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You either love Russ Meyer's garishly sexist movies about bodacious babes and priapic men or you find them utterly disgusting. The response to his work is that clear-cut. This film, which features a screenplay by critic Roger Ebert, barely qualifies as a sequel to the film based on Jacqueline Susann's trashy bestseller. Rather, it's a broad, trashy remake on its own terms about what happens to a trio of female rock musicians when they leave the Midwest and head for Hollywood. Sex, drugs, murder--the only thing it doesn't have is cannibalism, the gold standard when it comes to trashy entertainment. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (55)

IT'S EXTREME! OUTRAGEOUS!! Of Course, It's Russ Meyer!!!
"Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is released in Japan as "Wild Party," and the latter title might have told you everthing you see in it; and the director is Russ Meyer, famous for his movies like "Faster Pussycat, Kill!, Kill!" and "Vixen"..... Oh, if you haven't seen them, you can guess the contents, I'm sure.

Actually, "Beyond," which major studio 20th Century Fox asked Meyer to direct, is less outrageous, considering the track record this cult director had made, and was going to make. But still, for ordinary people, it is a shocking experience to see almost every genre is mixed in it: love story (too corny one), a sucess story (of Josie and the Pussycats-like rock band, I mean it), and even a gory horror movie (with the sound of 20th Century Fox's trademark fanfare, and Richard Wagner's classic you have heard in Coppola's very famous film!). And within less than 2 hours!!

However, remember, those were the days. Don't take anything too seriously. Besides, the soundtrack is great and if you like those songs of 1960s, you will love it. My favorite is "Candy Man," an Animals-type song, and believe it or not, in Japan they released a single cut from the soundtrack with the credit of Carrie Nations, the fictional band Dolly Read and others play in "Beyond." Oh, I almost forgot to say, you have a glimpse of "Strawberry Alarm Clock," psychedelic rock band that got the No.1 of the Billboard Chart with their "Incense and Peppermint," which you heard in "Austin Powers." They play it here, but sorry, it's lip-sync. And look for Pam Grier (credited as Pamela Grier), of "Jackie Brown."

Enjoy the extremism of filmmaking, I dare you.

(Technical thing: as the original film was shot in cinemascope, and Russ Meyer uses the screen wide, some scenes lose the impact on TV's small screen. Still, there is unmistakeably Russ Meyer's touch here and there in the movie. Don't miss it.)

Cult classic on decadent LA lifestyle and human nature
No, this isn't a sequel to the horrid movie adapatation of Jacqueline Susann's Valley Of The Dolls. While an in-name-only sequel, it's actually different and better as a result. No Sharon Tate giving a wooden performance, no Patty Duke overracting at the very end,... this is an interesting cult classic. Originally given an X, the revised NC-17 rating is due to the many sex scenes, including a few lesbian scenes. It's tame by today's standards, but still has some bite.

So enter the story of the Kelly Affair, Kelly on lead vocals and guitar, Casey on bass, Pet on drums, and Harris their manager and Kelly's boyfriend, playing 60's hippy rock. They go to LA hoping for a break, hopefully with help from Kelly's aunt, Susan Lake, a big name in fashion advertising, who turns out to be a truly nice person, perhaps too nice. Their break comes from Ronnie Barzell, aka "Z-Man," music promoter and host of lavish parties where all the swingers and wild people come together- This is my happening and I 'm freaking out!E Barzell speaks in a dramatic Shakespearean patter: "Observe yon quiet corner. In an island of tranquility in this sea of revelry, languid Roxanne finds that pinch of feminine spice with which she often plays in her interlude." or "Beware, fair maiden, of Emerson Thorne, under that friendly mask, inside that innocent shell, lies fermenting the unholy seed of desire." Roxanne is a fashion designer and Thorne is Z-man's busboy by night, but an aspiring law student by day. And Kelly is stunned to see so many couples making out liberally in bed or in the pool.

One thing for sure--changing the group's name from The Kelly Affair to The Carrie Nations was a good move on Z-Man's part and thanks to him, they become stars, but Harris gradually feels left out, driving him into the arms of Ashley St. Ives, a seductive, sexually insatiable blonde with a predatory smile, a "priestess of carnality" (porn star) who has a penchant for having sex other than in bed. As for the others, Pat and Emerson become a couple, as do Kelly and Lance Rock, a smug-looking pretty boy with "golden hair, bedroom eyes, the firm young body, these are the tools which he plies his trade." Casey too finds someone. Guess who, though?

However, not all is sunny in this paradise. Porter Hall, Susan's slimy stuff-shirted lawyer, does not like Kelly or any part of the scene and enjoys putting people down. Indeed, a montage of scenes and a variety of voices describes the many faces of LA: noisy, classy, smog, lousy traffic, cold and cruel, cultured, phony city, ... it's all these things. When things start to go wrong, Kelly finally realizes something: "You're racing through life full steam ahead, not giving a damn, and something happens to make you stop short, and you realize it's people that count."

As for the music done by the trio, it's 60's rock early on, such as "Find It" and "Come With The Gentle People," sung during their trip via Interstate 40, but the vocals seem to have been done by black artists. Kelly's speaking voice simply doesn't match. And The Strawberry Alarm Clock perform "Incense And Peppermints," "A Girl From The City", and "I'm Going Home" at Z-Man's party.

Dolly Read (Kelly) resembles Rene Bond, the cute cheeks and smile. Erika Gavin (Roxanne) has also appeared in Erika's Hot Summer and also in Jonathan Demme's Caged Heat. Cynthia Myers (Casey) is simply stunning, resembling a warmer hippy version of Sophia Loren with long brown hair. John LaZar really scores as Z-Man, flashy with clothes, words, and lifestyle, but so does Phyllis Davis as the blindly kind Susan.

