortless and energetic and unironically involving. I was totally submerged in the bizarre plot until the last ten minutes or so, which I think is an incredible triumph on Russ Meyer's part, ... read moreuntil I realized that a woman was being chased around by a breasted man in a cape calling himself Superwoman. There are some things that you simply CAN'T suspend disbelief for, but the movie isn't any weaker for it...it just kicks it back to camp land.

    Beyond the Valley of the Dolls will probably have zero crossover appeal to anyone who doesn't like shitty movies, which makes me sad. I wouldn't even try to initiate a friend with this, either. The drop into awfulness is very steep and played almost totally straight, which I really admire Dolls for. The only irony you find in the movie is blink-and-you'll-miss-them lines to the audience. I read an interview that Roger Ebert, who wrote the movie, did with someone, in which he claimed that he wrote the film as a parody of violent shitty movies, and the interviewer replied "did the director know this?"

    Apparently not. And that is good.
  • Beefy
    May 8, 2008
    Beefy
    I was not prepared for how awesome this movie was, nor had I realized how many films I have seen were clearly inspired by it.
  • harrycaul
    January 19, 2008
    harrycaul
    How Russ Meyer ever managed to steer this film through a major studio (20th Century Fox) is nothing short of miraculous. It's an hilarious, ultra-camp, rags-to-riches soap opera about a girl-group trying to break into the music scene in L.A. Of course, it's pretty tame by modern ... read morestandards but its nudity, drug references, violence and general perverseness must have been startling in its day. The fashions, music and language of the movie are hysterically dated now, but that only adds to the charm. Acting honours go to John LaZar as Z-Man, Cynthia Myers as Casey, the disillusioned lesbian, and Duncan McLeod as Porter Hall, the slimy lawyer. Russ Meyer made some great independent movies but "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is a fascinating glimpse of the mainstream career he never had, and of the subversive masterpieces he might have made within the studio system.
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    September 11, 2007
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    Way better than I expected.
  • garyX
    July 13, 2007
    garyX
    The retro kitsch of Russ Meyer films has enjoyed a cult following amongst the po-mo crowd for some time now, much of it undeserved. His tacky mix of sensationalism and gratuitously over-sized mammaries is usually outright trash, but once in a while (Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! i... read morencluded) it actually works. This bizarre cross between rock expose, soap opera and twisted serial killer movie is in turns hilarious, disturbing and absurd. Definitely one for a group of like-minded friends and a copious amount of booze.
  • webalina
    June 30, 2007
    webalina
    An huge steaming pile of crap, with a screenwriting credit by none other than film reviewer Roger Ebert. He claims it was all a big joke now, but I wonder if maybe he's just saying that now to defend himself from more criticsim. I've giving it more than one star just for the camp... read moreiness and B-movie weirdness of it all. Take this film, add your wackiest friends and copious amounts of alcohol, and enjoy.
  • jjnxn
    June 16, 2007
    jjnxn
    strange to say the least, starts as a lot of silly fun but goes downhill by the end.
  • mjgildea
    November 12, 2006
    mjgildea
    This is easily one of the most ridiculous movies I've seen in my life but it's so funny and entertaining to the point of absurdity.

View All Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
December 17, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

This trashy, gaudy, sound-stage vulgarity about low life among the high life is as funny as a burning orphanage. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 9, 2005
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Any movie that Jacqueline Susann thinks would damage her reputation as a writer cannot be all bad. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls isn't -- which is not to say it is any good. Full Review

Michael Musto
November 19, 2002
Michael Musto, Village Voice

A psychedelic wow that serves up the free love, plunging necklines, androgynous boys, and lusty lezzies of the era with a narcotized abandon. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Although it would not be appropriate for me to review it or give it a star rating, I offer the following observations written for Film Comment magazine on the occasion of the movie's 10th anniversary ... Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
June 15, 2008
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

A funky, wonky, and entertaining jolt into the decade that bred free loving, hipster rockers, and hippies... Full Review

Tim Brayton
February 25, 2008
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy

The very definition of self-conscious camp, certainly not Art but much too intelligent for Trash. Full Review

December 17, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

An outrageously entertaining cult classic, and probably one of the most bizarre movies ever produced by a major Hollywood studio. Full Review

Kim Newman
February 14, 2007
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine

Russ Meyer does mainstream, kind of. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
December 28, 2006
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

One of the strangest and wildest cult flicks to be ever financed by a major studio (Fox), this sequel has not aged well but it serves as a time capsule to its era. Full Review

Kevin Carr
July 19, 2006
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is one of the most incomprehensible films I have ever seen. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Foxy Brown
    Foxy Brown (100%)
  • Barbarella
    Barbarella (75%)
  • Hedwig and the Angry Inch
    Hedwig and the Angry Inch (100%)
  • Sweet Movie
    Sweet Movie (50%)

More Movies like Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Beyond the Valley... : Watch Free on TV

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Trivia

  • In witch film is an adult drama film starring Dolly Read?  Answer »
  • Identify the movie from the following quote (aside from an Austin Powers movie): "It's my happenin', baby, and it freaks me out!" ***HINT*** it appeared in something 27 years before Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was released.  Answer »
  • This director is known for such films as "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!", "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" and "Vixen".   Answer »
  • "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is the sequal to "The Valley of the Dolls".  Answer »
More Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Beyond the Valley of the Dolls to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?