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They don't make 'em like this anymore. Well, John Waters might, if he ever had a big enough budget. A steamy "inside look" at the alternately sleazy and glamorous world of catfighting, backbiting show-biz starlets, this Hollywood hit from the bestselling novel by Jacqueline Susann is a high-gloss camp artifact--a time capsule (or some kind of capsule, anyway)--from the screwy '60s, when a broad was a broad, a bitch was a bitch (whether "her" name was Neely O'Hara or Ted Casablanca), and a "doll" was a prescription drug. These dames of whine and poses obsessed over their bust lines, booze, and barbiturates. The once-shocking and scandalous language and behavior of these Broadway babes has been eclipsed by Dallas, Dynasty, and Melrose Place, but time has only enhanced the stature of Valley of the Dolls as a classic--and it still puts Showgirls to shame. With Patty Duke, Susan Hayward, Sharon Tate, Lee Grant, Barbara Parkins, and Martin Milner (and juicy, scene-chewing dialogue such as the infamous: "They drummed you out of Hollywood, so you come crawling back to Broadway. But Broadway doesn't go for booze and dope--now get out of my way, I've got a man waiting for me!"), Valley of the Dolls is the Mount Rushmore of backstage movie melodramas. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Patty Dukes it out in Dolls
This is truly the ultimate Camp Classic film of all time. Patty Duke gives a mezmerizing performance as Singer Neely O'Hara and creates an unforgetable character in the process. It is HER film all the way, although Susan Hayward does an excellent job in a supportive Role. And, as Neely O'Hara Patty gets the opportunity to perform such songs as "It's Impossible", "Give a Little More" and of course the memorable "Come Live With Me". Just for these moments alone, the film is worth viewing. It will be interesting to see if the DVD will contain some out-take footage for the film's many many fans to see. Judy Garland, who originally was slated to portray Helen Lawson, was too ill at the time of filming to complete her scenes. Thus, Susan Hayward was called in to replace her and does a good job with the tough-as-nails Helen Lawson character. If you want to be totally entertained and mezmerized, buy or rent this video. And remember, you're not nutty, you're just hooked on Dolls.

RELIVE THE MOVIE IN YOUR CAR OR W/ YOUR WALKMAN!
I would most definitely recommend this soundtrack for anyone is who is a big fan of the movie! The music is perfectly matched to each scene and when you listen to the soundtrack you can, as one of the previous reviewers said, picture each scene in your mind. I get a good chuckle listening to "Neely's Career Montage" and picturing Patty Duke's "workout" and rise to fame! And when I hear "Jennifer's French Movie", I see the beautiful Sharon Tate tossing around under the covers and speaking French! Barbara Parkins's distinguished and elegant narration make the first track a priceless, campy gem that sets the tone for the festivities. While it is disappointing that the title track ("Theme from 'Valley of the Dolls'" - apparently Dionne Warwick's record label had a dispute with the record label that released this soundtrack) and "I'll Plant My Own Tree" are not the versions heard in the film, they still sound similar enough that they manage to convey the same feelings of nostalgic joy! Interestingly enough, the songs Patty Duke's character sings are not really Patty's voice, but the singer they used was a great match for Patty's persona in the movie and both fabulous songs appear here! What more can I say?! If you aren't a big fan of the movie, then this soundtrack probably won't do a thing for you, but if you LOVE the movie like I do, then I a certain you will LOVE this delightfully cheesy soundtrack!

More Quoteable Quotes
I can't resist....More Quotes:

"Ted Casablanca is NOT a fag. And I'm the dame who can prove it."

"You're not the breadwinnah either."

"Tony! Tony! To-neeeeeeeee!"

"Miriam.....I'm pregnant."

"Sparkle Neely...Sparkle."

"She's the one who wanted the kiddies and the vine covered cottage."

"My beautiful little doll. Just one, and one more."

"We're closing now Miss O'Hara."

"Oh God you've got your costume on for the second act!"

"Lyon? He's in the shower. I'll have him call you back."

"I've done pills, booze and a funny farm. I don't need anybody or anything!"

"The song goes, and the kid with it"

"I know all about run-of-the-play contracts."

"Neely, just a few short years ago you were an unknown little girl singing for her supper. Now because of the lush, warm notes that have emerged from your throat, you have become the idol of record buyers and movie goers all over America."

I need more than 5 stars
Heck - the quotes alone will cover a page. See if you can add to this list:

"I wanted a marriage like mom and dad's, but not yet. First I want new experiences, new faces, new surroundings. Lawrenceville will be there foreveah."

"I remember the night I told them I was going to New York. They said it was a dreadful place for a vacation. I announced I was going to work there."

"George Washington didn't sleep there but he did dip a bucket of water from our well."

"I can still see them standing there waving. Aunt Amy, Mama and Willie. Poor Willie, he didn't know I was leaving his life forevah."

"Queenie's pregnant again. My Siamese. Drat! I hope its not that beat up black Tom."

"Black Siamese should be very pretty. I'm Anne Wells."

"Oh yes, the agency phoned about you. A BA in Radcliffe. Mr. Bellamy will like that. He will thin it will gives the office tone."

"Don't give her that I loved you when I was a little girl routine or she'll stab you in the back."

"Neely never had that hard core like me. She never learned to roll with the punches."

"Find yourself a wife. Have kids. Or one day you'll wind up alone like me. I wonder what the hell happened?"

"They drummed you right out of Hollywood.....
...so you come crawling back to Broadway"....

Just one of a myriad of oh-so-quotable lines from the classic VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, based on Jacqueline Susann's steamy pulp-fiction bestseller of 1966. The acting is pure cheese, the script is a paler, watered-down imitation of Susann's text and the songs are God-awful. But there is something about this little gem that draws me in time after time. I could easily watch it once or twice a day and never get bored with it.

The story recounts three girls in New York: Anne Welles (Barbara Parkins - BEAR ISLAND), Neely O'Hara (Patty Duke - THE MIRACLE WORKER) and Jennifer North (Sharon Tate).

Anne has just arrived from small-town Lawrenceville, and landed a job as secretary in an entertainment law-firm. This leads Anne to the acquaintance of Neely, a young up-and-coming Broadway singer who's just been dumped from the new musical starring Helen Lawson (Susan Hayward - I WANT TO LIVE). The reason?...Neely would easily steal the show, and the only star of a Helen Lawson show is Helen Lawson...!

Anne also meets Jennifer, a sweet but by her own admission, talentless showgirl/model. Anne's boss Lyon Burke (Paul Burke) arranges for Neely to sing on a charity telethon, and she quickly lands her own revue at a prominent nightclub. Jennifer marries handsome crooner Tony Polar (Tony Scotti) against the wishes of his sister/manager Miriam (Lee Grant - VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED). Anne then gets discovered by a cosmetics firm and becomes the glamorous 'Gillian Girl'.

The story moves to Hollywood where both Neely and Tony are turned into movie stars. Success comes too fast and easily for Neely who disappears into a heady world of dolls and alcohol. Tony is tragically struck down with a mysterious disease which leaves him paralysed in a sanitarium. To make ends meet, Jennifer becomes an adult-film star.

After going through two failed marriages, Neely hits bottom and is admitted into a rehab center, at Lyon and Anne's behest. With the offer of a new Broadway musical, Neely emerges and quickly finds her feet again, only to break Anne's heart when she claims Lyon for herself. Jennifer quits the porn business and discovers she has breast cancer.