The decadent, groovy 60's lifestyle and clothes ("Q-U-A-N-T in London"), lingo ("groovy, man!, "you dig?", don' t bogart the jointE are still evident in this era long gone. Everyone is a freak, as Casey says, depending on the crowd they hang out with, be it pot, downers, juice, pick one. But there are some pearls of wisdom to be learned, to quit living in yesterday lest one loses sight of tomorrow, that those who only take pay the highest price, and "excessive kindness blinds us to the failings of those less perfect." A sexy but heartbreaking/warming drama, love, mystery, and music movie that's one of a kind, written by Roger Ebert, yes, that one!

This movie is so 1970
Worst thing that can happen to an already-bad movie is that it becomes dated, and alas, that's what became of "BVD". So we get wooden acting and a howlingly bad script right alongside "square", "groovy", and bad color reproduction. They tried to work a rock band somewhere into this movie, but it all seems to have gotten lost in the mess of flamboyant scenery-chewing and several women with bubble hair missing their cues.

The "racy" stuff this film is famous for has not endured the march of time, and even the creepy part at the end (...)is of little shock value in our modern world brimming with "transgenders".

Lastly, the tacked-on moralizing sequence at the end of the flick effectively nullifies everything that occurs in the movie up to that point, sort of a "don't try this at home" band-aid for a Hollywood too cowardly to take a "chance" on this release.

A Movie That Takes Risks and Attempts To Make A Statement
"Beyond The Valley of the Dolls" is a movie that was made over 30 years ago but is still enjoyable to watch today. I truly admire this film, Roger Eberts writing and the direction of Russ Meyer just make this film unique and amazing. At some points the film can be so dramatic and at other times so light hearted. The film also set some trends, like the African American woman at Z Mans party with the gold rhinestone eye shadow decoration, everyone thought Alicia Keys was doing something new when she wore rhinestones on her eyelids to the Grammy's and then all these rappers talking about Bentley's the one woman in the movie was talking about how a Rolls is better than a Bently.

This movie is awesome for so many reasons. For one its 2004 and we will never see a movie on the big screen that takes so many risks. How many movies are there where the White and African American characters have true friendships and both characters have developed story lines? It was the 60's and Ebert and Meyers weren't afraid to bring taboos like sexual orientation, well let me not be a spoiler.

The women were so beautiful, Casey, Pet and Kelly. They had bodacious bodies and big hair and perfect make-up. They lived life so carefree. The underlying storyline about the money was never really resolved but so much was going on in that flick.

It's a really great movie and it's funny because at the end, the very end they try to be moral and tie it all together and make a social statement. This is a wild and crazy trip of a movie and I catch something new everytime I watch it. As a writer and a one time aspiring film maker movies like this one make me want to go out and take risks.

ONE OF THE GREATEST CULT CLASSIC MOVIES YOU CAN WATCH
THREE FEMALE MUSICIANS GET FAMOUS AND BEGIN TO GET INTO THE BAD HABITS OF THE HOLLYWOOD LIFESTYLE. FOR A SOFT-CORE MOVIE, THIS ACTUALLY HAS A LITTLE PLOT AND THE ACTING AIN'T REALLY BAD. HAS GOOD SEX SCENES AND IT HAS A CRAZY FINALE, WHICH ADDS A WHOLE LOT TO THIS MOVIE. THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO ''THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS'', IN CASE YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Low Budget But Worth Every Penny
Van Damme portrays a streetfighter who gets caught up in the middle of a raw fighting hard hitting circuit.He keeps fighting to raise money for his brothers family who needs the money or they'll become homeless.The storyline is cheap and the flick itself is low budget but the fight scenes are supurb and the acting on Van Dammes part is excellent.In my opinion of course this movie is the greatest low budget action film available on the market today,if you like martial-arts films instead of explosions and basic killing spree action films than lionheart is your ticket to everything you want to see...Enjoy!

Another amazing van damme movie...WHAT A SHOCKER!!!
Let me just say....this is one of VAN DAMME's cheeziest but amazing movies other than kickboxer, bloodsport, and double impact.. But cheezy is good in this case... Van DAmme escapes from a military base in North Africa...and arrives in L.A. To visit his dead brothers wife. Since he is broke when arrived to L.A. he has to fight in order to make a living....!!! WHat a great Plot...so far.... Later on in the movie he becomes close with his brothers wife...and stays in L.A. The Action is pretty cool with good fight scenes....IF ur a true Van damme Fan you would buy this even if u never saw it....I mean just look at the cover for goodness sake!!!

Great fight scenes
This is one of Van Damms best. After hearing of his brothers death in America, Van Damm escapes the legeon in Africa to head for Los Angeles were he becomes a fighter in a no-holds-barred underground fighting circuit to raise money for his sister in law an his neese. There are many fights in different settings, wearhouses, parking garrages, fitness studios etc. I love the fight were Van Damm and another in shape guy have to fight at a pool party with lots of beutifull women standing around wearing nothing but G-string bikinis. The two must fight in an empty inground swimming pool with just a couple of feet of water in the deep end. they fight in speedos and bare feet. After a good fight Van Damm finally knocks the poor guy out cold in the water and draggs his lifeless body out of the water so he wont drown as the crowd of onlooker surounding the pool cheer for him. Personally, I would have rather he left me in the water to drown than to have to wake up and face all of those beutifull bikini clad women that I just got my you know what kicked in front of. In the end Van Damm fights the champion for enough prize money to make his family financially secure for life. Great movie.

One of Van Damme's VERY BEST-The Legionnaire Avenger
Do not be misguided by the fact that this movie was shot back in 1989, and thus be led to assume that this is another one of the low budget, b-movies that Van Damme used to make in the 1980's.

AWOL/Lionheart, is arguably his best film ever.

The story begins in what is a typical modern Legion Etrangere camp somewhere in North Africa. Van Damme plays a ranker soldier, Leon, who is serving in one of the Legion's crack North African detachments. Here, we get the very rare glimpse of what is like to be a modern Legionnaire: Both the scenery and camp are very realistic, rigid discipline prevalent, with emphasis being put on the soldiers' perfect fitness through physical training and manual labour.

Suddenly, Leon receives a letter from his only brother's wife who lives in the USA, informing him that his brother was beaten to death by some villains, and that she needs someone both to avenge his death and take care of her and her little daughter.

Rigid almost inhuman discipline in the Legion is once again underlined, when Private Leon asks to see his Commanding Officer, an impressive blond Frenchman, every inch a soldier. After hearing the reasons why Pvt. Leon asks for a leave, his CO coolly denies on the grounds that he firstly needs him "down here", and secondly that Pvt. Leon's contract with the Legion excludes furloughs.

From here onwards, the movie ceases to be static, and becomes a fast paced action adventure, as we follow Van Damme's risky escape from the camp to some North African muslim seaport, where he seeks to obtain passage on one of the Merchant Ships there, to the USA. In the meantime, his French CO has reported him as AWOL, and he has ordered two of his best NCO's to locate and return the deserter back to his unit.

Van Damme evades his pursuers, and signs on a 1950's Steam Turbine General Freighter as a Wiper, in order to pay for his passage.

When he finally arrives in the USA, we see him wandering the streets of New York, dressed in Navy fatigues looking for a job. He finally makes his way under a bridge, where the odd black bookmaker is staging a no-holds barred street-fighting tournament of sorts. The bookmaker, seeing Van Damme's incredible physique, suggests that he should fight in the next match in return for a fee. Asking his name, Van Damme replies slowly in French, "LE-ON", whereupon, the bookmaker hears "Lion" and proclaims him the "Lion". Thus, a new street-fighter star is born.

Van Damme, keeps fighting for profit, and his successes attract the attention of a gorgeous Nordic-American female manager, who is organizing fights for the entertainment of the Jet-Set NYC citizens. She falls in love with him, and acting as his manager, arranges his participation in high-class private fighting matches for the rich. Van Damme wins fame and glory, but his mind is always with his dead brother, and his widow and daughter.

After doing a lot of digging, he finally manages to locate his brother widow and daugter, whereupon one of the most touching scenes of the movie take place, when Van Damme meets his brother's daughter and widow, amid hugs and celebration.

But, his pursuers from the Legion, follow close behind, looking for a chance to seize him. Finally, they manage to track him down, in some makeshift arena where Van Damme is about to meet the late World Wrestling Federation Champion Andre the Giant, in a match to the death, which would be the culmination of his career as U.S. fighter. As the match progresses, we see the two Legionnaire NCO's, formerly his bitter enemies, having changed into stalwart supporters of his, witnessing first-hand his bravery and fighting skill.

After the match is over, the French NCO's make themselves known, and take Van Damme into their custody, despite his brother's widow protests. Then follows the most touching scene in the film, with Van Damme hugging his brother's daughter, tears flowing in his eyes. The scene is so compelling, that even the tough French Legionnaires, after looking each other, cannot avoid to shed the odd tear.

After putting Van Damme in the car, the French NCO's drive only about half a mile down the road, when the car stops suddenly, and Van Damme is set free, in order to return to his dead brother's family.

A truly great movie, one of Van Damme's few movies, which I enjoyed seeing over and over again. The movie will be loved by, not only from those who admire the French Foreign Legion, but from martial arts fans as well, not to say anything of Van Damme's fans, who will absolutely love it. It is one of these rarest of the rare low budget movies that, having started with meager resources, by luck and hard work are turned into pearls.

The hero's devotion and love to his only brother, deeply touched me, and I think also struck a chord deep within the souls of all who saw it. I do not think that there is a single man, who would let his dead brother's wife and daughter suffer, no matter if one was half the planet away from the other. Sometimes, duty to the dead brother's family comes first from duty to country.

A truly outstanding movie:buy it.

Van Damme doing his thing
His earlier work is what has always appealed most to me and I was not disappointed with this one. It's kinda cheesy, but it's a Van Damme flick, so what were you expecting?
It's a lot like Bloodsport and Kickboxer in regards to the story line. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Nerd vs. Jock Movie!!
Gary Coleman stars as genuis college student going to college and rooming with a party animal jock trying to adapt to his new lifestyle.It's a must see film!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Nerd vs. Jock Movie!!
Gary Coleman stars as genuis college student going to college and rooming with a party animal jock trying to adapt to his new lifestyle.It's a must see film!! ... Read more

Reviews (38)

cashing in on jurassic park
when this movie was released in the summer of 1993, same summer as 'the other dinosaur movie', I was very curious to see it. but I never acted up on it and instead saw Jurassic Park six times.

so when it was released on video, I decided to check it out. and I'm sure glad I avoided it at the theaters.

I have never read the novel it was based off, but I'm interested to see what changes were made.. the acting is credible, characters somewhat developed... but the effects; if you can call them that, are unconvincing at best.

that is the main reason I watch a dinosaur movie. the special effects. and this movie did not deliver in that field.

the dinosaurs were hand puppets, rod controlled puppets, and a close to full size tyrannosaur animatronic robot. and yes, I could tell when which technique was used and when another was not. the tyrannosaur robot provided the best performance but it was severly underused.

for those who are interested in seeing a gory version of jurassic park, check this one out. just don't expect the same feeling of awe and wonder of spielberg's epic.

Now here's a Dinosaur movie!
This is a favorite movie of mine simply because (A) it's entertaining and (B) there is nothing else like it. Take a vicious pack of phony-but-awesome dinosaurs, morbid black humor, loads and loads of gory violence, creepiness in every shape and form, and a completely outrageous and very original plot, and you would get Carnosaur. I absolutely love this movie. The acting is excellent, the directing is excellent, everything is excellent with the exception of the special effects, which are still very entertaining if not entirely convincing. In the end, the only complaint I had about this movie was that it had almost nothing to do with the original novel by Harry Adam Knight (which I also read and loved). In fact, the only things this movie has to do with the book is that the movie took the basic premise of a mad scientist trying to give the world back to the dinosaurs by mixing fossil dino DNA with chicken DNA to create the beasts and then sick them on humanity. It also borrowed a few of the kill scenes from the novel. That's it. Everything else is changed. This doesn't detract from the enjoyment and thrill factor though, and this movie still is well worth seeing for those who aren't stupid enough to expect Jurrasic Park-like special effects in every dino flick they see, which was, last time I checked, about 90% of the United States population. If you liked this, you might also enjoy the two sequels which are just as much fun, but not as good, original, or dark.