At a party for Helen Lawson's new musical, which bombed out-of-town, Neely and Helen duke it out in the ladies' room, resulting in the famous wig-ripping scene, which is probably the greatest piece in the whole film.

Another great moment is Susan Hayward singing "I'll Plant My Own Tree" standing in the middle of a huge mobile, constructed of broken traffic-lights! Margaret Whiting provided Hayward's singing, though the role of Helen Lawson was originally earmarked for Judy Garland (and the song reeks of Garland influence).

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is a campy little gem, one that has a HUUUGE and dedicated following. Patty Duke has never eaten so much scenery in any of her subsequent films, Sharon Tate is luminous and Barbara Parkins (aka the Living Mannequin) is just what is called for the role of Anne.

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. A true classic. Accept no substitutes. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Not ROCKY HORROR - but still up there
Are you a Jessica Harper fan?Do you like the work of Richard O'Brien?If you answered yes for those questions, you should continue to read this review.If not, try a different movie.SHOCK TREATMENT is definitely the most weird, bizarre, unique, complicated film ever made and is to watched seriously.Make sure you watch it at least three times before forming a critically opinion of what you think.After the first viewing you are thinking "it's crap" and "I don't understand".By the second it is growing on you.But by the third, you are begging for more and want to keep the video forever.The higlight of this film is Jessica Harper's performance as Janet Majors.She is the only character that keeps the show together.If you didn't like Susan Sarandon in ROCKY HORROR, you'll most likely love Harper instead.Her sexy looks and voice make you want to listen to her sing over and over again.The problem wiht SHOCK TREATMENT is that too many people compare it to ROCKY HORROR.But maybe that's a good thing!On its own, the movie sucks!But if you take into consideration the kind of humour that Richard O'Brien puts into his work and the sort of songs he writes, you can understand the uniqueness of ST.Songs would be the only good thing about this film as there is too much dialogue and plot compilcation that first viewers get lost and promise never to watch it ever again.Because of this, not many people see it more times to make it slowly grow on you.Trust me, this film is only for ROCKY HORROR lovers who want to see more of O'Brien's work and for those who have often wondered what other actors would suit in the parts of Brad and Janet.Not to be missed or not to be seen!It's your decision.

Get Commited!
If you are a fan of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, or any cult movie, for that matter, this movie's worth a look. Cliff DeYoung and Jessica Harper star as Brad and Janet Majors (the hapless couple from RHPS), now unhappily married. They are contestants on the game show Marriage Maze, a sort of Newlyweds Game for people on the verge of divorce, hosted by Bert Schnick, a blind, abrasive German (Barry Humphries, in a hilarious pre-Dame Edna role). Brad ends up on Dentonvale, a reality TV show run by Doctors Cosmo and Nation McKinly (RHPS veterans Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn). As Brad is drugged and dragged off into the care of Nurse Ansalong (RHPS veteran Nell Campbell), Janet finds herself flung headfirst into the heart of the local TV studio,quickly becoming a local celebrity. And past that, you'll have to see the movie to find out what happens.

overlooked underrated masterpiece? yes!
Six years after "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" Richar O'Brian provides a sequal (yes, I said SEQUAL for all those Rocky fanatics who insist this "isn't a sequal" --that's like saying the number 3 doesn't follow the number 2 simply because you find the number 3 inferior to 2 for personal reasons, but now I sound like I'm slamming Rocky fanatics which I don't mean to because I do feel a certain kinship there) in his (O'Brian's) as yet unfinished trilogy (which puts one in mind of Dario Argento's unfinished "Mater" trilogy, the first film of which, coincidentally, featured Jessica Harper ["Suspiria"]).
This musical/rock opera was made in 1981, and 23 years later it is perhaps more relevent now than it was at it's creation. Crass talk shows where mentally, financially, and intellectually challenged people parade their problems for the world to see (sometimes scripted, sometimes all too real) as well as "sell your privacy and soul for 15 minutes of fame" reality tv shows continue to pop up every season despite having far outlived their initial coolness. But at the heart of it all is the fact that these reality tv shows, and daytime talk shows, are both "real" and "un-real" at the same time; sometimes scripted, sometimes acted, sometimes overplayed or exaggerated all for the benefit of the camera, we've gotten to a place in history where we no longer know what the truth is based on sight and sound. In the past, we had the firm unfaltering belief, true or false, that what you saw and heard could not be denied. But now, with digital manipulation of images good enough to fool experts, and motivation so subverted by the desire for fame, all our old beliefs have gone out the window.
And this, if you're still with me, is the heart and soul of SHOCK TREATMENT.
I can say O'brien was/is brilliant without hesitation. His ability to observe and record the slow percolation and inevitable rise of the "evil" subversion of reality television is Nostradamous-like.
ALL THIS AND CATCHY SONGS TOO!
We find our "heros" of "Rocky Horror," Brad and Janet Majors, now un-happily married, back in Dentonville on DTV (Dentonville Television) searching for a way to fix their troubled marriage. Brad is an ineffectual, over-emotional, weak husband while Janet is a strong, intellegent woman whose only real weakness is that she still desires to be loved by someone equal to herself, yet refuses to give up on the hoplessly inferior Brad based on loyalty and the belife that television will solve all her problems.
Her internal fantasy seems to be projected into reality within O'brien's deceptively complex plot (I mean deceptive in that critics seem to overlook his amazingly complex structure, espescially when comparing this film to the more commercially/cult successful "Rocky"). . .her fantasy is projected in the form of a more competent, in touch, cool, collected, effective, masculine version of Brad in the form of media mogul Farley Flavors.
Unfortunately, her ideal turns out to be just as flawed as her real Brad, only in a psychotic, stalker, serial killer kind of way.
O'brien, ever artistically and philosophically obsessed with sex vs. gender, sees Brad as split into two versions of himself, the inefective, weak "female" and the cold, brutal "male." Not that O'brien appears to percieve females, real females, as weak, on the contrary, Janet is perhaps the strongest most fully realised character/person in the film. I think it's more that O'brien is playing on the male/female "gender" roles society imposes than the real life "sex" of the individual.
I could go into detailed description of the rest of the plot and story, I could discuss each song, critique this film line by line and have a book of a Doctoral thesis on this film and it's current relativity. But I won't, hehe, perhaps more for the simple fact I don't have the time than that I fear I may bore (and this really isn't the place). Suffice it to say, this film is really amazing.
The MUSIC and LYRICS are not only catchy, but timeless and unique. The cinematography, with its cut between grainy television on television and normal cinemas tyle is cooler than cool. The acting is dead on deadpan happy smiles hiding deep internal torture on a level seldome achieved.
Jessica Harper (who was also amazing in another rock opera, Brian DePalma's "The Phantom Of The Paradise" which wasn't as famous as "Rocky," but is just as amazing) is amazingly gorgeous in all her elvin, big eyed, impossibly cute glory. Her strong deep velvety voice puts Karen Carpenter to shame!
Rent this movie, buy this movie, buy it new if you can find it, buy it used if you can't. Demand it be put out on (widescreen!) dvd! See it, live it, love it. "Rocky Horror" be damned this is a brilliant film (and I loved "Rocky!") and deserves the attention "part one" got!