Who knew chickens would bring down mankind?!?!
This is the story about how a crazy female scientist uses chickens in an attempt to destroy mankind. After years of research, she creates a chicken egg that hatches...a dinosaur! This is all nice and quiet and out of the government's reach, but sadly when a truck driver escapes with an egg inside a crate full of chickens. He then proceeds to escape and eat the residents of a southwestern town. The tables have turned! Now it's the chickens' turn to dip humans in sweet-and-sour sauce!

Unfortunately, a drunk and down-and-out construction worker (who is battling local hippies who don't like people moving dirt because, after all, the dirt was here first) discovers bodies and encounters the carnosaur, then goes to meet the scientist who created the thing. He discovers that she has created a plot to destroy mankind. Sadly, all this is after forty-five minutes into the film. The next half hour is the scientist (played by Diane Ladd) blabbering on and on about how humans stink and the planet belongs to the dinosaurs (hey it's not our fault they can't survive one stinkin' meteor!). This made the film absolutely BORING! For the love of god, lady, SHUT UP! I was yelling at our hero to just shoot her so the scene would end! Diane Ladd is no Marlon Brando, and Dr. Tiptree is no Colonel Dax. I think the writer knew he had a cool idea for a sci-fi plot, then just overindulged himself.

The film in general is just bad. Bad affects, horrible filmmaking (Roger, encourage your directors to PLAN their shots), and a script that is creative in it's content but fails to deliver. Yeah the idea was cool and the twist ending surprised me but...it's just a bad script. Maybe it was all the stupid side-jokes like, "Dinosaurs ruling the planet...that would make a great theme park." BOO!!

There is one reason to see this movie: the part where the hippie says to the dinosaur, "Peace, green brother!" Ah, such fine last words...

BITING FUN
Coming on the overwhelming reception for JURASSIC PARK, hence came CARNOSAUR. Long-time b-horror maven Bert I. Gordon got a bigger budget and has delivered a bloody but diverting monster movie.
Brilliant geneticist Diane Ladd has created a virus which she is putting in chickens, so that when they hatch their eggs, they are being sold and unwary citizens are eating the eggs and getting sick, and even worse...won't spoil the plot. Ladd's performance is so coldy calculating that she comes across as one of the most intriguing villainesses in some time.
Raphael Sbarge is a construction maintenance worker who guards the equipment from a group of protesters, wherein he meets Jennifer Runyon (a strong Mariel Hemingway lookalike) and they inevitably fall in love after being saved from the evil Carnosaur.
The dinosaur effects are nowhere near as brilliant as Jurassic's, but they are convincing enough---even when they're munching on someone's arms or legs. Harrison Page as the stalwart sheriff meets his fate in a rather ouch way...
I haven't seen the sequels yet, but this is an above average thrillfest.

Extremely Gory Dinosaur Action/Horror Flick!
PLOT: A mad scientist, Dr. Jane Tiptree (Diane Ladd), has created a virus to wipe out humankind. The virus makes women give birth to carnivorous dinosaurs, who grow up quite fast and begin chomping on people. A security guard named Doc Smith (Raphael Sbarge) and a tree-hugging enviormentalist named Ann Thrush (Jennifer Runyon) find this out and try to stop Dr. Tiptree before it's too late. Color, 83 minutes, Rated R (Extremely graphic violence and language).
REVIEW: I think this was a pretty much okay dinosaur movie. Everything is pretty much good, but the dinosaur effects... well, let's just say they're no Jurassic Park (1993). Since it was made by Roger Corman, it's automatically a B-movie. Also, there is a subplot about government soldiers shooting people left and right just becuase of the virus, which I think is unneeded. Also, this movie is extremely gory, with dinosaurs ripping people to shreds. But, all the violence makes this movie sort of fun. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a great show
the show's creator is working on putting the whole series on DVD and maybe a movie, check the show offical web-site, sledgehammeronline.com

The Comic Genius of Alan Spencer
SLEDGE HAMMER was the work of a comic genius named Alan Spencer who should be demanded to give the public yet another offering in the tradition of this masterpiece of inspired madness. SLEDGE HAMMER ranks right up there with the best works of Mel Brooks and Monty Python. It's a brilliantly sustained satire that DEMANDS RELEASE ON DVD with full commentary from Spencer. I want this show now! America needs it! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Comic Genius of Alan Spencer
SLEDGE HAMMER was the work of a comic genius named Alan Spencer who should be demanded to give the public yet another offering in the tradition of this masterpiece of inspired madness. SLEDGE HAMMER ranks right up there with the best works of Mel Brooks and Monty Python. It's a brilliantly sustained satire that DEMANDS RELEASE ON DVD with full commentary from Spencer. I want this show now! America needs it!

A Funnier Series Never Existed
"Trust Me, I know what I'm doing."
Sledge Hammer is one of those "renegade, rogue" detectives who's police work is a little unothrodoxed by today's standard's. He talks to his "amigo" -- his ivory handled revolver, gives his cheif -- Captian Trunk -- frequent migraines, and is a handful for his partner, Det. Doree Doro. This series was one of the best of the 1980's, very politically incorrect by today's standards but is a series I'd highly reccommend to anybody with an open mind and a sense of humor.