Be Prepared...
...for one of the most confusing movies you will ever see. I personally got a little bit of detail out of this movie, but the rest of it was random singing and dancing. The funniest thing about this picture is in Richard O'Briens storytelling of live as a tv show. Many people whine and moan that it's nothing like the rocky horror picture show, let alone not a sequel, well guess what....THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A SEQUEL, FRANKS DEAD, OK!? (sobs...) Anyway, for those of you who want to hear of the movie in itself, Denton (Brad and Janet's hometown) is now a big tv studio. Each morning, studio audience members arise from their chairs to view the newest game shows. Brad and Janet (again, nothing like their other characters) are having problems. Seems brads an emotional reck, and after going on a new game show hosted by crazy blind man bert schnidt, Brad is soon committed to a tv show/psychiatric ward called Dentonvale. Richard O'Brien and Patricia quinn once again give stunning performances, this time as Cosmo and Nation McKinley (again into the idea of incest). Little Nell is in the movie as Nurse Ansalong, not too big of a role actually, just eye candy. Charles Gray however has a much more active role than in the R.H.P.S, and he sings too! I suppose the main plot is centered around Janet becoming famous to help brad, then forgetting about him completely and becoming too thrilled with being famous. I highly recommend this, not as being compared to the R.H.P.S (nothing compares with that) but rather as an open minded person who loves looking at weird stuff.

Shock Treatment
Well, after the Rocky Horror Picture Show, I didn't think a movie could be much worse. At least you could accompany some other films with Mystery Science Theatre 3000, and for those of you who don't know what that is, you must check it out, it's number five on my all time favorite shows list. This isn't a sequal to the Rocky Horror Picture Show, as there is no resemblance to both titles in any way.

So I suppose I was breathtaken by the cruel and unusual punishment of badness we are given on this tape,(and not like bad to the bone.)This is literaly a Shock Treatment that won't go away. Please save yourself and avoid this at all costs. ... Read more

Reviews (166)

Out of this world!
"Plan 9 From Outer Space" has been dubbed the worst film ever made. I can't disagree with that. Here are just a few of the things that qualifies it for that title.

- When the police drives from the town to the cemetary time somehow switches from night to day back to night.

- The Swedish accent of wrestler Tor Johnson, playing a police officer / walking corpse.

- The six feet tall, blonde chiropractor that replaced deceased Bela Lugosi.

- The plates-glued-together UFO's with strings completely visible.

- The cardboard tombstones that wiggle.

- The cemetery ground, obviously a piece of fabric covered with leaves.

- The plot, or rather lack thereof.

- The dialogue, hilariosly funny only because it's meant to be serious.

- The actors. Nuff said.

Still, it's also one of the best films ever made. Ed Wood Jr. was a filmmaker with a passion. He wanted to make films, so he made films. You can't help but respect that. That's why this movie deserves five stars, and "Deathstalker III: Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell" deserves none.

Future events such as these...
Uttery obscure until the Medved brothers' 'Golden Turkey Awards' highlighted it as the 'Worst Film Ever Made', this is not so much a 'bad' film as a hysterically incompetent one. Consistently failing to triumph over the lack of money, resources and technique available, it quite neatly shows how films should not be judged in terms of 'bad' or 'good', but in terms of 'entertaining' or 'not entertaining'. Whilst 'Plan Nine' is clearly the work of bungling, but enthusiastic incompetents, it's hugely entertaining in a way that the professionally-done 'Speed 2: Cruise Control' is not. Only 'Robot Monster' comes close the the tone of insane incoherence. Where else can you see such a diverse, iconic cast (featuring the recently-deceased Bela Lugosi, a late-night-television horror movie hostess, a wrestler, and a minor celebrity hypnotist) deliver dialogue such as 'Inspector Clay's dead, murdered, and somebody's responsible'?

Note that there are two DVD releases - this one has a lengthy (longer than the film, in fact) documentary, whilst the other has a plug for Tim Burton's equally-good 'Ed Wood'. This one is slightly more expensive, but worth getting, as the documentary is excellent. Commenting on picture and sound quality seems somehow inappropriate, really.

Well it ain't the worst
In fact besides I'd go as far as to say this is perhaps the most competent Ed Wood movie around. Sure there are glaring errors such as Bela running back and forth to the grave in broad daylight ( when it's supposed to be night-time ) and his replacement is obvious ( come on, he's at least 4 inches taller I reckon ). And indeed the last 20 minutes descended into a farce that unfortunately sunk the film. Yes, it shows a degree of ineptitude on Ed's part but for most of the film there was an almost professional air to how the actors acted.

Ed thought that he'll be remembered for this film. This was his big one and he's right, it's the one we remember him most for. However I don't think he would have liked the tag it's been given but if you want to be remembered he certainly went about the right way in doing it ( even if the results were all wrong )

But if we start at the start with Bela's last real scene where he mourns his lover's death - that was a really touching scene. The emotion in that looks too real that it can't be described as fake or cardboard cut out. If anything that was the most poignant scene Ed ever captured on film. He may have been an inept film-maker but that was a stroke of genius - no kidding!

I get the feeling Ed cast Vampira as Lugosi's wife mainly because if you've seen the Tim Burton movie you'll know that Lugosi thought she was " a honey " and it was certainly a nice gesture to Bela to do that. Vampira doesn't have to do much in this film. Just walk really slowly and look ominous whenever the camera is on her. Looks beautiful while doing so I have to admit. I'm almost certain that she inspired George Romero to make Night of The Living Dead by her walking alone.

Criswell makes his appearance in this film and you have to say, him, along with Vampira and Tor, got almost uncanny lookalikes in Tim Burton's biopic that it seems almost spooky.

Hats off to whoever had the idea of using saucer lids for um the use of flying saucers. Really neat and easily identified even if it was black and white. Still not too bad a job. Oh and who could forget Saturn as a ballbearing - Top Class!

The last 20 minutes are a farce as I've said before mainly because it's supposed to be a showdown between the humans and the aliens....or to be more precise 3 men with guns and a man and a woman in funny clothing that are supposed to be aliens. The acting here is horrifically poor and despite it all being passionately acted it just seems.....well a bit silly. And whatever niggling doubts you had about the film leading up to the last 20 minutes, will no doubt be exposed by the end. A shame because the film showed Ed at his most coherent. And that sadly was the pinnacle of Ed's career.

So all in all it's not the worst movie of all time and certainly not the worst you'll ever see ( unless you're a connoisseur of good taste and in that case what the hell are you reading this for ). Definitely his most enjoyable film. Now if someone could only just tell Criswell to shut up ( I wish Ed had tried, honestly try to do that ).

But for Ed, this would be his shot at greatness and while it backfired, it was about as good as he could make it. Perhaps if he were making these now and not 40 years ago he might have gotten away with it. And I'm sure Ben Affleck would have been great as the dumb pilot if it were made now. Think about it

Here's to Ed though - he may not have been the greatest but he sure knew how to entertain us

Bela Lugosi Lives! (Just not in this film)
How does one describe a movie such as this? Like "Robot Monster," it is a masterpiece, and like "Robot Monster," this is not because "Plan 9 From Outer Space" has even a shadow of an ounce of quality to it. Rather, this is an example of just how wrong everything in any creative project can go if it is in the hands of the right angora-wearing genius.

For nothing (and I mean NOTHING) came out right in this movie. Continuity? Hah! Realistic dialogue? Pish! Convincing acting? Gah! Remotely realistic special effects? Heaven forbid! No, what Ed Wood gave us with "Plan 9" is quite simply a cinematic failure that not even Orson Wells could have duplicated if he had tried. In what other movie is one of your stars dead even before the script is written or shooting begins?