"All Shook Up" as you can guess, deals with a homicide revolving around Elvis Impersonators. ... Read more

Description

Someone killed Mickey?s wife, kidnapped his son?s girlfriend and set up his son with a murder rap - and that someone is a drug and woman-hustling crook called Gideon. Is Mickey going to get him? With a vengeance - and with a Conflict of Interest. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Avoid
There should be a law against this film - it will damage your brain.

A flashback shows how a woman is killed when she is caught in the crossfire between local goons lead by Judd Nelson. Turns out this woman was married to a cop, who, of course, blames himself for her murder.

Fast forward to the present day and the cop's now teenaged son Jason becomes entangled with Judd and his goons-on-loan, after he takes a fancy to Judd's girlfriend Alyssa Milano. So its up to daddy-the-guilt-racked-cop to load his gun and save the day.

Actually the film sounds quite good wrote down, but don't be fooled. The biggest surprise is that Alyssa keeps her clothes on. Then again, she's only on screen for 5 mins.

-- Don't waste your money --

Kickin' ass is the name of the game!
This movie rocked my world. Judd Nelson is an underappreciated, versatile actor who also has a great behind. This was his best performance since Suddenly Susan episode 12. Buy this movie quickly before someone else gets the last one. I have six copies myself. I'm going to use them as Christmas, Hanukkah, birthday and anniversary presents. Buy, buy.

So NOT worth your money
I'm sorry but this film is [junk]. It only gets two stars because I feel sorry for ALYSSA MILANO (why I got the video in the first place). Alyssa is the only one who can act, but shes shoved into a small, unchallening role. You know the storyline - cops wife is killed, cop mopes around, cop goes back to work only to have son framed for another murder. Throw in some guns, topless women (not Alyssa), and pointless sex scenes. The result? The most boring movie of all time. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

IT'S EXTREME! OUTRAGEOUS!! Of Course, It's Russ Meyer!!!
"Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is released in Japan as "Wild Party," and the latter title might have told you everthing you see in it; and the director is Russ Meyer, famous for his movies like "Faster Pussycat, Kill!, Kill!" and "Vixen"..... Oh, if you haven't seen them, you can guess the contents, I'm sure.

Actually, "Beyond," which major studio 20th Century Fox asked Meyer to direct, is less outrageous, considering the track record this cult director had made, and was going to make. But still, for ordinary people, it is a shocking experience to see almost every genre is mixed in it: love story (too corny one), a sucess story (of Josie and the Pussycats-like rock band, I mean it), and even a gory horror movie (with the sound of 20th Century Fox's trademark fanfare, and Richard Wagner's classic you have heard in Coppola's very famous film!). And within less than 2 hours!!

However, remember, those were the days. Don't take anything too seriously. Besides, the soundtrack is great and if you like those songs of 1960s, you will love it. My favorite is "Candy Man," an Animals-type song, and believe it or not, in Japan they released a single cut from the soundtrack with the credit of Carrie Nations, the fictional band Dolly Read and others play in "Beyond." Oh, I almost forgot to say, you have a glimpse of "Strawberry Alarm Clock," psychedelic rock band that got the No.1 of the Billboard Chart with their "Incense and Peppermint," which you heard in "Austin Powers." They play it here, but sorry, it's lip-sync. And look for Pam Grier (credited as Pamela Grier), of "Jackie Brown."

Enjoy the extremism of filmmaking, I dare you.

(Technical thing: as the original film was shot in cinemascope, and Russ Meyer uses the screen wide, some scenes lose the impact on TV's small screen. Still, there is unmistakeably Russ Meyer's touch here and there in the movie. Don't miss it.)

Cult classic on decadent LA lifestyle and human nature
No, this isn't a sequel to the horrid movie adapatation of Jacqueline Susann's Valley Of The Dolls. While an in-name-only sequel, it's actually different and better as a result. No Sharon Tate giving a wooden performance, no Patty Duke overracting at the very end,... this is an interesting cult classic. Originally given an X, the revised NC-17 rating is due to the many sex scenes, including a few lesbian scenes. It's tame by today's standards, but still has some bite.

So enter the story of the Kelly Affair, Kelly on lead vocals and guitar, Casey on bass, Pet on drums, and Harris their manager and Kelly's boyfriend, playing 60's hippy rock. They go to LA hoping for a break, hopefully with help from Kelly's aunt, Susan Lake, a big name in fashion advertising, who turns out to be a truly nice person, perhaps too nice. Their break comes from Ronnie Barzell, aka "Z-Man," music promoter and host of lavish parties where all the swingers and wild people come together- This is my happening and I 'm freaking out!E Barzell speaks in a dramatic Shakespearean patter: "Observe yon quiet corner. In an island of tranquility in this sea of revelry, languid Roxanne finds that pinch of feminine spice with which she often plays in her interlude." or "Beware, fair maiden, of Emerson Thorne, under that friendly mask, inside that innocent shell, lies fermenting the unholy seed of desire." Roxanne is a fashion designer and Thorne is Z-man's busboy by night, but an aspiring law student by day. And Kelly is stunned to see so many couples making out liberally in bed or in the pool.

One thing for sure--changing the group's name from The Kelly Affair to The Carrie Nations was a good move on Z-Man's part and thanks to him, they become stars, but Harris gradually feels left out, driving him into the arms of Ashley St. Ives, a seductive, sexually insatiable blonde with a predatory smile, a "priestess of carnality" (porn star) who has a penchant for having sex other than in bed. As for the others, Pat and Emerson become a couple, as do Kelly and Lance Rock, a smug-looking pretty boy with "golden hair, bedroom eyes, the firm young body, these are the tools which he plies his trade." Casey too finds someone. Guess who, though?

However, not all is sunny in this paradise. Porter Hall, Susan's slimy stuff-shirted lawyer, does not like Kelly or any part of the scene and enjoys putting people down. Indeed, a montage of scenes and a variety of voices describes the many faces of LA: noisy, classy, smog, lousy traffic, cold and cruel, cultured, phony city, ... it's all these things. When things start to go wrong, Kelly finally realizes something: "You're racing through life full steam ahead, not giving a damn, and something happens to make you stop short, and you realize it's people that count."

As for the music done by the trio, it's 60's rock early on, such as "Find It" and "Come With The Gentle People," sung during their trip via Interstate 40, but the vocals seem to have been done by black artists. Kelly's speaking voice simply doesn't match. And The Strawberry Alarm Clock perform "Incense And Peppermints," "A Girl From The City", and "I'm Going Home" at Z-Man's party.

Dolly Read (Kelly) resembles Rene Bond, the cute cheeks and smile. Erika Gavin (Roxanne) has also appeared in Erika's Hot Summer and also in Jonathan Demme's Caged Heat. Cynthia Myers (Casey) is simply stunning, resembling a warmer hippy version of Sophia Loren with long brown hair. John LaZar really scores as Z-Man, flashy with clothes, words, and lifestyle, but so does Phyllis Davis as the blindly kind Susan.

The decadent, groovy 60's lifestyle and clothes ("Q-U-A-N-T in London"), lingo ("groovy, man!, "you dig?", don' t bogart the jointE are still evident in this era long gone. Everyone is a freak, as Casey says, depending on the crowd they hang out with, be it pot, downers, juice, pick one. But there are some pearls of wisdom to be learned, to quit living in yesterday lest one loses sight of tomorrow, that those who only take pay the highest price, and "excessive kindness blinds us to the failings of those less perfect." A sexy but heartbreaking/warming drama, love, mystery, and music movie that's one of a kind, written by Roger Ebert, yes, that one!

This movie is so 1970
Worst thing that can happen to an already-bad movie is that it becomes dated, and alas, that's what became of "BVD". So we get wooden acting and a howlingly bad script right alongside "square", "groovy", and bad color reproduction. They tried to work a rock band somewhere into this movie, but it all seems to have gotten lost in the mess of flamboyant scenery-chewing and several women with bubble hair missing their cues.

The "racy" stuff this film is famous for has not endured the march of time, and even the creepy part at the end (...)is of little shock value in our modern world brimming with "transgenders".

Lastly, the tacked-on moralizing sequence at the end of the flick effectively nullifies everything that occurs in the movie up to that point, sort of a "don't try this at home" band-aid for a Hollywood too cowardly to take a "chance" on this release.

A Movie That Takes Risks and Attempts To Make A Statement
"Beyond The Valley of the Dolls" is a movie that was made over 30 years ago but is still enjoyable to watch today. I truly admire this film, Roger Eberts writing and the direction of Russ Meyer just make this film unique and amazing. At some points the film can be so dramatic and at other times so light hearted. The film also set some trends, like the African American woman at Z Mans party with the gold rhinestone eye shadow decoration, everyone thought Alicia Keys was doing something new when she wore rhinestones on her eyelids to the Grammy's and then all these rappers talking about Bentley's the one woman in the movie was talking about how a Rolls is better than a Bently.

This movie is awesome for so many reasons. For one its 2004 and we will never see a movie on the big screen that takes so many risks. How many movies are there where the White and African American characters have true friendships and both characters have developed story lines? It was the 60's and Ebert and Meyers weren't afraid to bring taboos like sexual orientation, well let me not be a spoiler.

The women were so beautiful, Casey, Pet and Kelly. They had bodacious bodies and big hair and perfect make-up. They lived life so carefree. The underlying storyline about the money was never really resolved but so much was going on in that flick.

It's a really great movie and it's funny because at the end, the very end they try to be moral and tie it all together and make a social statement. This is a wild and crazy trip of a movie and I catch something new everytime I watch it. As a writer and a one time aspiring film maker movies like this one make me want to go out and take risks.

ONE OF THE GREATEST CULT CLASSIC MOVIES YOU CAN WATCH
THREE FEMALE MUSICIANS GET FAMOUS AND BEGIN TO GET INTO THE BAD HABITS OF THE HOLLYWOOD LIFESTYLE. FOR A SOFT-CORE MOVIE, THIS ACTUALLY HAS A LITTLE PLOT AND THE ACTING AIN'T REALLY BAD. HAS GOOD SEX SCENES AND IT HAS A CRAZY FINALE, WHICH ADDS A WHOLE LOT TO THIS MOVIE. THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO ''THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS'', IN CASE YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Politically Incorrect but Outrageously Funny
Do you like "Blazing Saddles" or "Men in Tights"? How about "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"? if you like that humor, you'll live this video.
This is a take off of the Dirty Harry movies, if Clint Eastwood was played by a complete psychotic gun nut that sleeps with his Magnum. Sledge, the main character/cop is played to the hilt and no group is safe from being insulted by this staggering mass of testosterone. And it is a hoot! Thankfully they have a long suffering boss and partner for Hammer to play off of, which only leads to more hilarious situations.
If you enjoy Python or Mel Brooks, you'll love this video. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Comic Genius of Alan Spencer
SLEDGE HAMMER was the work of a comic genius named Alan Spencer who should be demanded to give the public yet another offering in the tradition of this masterpiece of inspired madness. SLEDGE HAMMER ranks right up there with the best works of Mel Brooks and Monty Python. It's a brilliantly sustained satire that DEMANDS RELEASE ON DVD with full commentary from Spencer. I want this show now! America needs it!

GREATEST TV SHOW EVER!!!!
Do you have a diseased sense of humor? Is sarcasm a daily, active part of your life? Do you laugh at the misfortunes of others? Do you like to see cops the way they "REALLY ARE" ??

If so, then you'll LOVE this one!! I had all 30 episodes a few years back and even to this day(15 years later), nothing keeps me rolling on the floor gasping for air more than this one! Your face will be purple laughing so hard you might suffocate.

My advise to you is don't let this opportunity escape you! If you have the opportunity, purchase it. You WON'T be sorry...... ... Read more

Reviews (3)

PUT IT ON DVD!
Sledge Hammer episodes belong on DVD, as one of the greatest cop sitcoms of all time! Put it on DVD!