No, "Plan 9" is unique, a thing that we mere mortals can only begin to try and understand. Instead we can only watch, transfixed and trembling in awe that Wood's vision was transmitted so perfectly to the silver screen. This is a movie that well deserves to be ranked among the immortal creations of motion picture history, despite or perhaps because of the fact that it completely lacks any of the features that would normally merit such an inclusion.

To think otherwise can only be the result of stupid minds. Stupid! Your stupid, stupid minds!

"You see. You see. Your stupid minds. Stupid. Stupid."
Also known as "Grave Robbers From Outer Space", Edward D. Wood's masterpiece of horrific filmmaking has been called the "worst movie ever made" by more than a few critics and movie fans. This hasn't kept this unintentially hilarious sci-fi dud from becoming a massive cult classic. And rightfully so. Ed Wood's art for making movies so bad that they're actually good has never been more apparent than it is here.

"Plan 9" revolves around a couple of space invaders in bad suits who fly around in spaceships on strings and resurrect the recently dead to haunt the inhabits of a small town where it seems to go back and forth from night to day a lot. The humans aren't having it though as a joint team of the local police, military, and an overacting airline pilot refuse to be terrorized by the undead creatures (who can't decide whether they're ghouls or vampires). But these visitors from a badly-drawn planet resembling Saturn have their own intentions. They're hear to warn us of a new solar-powered weapon that the Earth will eventually create and wipe out the universe. But our heroes aren't going down without a fight. They've got enough army movie stock footage to send them aliens back where they came from.

What makes "Plan 9" so entertainingly terrible? Where do I start? There's the overly-descriptive narration of Criswell who practically gives play-by-play for every action in the film. You've got Bela Lugosi who appears courtesy of silent footage recorded before his death and with the help of a stand-in who looks nothing like him. And who could forget those cooky cops who don't allow the discovery of their Captain's horrifying death to damper their moods any? Also there's Duke Moore's hards-as-nails detective who fearlessly uses his gun to fix his hat when necessary.From the bargain basement graveyard chalk full of cardboard headstones to the hungry young overactors spitting out silly dialouge, "Plan 9" is truly the "Citizen Kane of bad movies".

For those looking to pick this gem up on DVD, the Image edition is the only way to go. Not only is the picture the best that it's ever looked but it comes with a feature-length documentary, "Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion" and the trailer for the movie. Avoid the Passport version which has a company logo imprinted in the bottom corner similiar to the ones that TV networks use. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

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This is the movie that made John Waters famous, and quite possibly the film that made bad taste cool. Yes, Virginia, a large transvestite actually eats dog feces as a kind of dizzying denouement to this frequently illogical and intentionally disgusting movie, but by the time that happens, you're already numb ... and you've possibly laughed to the point of losing bladder control.

The plot revolves around two vile families laying claim to the title "The Filthiest People Alive." You've got pregnant women in pits, you've got grown men getting sexual satisfaction from chickens, you've got people licking furniture to perform trailer-park voodoo, and you've got classic lines like: "Oh my God! The couch ... it ... it rejected you!"

Waters, who went on to direct genuine pop-culture classics such as Hairspray and Serial Mom, made this celluloid sideshow with one aim--to make a name for himself. It worked. He does have a genuine eye for filmmaking (when the trailer burns down, you feel the white heat of Divine's pain and anger). On the other hand, you won't notice any disclaimers about stunt doubles and animals not being mistreated. There weren't, and they were.Welcome to the filthiest film in the world. --Grant Balfour ... Read more

Reviews (93)

"This is where they touch their uninspired little organs."
The infamous "Pink Flamingos" is the John Waters film that first drew attention to his warped talent, and it is probably the film for which he will be remembered. Divine (Glenn Milstead) is in top form and stars as the "filthiest person alive," Babs Johnson. Babs lives in an abandoned trailer somewhere near Baltimore with her perverted son, Cracker, and her deranged mother, Edie, the Egg Lady. Edie (Edith Massey) lives in a giant playpen inside the trailer where she consumes large numbers of eggs while dressed only in her underwear. Miss Cotton (Mary Vivian Pearce) forms the other member of the Babs Johnson gang.

Meanwhile, Raymond and Connie Marble (David Lochary and Mink Stole) operate a black market adoption agency from their disgusting cellar. The Marbles covet Divine's title of "the filthiest person alive," and so Babs Johnson is their number one enemy. Babs, who is "forced to go underground" is sniffed out of hiding by a spy (Cookie Mueller), and once the Marbles know the location of Bab's trailer, "the battle of filth" begins.

If you like camp, then you may enjoy this film. The dialogue is amazing, and the film still has the capacity to shock more than 30 years after it was made, so be warned. If you are offended by the more mainstream films of John Waters (Serial Mom, Polyester), then don't watch this one, and if you've never watched a John Waters film before, "Pink Flamingos" is not a good place to start. I can't count the number of times I've watched this film, and I'll never grow tired of it. John Waters is my hero, and the humour in this film brings this fact home to me again. Waters juxtaposes real perversions (Raymond Marvel's "perverted urges," and the kidnapped women in the basement are two good examples of deviant, criminal behaviour), and puts these elements on an equal standing with ridiculous perversions--Divine and Cracker foul the Marvel's furniture by licking it, and consequently the Marvel's furniture rejects them. This juxtaposition of the truly perverted with the truly strange creates a unique comic twist. This film is not for the queasy or the faint-hearted. It is about revolting people doing revolting things. Don't miss the Marvel's underwear scene, please. The film also has a fantastic soundtrack that stands well on its own--even if you haven't the courage to watch the film--displacedhuman

The Original Trailer Tacky Barf-O-Rama
Like those who listened to radio reports about the attack on Pearl Harbor, every one who has ever seen PINK FLAMINGOS can tell you exactly where they were when they first saw it--and some thirty years later the movie is still one of the most unspeakably vile, obnoxious, repulsive, and hilariously funny films ever put to celluloid, guaranteed to test the strongest stomachs and the toughest funny bones. Filmed with a close-to-zero budget and some of the shakiest cinematography around, PINK FLAMINGOS tells the story of two families that compete for the tabloid title of "The Filthiest People Alive." Just how filthy can they be? Plenty: the film includes everything from sex with chickens to what I can only describe as a remarkable display of rectal control to a heaping helping of doggie doo, and I guarantee that you won't want to eat an egg for at least several weeks after seeing it.

The cast is either wonderful, atrocious, or atrociously wonderful, depending on how you look at it. The star, of course, is Divine... and to describe Divine as the BIGGEST drag queen on the planet would the understatement of the year. She is a mammoth creature given to BIG eye makeup, BIG orange hair, and BIG expressions--she is the Charleton Heston of drag, and whether she is almost running down a jogger, pausing to use the bathroom on some one's front lawn, or startling real-life shoppers by taking a stroll along a Baltimore sidewalk she is both unspeakable and unspeakably funny. Others in the cast include Mary Vivian Pearce, Danny Mills, and the ever-appalling Edith Massey as members of Divine's family; and Mink Stole and David Lochary as the white-slaving, baby-selling couple who challenge Divine's status.

It should be pretty obvious that PINK FLAMINGOS is not exactly a movie that will appeal to just every one, and viewers who know director John Waters only through such later films as HAIRSPRAY and CRYBABY will be in for a major jolt. But if you want to see something so completely different that even Monty Python couldn't imagine it, this is the movie for you. Just make sure you eat before you see it, because you probably won't want to eat afterward--and you might want to keep a barf bag handy just in case.