The Comic Genius of Alan Spencer
SLEDGE HAMMER was the work of a comic genius named Alan Spencer who should be demanded to give the public yet another offering in the tradition of this masterpiece of inspired madness. SLEDGE HAMMER ranks right up there with the best works of Mel Brooks and Monty Python. It's a brilliantly sustained satire that DEMANDS RELEASE ON DVD with full commentary from Spencer. I want this show now! America needs it!

Light, but entertaining retro-show with lots of laughs
This is a great video that is a blast to watch. My three youngest children (6, 7, and 12) love it, too. It's got all levels of humor, with some "out of date jokes (related to that era only)," but it is still very funny. The acting is not the best, but it appears that some of it was intentional. Sledge Hammer is an awesome series, and all the videos should be on DVD. There has never been a comedy quite like it. A Comedy version of Dirty Harry. It's raw, 80's, and innexpensively done, but it is still worth owning. I'm glad I bought it and hope to eventually have the whole series. If you like movies like "Raising Arizona," or Monty Python or Mel Brooks movies, you will most likely enjoy this series, too. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Nerd vs. Jock Movie!!
Gary Coleman stars as genuis college student going to college and rooming with a party animal jock trying to adapt to his new lifestyle.It's a must see film!! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Movie over Jurassic Park
This one of the best dinosaur movies I have ever seen. Not even Jurrasic Park III was this good. A scientist has genetically created velico raptors and 1 tranasaruas rex which you only she for about 15 percent of the film.

This is what happens there is a malfuction on of the laser cords malfuctions. One of the raptor escape gets lose and kills some people. The police man and his girl friend check out the murder.

They trace it to Uniscore were there they are later captured and prision buy Hades a scum bag. He even killed on of his employes because he thought her had lost his vision and forgotten his vision. Hades himself eventually dies is devour at the end by the T-rex after it escape from is storage area.

To make it better like python 1 and 2 and Predator 2 the goverment are inevolved. Hades program at one point has been sponsored by the goverment but after one of the raptors escaped and killed some people abadon the project.

But Hades contiunes to do his research buy getting foreign funding from Iraq. The goverment figures out that he reactivated project and send armed marines on a seek and destroy mission.

Shortly after entering the building the secretary under the sherrif order shuts of the power. By the time the power is turn back on the raptors and the t-rex are loose.

There are two fun parts in the move that rip of Aliens. One when a lady in the chopter turn around there is a rapter in the helicopter it kill her then like in aliens the helicopter hits the ground and blows up instantly.

The other rip of Aliens is at the end when the police officer fight the T-rex

Not as good as the Jurrasic Parks,but its fun
A good movie,but has very poor effects.The dinosaurs look so fake.The Jarrasic Park serries had great effects.Other than that its a very good movie.Good acting and a good plot.One of the most goriest movies ive ever seen.A group of scientest create a lot of raptors and one t-rex.1 of the raptors escapes and kills five locals and two policemen.The shierf and his girlfriend investigates the killings and go check out the building were the dinosaurs were created.The head scientest(Dr.Hyde)is actually rooting for the raptors,and lock them in a room were the raptors will come and eat them.Like in Python 1 and 2 the government are involved and they send about 10 soldiers there to kill the raptors.Before the shierf went to Dr.Hydes labs and got locked up,he told the electric company to turn off the power at exactly 3:00 PM.So when the power goes out the door comes open were they were trapped and the lazers that were keeping the raptors from escaping go off.Now the dinosaurs are free in the building and are killing the soldiers and scientest.One of the raptors gets in the helicopter and kills the women driving it and it blowsup. They send another helicopter and the surviving soldiers and scientest escape.The t-rex eats Dr.Hyde in the end and the sheirf kills the T-rex.The soldiers blow up the building and the raptors die.A good movie to rent and even buy if you like.Thanks for reading!

SPLICE AND DICE
RAPTOR is a collection of scenes spliced from the three previous CARNOSAUR movies, and that in itself loses the movie at least two stars!!!
THE STORY: Banal and derivative, incoherent, and since it uses so much footage from the above mentioned movies, how can one judge this script on its own?
THE DIRECTION: Tepid and unimaginative.
THE CAST: Tim Abell was the only one I enjoyed in this movie; his supermacho Delta Force leader was the only life like performance. Teresa DePriest can't act; Corbin Bernsen overacts; and Eric Roberts and Melissa Brasselle are zombielike.
OTHER ASPECTS: The music by James Horner (why would this future oscar winner even do this?) It's banal at best. The special effects are mediocre, and the movie's climax rips off the third Carnosaur movie so blatantly, it's abysmal.
Shame on Roger Corman for stooping so low.
The two stars are mainly for Tim Abell!!!

See Three Terrible Movies In One Even More Painful Experienc
I have to admit that "carnisaur" has been a guilty pleasure for me and friends. Although rediculously bad I didnt think it could get any worse...until now. Thanks to "raptors" I now no longer feel a reason to live. This movie was brutal in every aspect of film. I do enjoy B-movies every now and then, but when I rent one, I dont expect to see three other movies spliced together like a chinese fire drill. Every rule is broken in this movie: Bobcats tractors teleport from factories to deserts and transform into gigantic forklifts, a total lack of RAPTORS in the movie, the murders of random characters from other movies because it is sliced to horribly, and it becomes pitch black after 3:00 in a matter of minutes. I guess what I am trying to elude to is that I feel horriblly betrayed and cheated: the director's comentary even goes great lengths to avoid commenting on the issue of the blatantly obvious splicing and errors. Unfortunately, if you are looking for a good B-movie laugh...I recommend the originals first...then only then you will understand the true monstosity that is "raptor"

How the heck did they bag JAMES HORNER for this?
CARNOSAUR was a true landmark in my 17 years of watching movies, in that it was the first one that I could not finish in one sitting (I had to take 2 breaks). The crummy special effects and gratuitous gore are not the problem (movies like BAD TASTE prove it can be done and be good). The problem was its utter rediculouslness, its tendancy to introduce characters for the sole purpose of killing them in death scenes that are far more revealing and even longer than the ones that introduced them. It was way to dark and gloomy to be considered campy fun. In a word, it bit.