!! BRAVO JOHN!!
First and foremost, eithier you'll really hate or really love and appreciate "Pink Flamingos" - as is true with all of John Waters'work....But if you're looking for this soundtrack [Pink Flamingos] then you're a diehard Waters fan!!- or have really ecclectic taste in old music ! In either case, this is an awesome soundtrack.....And like his movies, it's campy, fun, and sort of surreal. I'm just dissapointed there's no soundtrack for "Female Troubles" - in my opinion, Waters' best film.....I've enjoyed All of his films -and the music that he selects for them. I hope more af his soundtracks are released in the future!!

Still schockingly hilarious after all these years.
In my opinion, John Water's movies have always been smarter on paper than most give him credit for. All of his work skewers the establishment was well as some of its offshoots and although intended to be shocking (in many instances just for the sake of being able to do so), my favorite moments generally involve the amazing Mink Stole and when John Waters in a very matter of fact fashion throws in something absolutely jaw-dropping as if it were just another scene.

On one hand you'll have people who will find Waters' early work to be too repulsive to watch and on the other extreme, you'll find others who worship his movies without any reservation and reject any critique as a sign that people just don't get it. My perspective is a little different as after watching Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, and Desperate Living, my view is that while the ideas continue to be as fresh as they were made in the mid to late 1970's, his early work is much funnier when taken in little dozes rather than full length movies. Although, many may disagree I find Desperate Living to be his early best, while Female trouble is highly overrated. Pink Flamingos falls somewhere between the two.

There are scenes in Desperate Living that had me laughing so hard that I cried. In fact, the first half hour of the film is absolutely hilarious. Every scene involving Jean Hill who plays the hilarious Grizelda Brown and/or Mink Stole who plays the crazed Peggy Gravel, is a gag waiting to happen. There is a scene that takes place after something horrible happens (like I am going to tell you what happened) when Peggy is driving away with Grizelda that is worth the price of owning this movie. Said scene has Mink Stole going off like a madwoman regarding her hatred of nature, and it never fails to surprise me how funny she is. As happens with most of Waters' early films, it ultimately runs out of steam and starts relying too much on shock value and by now almost any Waters fan is hard to shock visually so it better be funny too. Desperate Living is my favorite early John Waters film, although many find it to be his most grim and depressing.

Female Trouble is one of the early Waters movies that most fans tend to like, and I just did not like it at all. Of course no John Waters film can ever be made without having hilarious moments, but they are far and few in between and I was mostly bored. Mink Stole as usual steals every scene that she is in and she does a variation on her "I hate nature" soliloquy from "Desperate Living," this time involving humans. Although I could not get enough of Edith Massey as the egg lady Pink Flamingos or as Queen Carlotta in desperate living, her role in Female Trouble made me feel for her as I was not laughing with her or could not bring myself to laugh at her. While she has her moments and awesome potty mouth, Waters (possibly without meaning to) takes her costumes to a point where you want to hug her instead of laughing. Divine has the opposite effect as the cruder and ruder that she is, the more that I loved her in this movie.

Pink Flamingos, which is Waters' breakout movie, without a doubt uses shock value more than any of his subsequent films. It is supposedly centered around defining who is the filthiest person alive in Waters' beloved Phoenix, Maryland. Since this was Waters' first fully realized early picture, he went for the jugular in trying to get away with as much gross out material as possible. The story, as is the case with Female Trouble, is not worth following and starts to get old quickly, but there are MANY scenes that will shock the numbest person alive. In many instances, the shock is not a bad thing as my motto is if it's funny, bring it on. Edith Massey as the egg lady is so funny that I can't help seeing her scenes over and over again. There are little touches as the manner in which Divine steals some ham, or apparently throwaway scenes involving dealing drugs and a baby selling ring, that are too funny to describe.

In a nutshell, I think that John Waters in hilarious and is responsible for some of the funniest movies of our time (as is the case with Serial Mom, just to name one), but these early exercises in guerilla filmmaking work better as boundary pushers than fully realized self contained movies. Those who enjoyed Jackass - The Movie, said movie would probably never have seen the light of day if it were not for John Waters, and although some may wish that such were the case, I for one think that Jackass - The Movie is one of the funniest movies ever. Part of that success is due to Johnny Knoxville not attempting to create a linear narrative or a storyline but intertwining bigger and smaller ideas just for the sake of making us laugh. Maybe it was not a choice at the time, but all of Waters' early movies would have worked much better with extensive editing and bypassing the narrative to focus on being funny.

I give Desperate Living 3.5 stars, Pink Flamingos 2.5 stars, and Female Trouble 1.5 stars. New Line home videos has released several two-packs of John Waters' films, but none that I know of that have Desperate Living and Pink Flamingos on the same package.

Five Stars For Its Shocking Value
I have watched the movie several times over, and it still leaves me feeling ill afterwards. I first heard of the movie in 1979, but was not allowed into the theater at the time because of its "X" rating, and I was only 17. In brief, after I finally saw the movie, it made me a John Waters fan. I can only compare him alongside with Andy Warhol. Both of these directors movies have a shocking, chilling value. Mainstream movie lovers would not like this film. I also recommend "Desparate Living" by John Waters. These movies are for seekers of something other than the mainstream, boring crap that is in the theaters nowadays. Don't eat anything before watching Pink Flamingos, or you'll be yawning in technicolor. ... Read more

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Directors Howard Ziehm and Michael Benveniste draw from the same cliffhanging Flash Gordon serials of the 1930s as the glitzy 1980 tongue-in-cheek space opera for their soft-core spoof. Hockey hero Flesh Gordon and often-naked love interest Dale Ardor join Dr. Jerkoff in his battle against the mad Emperor Wang from the planet Porno, who has unleashed his diabolical sex ray on the Earth. Full of toilet humor, juvenile sexual innuendo, and unending naked romps and orgies, it's hardly in the same company as the Mel Brooks genre goofs Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. But amidst the slack direction, flat performances, and grungy photography are some lovingly crafted low-tech effects, including marvelous stop-motion creatures from Jim Danforth and spaceships courtesy of future Oscar winners Greg Jein and Dennis Muren. The film's best sequence is a King Kong tribute with a giant rampaging satyr (voiced by an uncredited Craig T. Nelson, who ad-libs quips in a cultured but expletive-filled whine) kidnapping Dale as Flesh buzzes him his phallic space ship. All the restoration in the world won't make this dark, grainy, bargain-basement parody look any better, but the retro effects, inspired score, and playful attitude make this silly sex romp a kitschy cult item from the randy 1970s. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Wang rules
Oh bless this film! First the poor parts that caused a 4 rating. They have nothing to do with the plot. Transferance created some grainy parts, as well as the occasional `skip' BUT, this movie is absolutely the best spoof of the Flash Gordon series. Originally, Back in the `70s, Flesh was supposed to be `X' rated. By todays standards, this is PG-13. There are little or no swear words, but there is frequent nudity. What cracks me up is the virginial Dale Ardor has a huge caesarian scar! Dr. Jerkoff, Planet Porno, Emporer Wang. Perfect spoof names. When the Amazon Queen (black patch over one eye and a leather patch over the opposite boobie) proclaimed herself as Chief Nellie, I damn near died. The quick scene of 50 followers of Emperor Wang, performing a nude Bunny Hop, slayed me. The stop action Penisaurus cave was parody plus. The backgroud space shots are purposely 2nd grader quality (wires cannily included), and enhance the absurdity. I love the bizarre. I adore the blatantcy of the campy lines. This DVD is NOT for your 13 year olds. Those of you who remember the 70's like I do, will want this DVD for your library. If you do NOT remember the Flash Gordon Series or Movie (Queen soundtrack) you will view this with utterly aghast amazement (hard to believe they had this kind of Mitchell Brothers humor 30 years ago), but you still appreciate the Young Frankenstein approach. This movie was made cheaply, cheesy, and superbly. Trust me. I am never wrong.

Enjoyable Cult Movie Parody
Everything from ROBINHOOD to KING KONG gets a whack from this early 1970s parody of the 1930s FLASH GORDON serial, which has a story line in keeping with the sexual revolution. A mysterious "sex" ray that turns otherwise normal people into sex maniacs is plaguing the earth--and is eventually traced to the planet Porno, ruled by evil Emperor Wang. And so our hero Flesh, his lady love Dale Ardor, and their scientific genius Dr. Jerkoff set out for planet Porno to defeat Wang... only to find themselves victims of his REALLY kinky ways! As film-making goes, the quality of this parody is often quite poor, the material itself is extremely uneven, and the performers merely so-so--but what the filmmakers lack in experience they more than make up for in imagination. Witness the attack of the dreaded Penisaurus! Behold Prince Precious' Reward! Beware the intiation of the underground lesbians! With everything from stop-motion animation monsters to some truly Freudian art design, cult-film fans and most others will probably find lots to enjoy--but FLESH GORDON is an acquired taste. Some will find that joke runs dry long before the film ends; others will consider it juvenile and distasteful.

A WORD OF WARNING. Some reviewers note that the film received an X rating in the early 1970s when X ratings were much more freely given than they are today. That is true; after all, even MIDNIGHT COWBOY was rated X, if you can imagine it. Even so, there is considerable nudity and simulated sex in FLESH GORDON, and during one or two of the crowd scenes it seems obvious that at least one of the couples is well gone into X territory. While I wouldn't describe FLESH GORDON as pornography, it remains fairly raw stuff, and you may want to keep that in mind.

Truth
I saw this film as a historical documentation in it's day, having been there. A triumph over the times. The DVD is not the same. Cant be. I wish it could be so.

Waste of money and time
Cheap. Stupid. Hokey and not very erotic or interesting. A big waste of money! I saw the movie in a theater in an upscale neighborhood in the early 1970s when X-rated films were still shown in normal theaters. I thought it was one of the most erotic movies I'd seen. Hadn't seen that many to that point. So when I got a gift certificate to BN, I bought the DVD, among other things. It came and I was VERY disappointed. I guess I'd forgotten how bad it was. Extremely bad acting, even by X-movie standards. (Well, maybe not, but ...). Extremely bad 'effects' -- among the worst you'll ever seen anywhere. No beginning film-maker would be caught dead doing such silly models and animations nowadays. It might be a 'classic' in somebody's book. If so, it is a terrific argument for trashing and forgetting such 'classics' forever. Embarrassing. In a word. I barely could sit through it. Kept hoping it would get interesting. Didn't

So bad it's good... well, kinda
Flesh Gordon is easily one of the "best" worst movies that I've ever seen. If you're openminded and enjoy a good eroti-comedy, then you might enjoy this one. The picture here isn't great and neither is the sound (especially since it's called a collector's edition), but it's okay for what it is. Just don't watch this movie with kids since it contains both male and female full frontal nudity. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

ALL KILLER TOMATOE MOVIES
THESE ARE THE GREATEST MOVIES DONE OFF THE CUFF THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY WANT IN YOUR COLLECTION. I DO WISH THAT ALL 4 MOVIES WHERE ON DVD FORMAT SO THAT THEY CAN LAST FOREVER. THEY ARE A TRUE CULT CLASSIC SET AND HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS.

The best of the 3 sequels
A hot French babe, WWI reinactments, MEGA-tomato, and an evil tomato concert (complete with a pirate tomato playing a B.C. Rich snakeskin Ironbird). The laughs are fast and furious, ala - 'I thought a threesome was when you used both hands!!'. Fuzzy tomato is back, but not as aggravating as usual. The King of France is cool too in his double role as GangGreen's sidekick. But man that French babe, what a tart.

Great silly fun
First came Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, a low budget musical spoof of monster movies in which giant tomatoes go on a rampage and eat people, a good-natured and amusing small gem. Years later came three sequels, in which John Astin is introduced as the mad scientist who created the tomatoes and wants to rule the world. These films are slicker than the rough around the edges original, but just as much genial fun. I should warn you that my tolerance for silliness is near limitless, but I love John Astin and I loved these movies. By the way, for one season there was a Saturday morning cartoon with Astin and his tomatoes. Bless him, the dedicated mad scientist never gives up. ... Read more

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Jane Fonda's memorable, zero-gravity striptease during the opening credits of this 1968 Roger Vadim movie is the closest the film comes to a liberated marriage of wit and sex. Based on a French comic strip, the story concerns the adventures of a 41st-century woman, who pretty much gets it on with whomever asks. The sci-fi sets were pretty interesting at the time, though they look rather anachronistic now. Appreciated today mostly as a camp classic, the movie is actually more trying than anything else. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Funny, Intentionally-Horrid Camp / Cult Sci-Fi Flick
Jane Fonda may regret opting Barbarella as one of her earlier films, but fans of bad camp and cult sci-fi are happy to see the actress in this horridly funny sixties film.

Fonda plays the title role of a spaice vixen / astronaut in the exceptionally distant yet sixties-fied future. When genius but mad scientist Dr. Duran Duran (presumably from whom the band took their name) disappears, Barbarella is sent to track him down and given weapons she has no clue how to use (war has been outlawed for ages) and little warning of the planet she'll be landing on.

Pursued by evil children with cannibalistic dolls and rescued by a tough man in furs, Barbarella finds out about real sex (thankfully not pictured) when she offers to use a mood-linking pill, the 41st century method of copulation. From there she's off to a city of evil, avarice, and sin, to be caught by the demented Dr. Duran and put through such tortures as a cage of pecking budgies to the doctor's notorious and sensual machine for execution by sheer pleasure to a lake of liquid evil whose effects look to have been done by lava lamp. Along the way she meets various helpers (most of whom she ends up sleeping with), including a blind angel named Pygar.

Barbarella's costumes vary with each scene, all skin-tight and definitely satirizing the garb of women of golden-age science fiction. On the whole, the movie pokes fun at the field of early science fiction rather well with a heaping helping of sixties hippie culture thrown in for good measure. The DVD doesn't include any exceptional special features.

Barbarella is by no means a good movie, but it is excellent fare for fans of campy sci-fi that would be right at home on MST:3K and quite humorous when taken with a grain of salt.

The hottest hottie ever?
Okay, so these days Jane Fonda is weird, which is entirely understandable given that she is married to Ted Turner, who can often be found snoozing during Braves games, wearing a cap 3 sizes too big for his head. But in "Barbarella," Jane Fonda is unbelievably hot, to the point where I questioned whether this movie was real or a mere figment of my fantastical imaginations. Well, it's real, people, and you need to see it. Not only is Jane utterly flawless (which can be easily seen by comparing her to today's "hot" stars like Britney Speers, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Denise Richards), she also invites every male character in the film to basically have his way with her. Um, waiter, check please? But seriously, we cannot be supporting this type of wanton behavior (primarily for the reason that the women who act this way in the real world look more like George Forman than Jane Fonda), so this type of vision is best left to the campy comedy known as "Barbarella." I am 21, mind you, so I am not biased towards the 60's, but I am telling you not to miss out on the world's perfect female--watch it.