But now here is RAPTOR, a Roger Corman movie that feels some need to re-make CARNOSAUR, this time sans human-incubation plot, with half of the film being stock footage of the 1993 abomination and the other half being brand new, 2001 abomination.

The surprise in this movie is that James Horner is on the credits. What a fun little excercise this must have been for him. (But no, the music isn't anything remarkable) ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Movie over Jurassic Park
This one of the best dinosaur movies I have ever seen. Not even Jurrasic Park III was this good. A scientist has genetically created velico raptors and 1 tranasaruas rex which you only she for about 15 percent of the film.

This is what happens there is a malfuction on of the laser cords malfuctions. One of the raptor escape gets lose and kills some people. The police man and his girl friend check out the murder.

They trace it to Uniscore were there they are later captured and prision buy Hades a scum bag. He even killed on of his employes because he thought her had lost his vision and forgotten his vision. Hades himself eventually dies is devour at the end by the T-rex after it escape from is storage area.

To make it better like python 1 and 2 and Predator 2 the goverment are inevolved. Hades program at one point has been sponsored by the goverment but after one of the raptors escaped and killed some people abadon the project.

But Hades contiunes to do his research buy getting foreign funding from Iraq. The goverment figures out that he reactivated project and send armed marines on a seek and destroy mission.

Shortly after entering the building the secretary under the sherrif order shuts of the power. By the time the power is turn back on the raptors and the t-rex are loose.

There are two fun parts in the move that rip of Aliens. One when a lady in the chopter turn around there is a rapter in the helicopter it kill her then like in aliens the helicopter hits the ground and blows up instantly.

The other rip of Aliens is at the end when the police officer fight the T-rex

Not as good as the Jurrasic Parks,but its fun
A good movie,but has very poor effects.The dinosaurs look so fake.The Jarrasic Park serries had great effects.Other than that its a very good movie.Good acting and a good plot.One of the most goriest movies ive ever seen.A group of scientest create a lot of raptors and one t-rex.1 of the raptors escapes and kills five locals and two policemen.The shierf and his girlfriend investigates the killings and go check out the building were the dinosaurs were created.The head scientest(Dr.Hyde)is actually rooting for the raptors,and lock them in a room were the raptors will come and eat them.Like in Python 1 and 2 the government are involved and they send about 10 soldiers there to kill the raptors.Before the shierf went to Dr.Hydes labs and got locked up,he told the electric company to turn off the power at exactly 3:00 PM.So when the power goes out the door comes open were they were trapped and the lazers that were keeping the raptors from escaping go off.Now the dinosaurs are free in the building and are killing the soldiers and scientest.One of the raptors gets in the helicopter and kills the women driving it and it blowsup. They send another helicopter and the surviving soldiers and scientest escape.The t-rex eats Dr.Hyde in the end and the sheirf kills the T-rex.The soldiers blow up the building and the raptors die.A good movie to rent and even buy if you like.Thanks for reading!

SPLICE AND DICE
RAPTOR is a collection of scenes spliced from the three previous CARNOSAUR movies, and that in itself loses the movie at least two stars!!!
THE STORY: Banal and derivative, incoherent, and since it uses so much footage from the above mentioned movies, how can one judge this script on its own?
THE DIRECTION: Tepid and unimaginative.
THE CAST: Tim Abell was the only one I enjoyed in this movie; his supermacho Delta Force leader was the only life like performance. Teresa DePriest can't act; Corbin Bernsen overacts; and Eric Roberts and Melissa Brasselle are zombielike.
OTHER ASPECTS: The music by James Horner (why would this future oscar winner even do this?) It's banal at best. The special effects are mediocre, and the movie's climax rips off the third Carnosaur movie so blatantly, it's abysmal.
Shame on Roger Corman for stooping so low.
The two stars are mainly for Tim Abell!!!

See Three Terrible Movies In One Even More Painful Experienc
I have to admit that "carnisaur" has been a guilty pleasure for me and friends. Although rediculously bad I didnt think it could get any worse...until now. Thanks to "raptors" I now no longer feel a reason to live. This movie was brutal in every aspect of film. I do enjoy B-movies every now and then, but when I rent one, I dont expect to see three other movies spliced together like a chinese fire drill. Every rule is broken in this movie: Bobcats tractors teleport from factories to deserts and transform into gigantic forklifts, a total lack of RAPTORS in the movie, the murders of random characters from other movies because it is sliced to horribly, and it becomes pitch black after 3:00 in a matter of minutes. I guess what I am trying to elude to is that I feel horriblly betrayed and cheated: the director's comentary even goes great lengths to avoid commenting on the issue of the blatantly obvious splicing and errors. Unfortunately, if you are looking for a good B-movie laugh...I recommend the originals first...then only then you will understand the true monstosity that is "raptor"

How the heck did they bag JAMES HORNER for this?
CARNOSAUR was a true landmark in my 17 years of watching movies, in that it was the first one that I could not finish in one sitting (I had to take 2 breaks). The crummy special effects and gratuitous gore are not the problem (movies like BAD TASTE prove it can be done and be good). The problem was its utter rediculouslness, its tendancy to introduce characters for the sole purpose of killing them in death scenes that are far more revealing and even longer than the ones that introduced them. It was way to dark and gloomy to be considered campy fun. In a word, it bit.

But now here is RAPTOR, a Roger Corman movie that feels some need to re-make CARNOSAUR, this time sans human-incubation plot, with half of the film being stock footage of the 1993 abomination and the other half being brand new, 2001 abomination.

The surprise in this movie is that James Horner is on the credits. What a fun little excercise this must have been for him. (But no, the music isn't anything remarkable) ... Read more