A trip
This movie is a trip. In spite of what agenda-driven, right-wingers have to say about it, based on their personal dislike for Jane Fonda and her oppinions of the Vietnam war, this movie is a true classic. It's campy to a point that it makes you think how serious, pragmatic and booring people have become over the past decades. It's a total groovie trip. It doesn't take itself seriously at any moment. And best of all, it actually has lines to read between.

Hanoi Jane in her best role
The only movie she ever made that I can sit through.

Ban Jane Fonda
Read up about her role in the Vietnam War before giving her your patronage. ... Read more

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Is Ed Wood the worst director who ever lived? His films are campy,clumsy, and hysterically inept, but their enthusiasm and good humorovercome incoherent scripts and wooden performances with heart, soul, andan infectious sense of fun. The jaw-dropping"documentary" Glen or Glenda? is a bizarre confessional starring Woodhimself as a misunderstood transvestite and Bela Lugosi as a smirkinggodlike narrator. "Pull ze string!" shouts Lugosi as Wood reveals hisangora fetish and love of women's underwear to the world. Lugosi returns as a mad scientist revenging himself on the world ("Home? I have no home!") inBride of the Monster, a howler of a horror picture. Tor Johnson, thehulking Swedish wrestler turned B-movie icon, made his first Wood appearance asthe lumbering beast Lobo (he almost knocks over the set in one scene!) tamed bythe touch of angora. Finally there's Wood's "masterpiece," the clumsy,nearly incoherent, and ridiculously cheap Plan 9 from Outer Space. Atall, skinny, blond chiropractor subs for short, raven-haired Bela Lugosi(who died after a few days of shooting), cardboard gravestones wobble asthe actors walk by, and night and day randomly come and go within the samescene. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Open your eyes and mind
Ed Wood's continuing reign as the so-called 'worst director of all time' has earned him many fans, but it has also done his work a disservice: few reviewers dare to go against the tide and write constructively about his movies, preferring instead to hop in the so-bad-it's-good bandwagon. This is unfortunate, because his most interesting films are worthy of critical scrutiny - especially his first project, 'Glen or Glenda' (1953). Whereas most of his other films tackle a specific genre, this movie creates its own: an unlikely but personal blend of documentary and fiction, horror, romance, police procedural, and more. There isn't a single storyline throughout but rather a set of imbricated tales that feed off of each other. The bulk of the narrative is devoted to a couple of case histories which are recounted by a psychiatrist to an inspector, but the film is frequently punctuated by Lugosi's enigmatic character. His 'Scientist' name, much like an early scene in which he prepares a potion, is a nod to his past roles: he is a Demiurge-like figure whose utterances often have anthropogonic connotations and can affect people's lives. Lugosi's performance in this film is quite underrated, and arguably one of his most effective. (He was not quite as memorable in Wood's subsequent 'Bride of the Monster' [1955].) To further complicate the narrative, one of the two case histories related by the psychiatrist - that of Wood himself - features an elaborate dream sequence whose images are suitably bizarre and full of strange symbols. The film always operates on multiple levels at once, since Wood constantly shifts between characters while using a proliferation of contrasting techniques (voice-over, documentary, fiction, stock footage, image juxtapositions, etc.). Some have deemed this cinematic cacophony confusing and/or confused, but I find it fascinating, and sometimes even mesmerizing - this is automatic, stream of consciousness filmmaking that remains stubbornly indifferent to conventions. I strongly recommend this film to adventurous cinephiles.

It's rubbish but entertainingly so
Normally I'd give films 1 or 2 for something that was terrible and that I didn't like. Ed Wood however is an exception. His films are bad but so bad they're good. Basically I could tell you all of what the other reviewers have said here. But I won't other than to say that I got this DVD really cheap in Tower Records ( €6 ) and I can say that this really was cheap entertainment. Lugosi's role in this is somewhat silly given that the film doesn't know whether it wants to be a genuine film or a shockumentary! And in some ways that's part of it's charm while it harms the whole process. It gives Lugosi the chance to spew wannabe crypto mumbo jumbo. In a way, he doesn't really " pull ze strings " so much as cut them off from him.

But give credit to Ed on this. This was a genuine attempt at trying to be risque and his heart was really in this and you can tell that - it just didn't translate as well as it could have. His real life fiance Dolores is in this and well.....she's not exactly a great actress. But in some ways the script is just embarassingly naive on Ed's part that in some ways you just can't really believe in it at all no matter how much heart was put into this.

Another thing you'll notice is the dubbing and it is pretty poor. There's a clear 1 and a half second delay on everyone's speech which can be amusing. In fact some people will be in hysterics and just take the piss out of it

But god bless Ed - he tried, honestly he tried

Egads!
Well for those of you who are tired of quality films with rich storylines, try this on for size. Glen or Glenda is an autobiographical documentory based on, starring, and directed by none other than Edward Wood Jr. His hot, real-life girlfriend is along for the ride as well playing the innocent fiance who's man enjoys dressing like a woman. Bela Lugosi is in the film too, but he only occasionally speaks to the audience from a chair in his library.

In this film you can learn all types of words like 'transsexual', 'homosexual', 'bisexual', and 'hermaphodite'. Listen to doctors and psychiatrists of the day explain such strange tendacies as straight men dressing as women and the mysterious world of sex change operations. There is a loosely knit plot here somewhere, but it gets lost in all the medical terms and strange character interludes.

For those who enjoy drugs while watching a film may well understand this movie more than a sober person. Enjoy.

incredible, wow! outstanding
Yeah, well, maybe not! Still one of the most entertaining films i've ever seen! I get way more laughs out of Ed Wood films than most of the so called "comedies" that hollywood puts out. Great way to spend a saturday night, have a "b" grade double feature with your favourite spouse and favourite snacks!

The Genius Capitulated
"What would he have given us next?" "Would he have been among the great American auteurs?" These are the questions we'd be asking ourselves if E.D. Wood Jr. had made "Glen or Glenda?" and died! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Silly Fun ...with a "Millionaire"
This is the third movie in the Killer Tomato series. It stars John Astin (Addams Family on TV) and Rick Rockwell (Who Wants To Marry A Millionaire).

This time Dr. Gangreen wants to take over the world by taking over the news media. Of course, his Killer Tomatoes fit into the plans too. Lance is the one who tries to stop him - with some help from Kennedi who is a Tomatologist. (Yep. She studies Tomatoes.)

The jokes are very silly. This is one of those movies you'll think is just dumb or great. It appears to have a bigger budget and stronger script than the original. Although the story might be more developed than the original, I'm not sure if I can say it's a better movie. The original's appeal was in it's very obvious low-budget. The original almost looks home-made. Here the presentation is better, but the script doesn't play out as well. This movie is easier to sit through than the second movie - Return of the Killer Tomatoes (which had most of the actors from the first movie plus George Clooney). Killer Tomatoes Strike Back is about equal to the next movie, Killer Tomatoes Eat France, if you decide you want to see more.

Cooooooooool!
This film is just great. It's a bout the evil dr. Ganggren who is trying to brian wash people through his talk show, his evil plan is helped by the evil docters killer tomatoes. It is up to a tomatoeologeist and a cop (a dirty harry spoof) to stop the sinister plan. This is a great film, it has lots of great laughs and is just plane entertaining till the end. The one problem is that if the show situation happened I wouldn't watch the show, cause it seems realy boring. Just don't expect anouther [show] and you'll be fine.

A stupid sequel...
Following the infamous Tomatoes Attacks movies, this one is a comedy like Top Secret and Airplane. Well saying, it tries to be, 'cause it's much inferior than that, the jokes are extremely stupid. Even so, it has some good gags, like the English-Tomatoe dictionary...

Funny Stuff
A sequel that should have never been made was and it is terrible. This is so bad that it is hilarious. This movie fits right in between Godzila vs Mothra and Night of the Living Dead. For those of you unfamilar with the first movie, the evil Dr. Ganggreen is at it again trying to take over the world using "Killer Tomatoes". The same crew has to stop him again. This is a great movie at half the price. Buy it if you need a break from good movies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Everyone in Desperate Living's Mortville has some horrible secretto hide. The mentally unstable Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole, in a superb display ofoveracting) and her 300-pound-plus maid Grizelda must take it on the lam afterGrizelda smothers Peggy's husband under her elephantine buttocks. They findthemselves in Mortville, a shanty fiefdom ruled by the grotesque Queen Carlotta(the incomparable Edith Massey). The evil queen delights in tormenting hersubjects, but Peggy and Grizelda soon team up with a pair of lesbian outcasts,and a rebellion is in the air. John Waters's Desperate Living takes onthe air of a seedy, trash fairy tale as the humiliated residents of Mortvillerise up against the queen and the cursed princess finds herself in a powerstruggle against her mother. Notable for the absence of Waters regular Divine,this movie pushes the rest of the cast to their over-the-top best. Fifties sexbomb Liz Renay has a great time as Muffy St. Jacques, half of the lesbiancouple, and was still looking great by the '70s. The tumbledown sets ofMortville add a surreal touch to the movie, but Edith Massey steals every sceneshe's in as the hateful, repulsive Queen Carlotta. Note that the actors' breathis clearly visible in many scenes; it was filmed outdoors in a bitter Baltimorewinter. Nasty, shabby, gross, and hilarious, this is John Waters at his best.--Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (26)

I Honor You, Queen Carlotta!
It's hard for me to believe that there could be John Waters fans who know only his mainstream films. They're pretty good movies, don't get me wrong; but they walk meekly in the shadow cast by his amazing Trash Trio (this, FEMALE TROUBLE & PINK FLAMINGOS). This one is his all-time best, partly because of Divine's absence. Had he been available, he would not only have nabbed the Queen Carlotta role, but become the focus of every viewer's attention as he usually did. (Well, nobody cites FEMALE TROUBLE for the Donald Dasher role, right?) The way DESPERATE LIVING worked out, you finally get a chance to see how good Waters' other Dreamland divas really were. Here, they're VERY good. Fact, DESPERATE features some of the most inspired, OTT female acting ever featured in a movie, "trash" or otherwise. It's as if a heroin-addicted George Cukor decided to remake THE WOMEN in a Maryland junkyard.

Mink Stole is unbeLIEVABLE as Peggy Gravel; she seethes with constant neurotic dementia throughout. Her portrayal of misery to the power of ten is less overacting than it is finding the perfect pitch for the role, and settling in on the very spot. The movie-opening running tantrum she spews is one of the funniest things I've ever seen - every third or fourth word is shouted for maniacal emphasis ("The CHILDREN are having SEX!! Beth is PREGNANT!! And I NARROWLY escaped an ASSASSINATION attempt!!") Brilliant. But she's matched, step for weaving step, by Susan Lowe's unforgettable diesel-dyke Mole and the nonpareil Edith Massey as the evil Queen of the criminal shanty-kingdom, Mortville. (If you've never experienced Edith Massey, nothing I can say could possibly prepare you for her....unique...greatness. Let's just leave it at that, okay?) And that's not to discount the typically outre work by Mary Vivian Pearce - who plays her character as if she'd gotten lost on her way to the set of a Julie Andrews musical - or the CGI effect that is Miss Jean Hill. This assembly of female firepower results in one incredible movie that STILL has the power to make you squirt liquid out your nose in helpless laughter, Farrelly Brothers or no Farrelly Brothers. As a matter of fact, the more Waters' early assaults on good taste have become absorbed into mainstream entertainment, the better and more shocking his films look for it. When DESPERATE LIVING stood alone, one hardly knew what to make of it. Now that every lesser talent in show-biz is trying to finance a swimming pool by imitating the Waters touch, it's easy to see, and appreciate, who the innovator and true original is. When Waters made this movie, he was a pariah with nothing to lose...he knew better, but still didn't care. Thus, there's an intoxicating power and thrift-shop integrity to DESPERATE LIVING that none of the Johnny-come-latelies can approach, now that "bad taste" is boxoffice, and safe as milk. If you're gonna wallow in slime, then accept no substitutes, folks: demand DESPERATE LIVING.

"I have never found the antics of deviants amusing."
In the perverted, sick fairy tale, "Desperate Living" from the genius director, John Waters, neurotic society wife, Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) accidentally kills her husband with the assistance of her 300lb out-of-control maid, Grizelda. The two desperate women are on the run from the law, when a kinky policeman insists on taking the fugitives' underwear, and then generously allows the women to escape to that notorious haven for criminals and lowlifes--Mortville.

Mortville is full of deliciously disgusting types, and the evil and despotic Queen Carlotta (Edith Massey) rules over all. Elite bodyguards--young leather-clad biker boys, surround Carlotta day AND night. Carlotta's daughter--the Princess Coo Coo (Mary Vivian Pearce) is currently out of Carlotta's favour because the princess insists on consorting with a commoner. But in a land of desperate people who will stop at nothing, there are many ready to vie for power, and soon Peggy Gravel's natural nastiness promotes her to top of the pile of human rejects who inhabit Mortville.

The film is full of outrageous characters--there's Mole McHenry (a vicious female wrestler) and Muffy St Jacques--fellow inhabitants of Mortville, and their tragic tales are both hilarious. Some of the lines are pure genius--sick and twisted--but still genius. Two of my favourite lines are: "This'll teach you to arouse royalty," and "she thinks the toilet I sit on is competition." Warning--this film is not for the faint-hearted. The film has many, many completely outrageous scenes involving male and female nudity, 'sexual reassignments', spanking, and many perversions too numerous to name here. John Waters fans will love this tacky, trashy classic--many other viewers will not. Definitely NOT a date film (unless it's some sort of test), and it's definitely not for the kiddies. If you want to watch this with anyone else in the room, be sure you know your fellow viewer well. Keep your eyes open for the late great Cookie Mueller. "Desperate Living"--made on a $65,000 budget is camp at its best and lowest--displacedhuman.

The best of John Waters' early films. Mink Stole rocks
In my opinion, John Water's movies have always been smarter on paper than most give him credit for. All of his work skewers the establishment was well as some of its offshoots and although intended to be shocking (in many instances just for the sake of being able to do so), my favorite moments generally involve the amazing Mink Stole and when John Waters in a very matter of fact fashion throws in something absolutely jaw-dropping as if it were just another scene.

On one hand you'll have people who will find Waters' early work to be too repulsive to watch and on the other extreme, you'll find others who worship his movies without any reservation and reject any critique as a sign that people just don't get it. My perspective is a little different as after watching Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, and Desperate Living, my view is that while the ideas continue to be as fresh as they were made in the mid to late 1970's, his early work is much funnier when taken in little dozes rather than full length movies. Although, many may disagree I find Desperate Living to be his early best, while Female trouble is highly overrated. Pink Flamingos falls somewhere between the two.

There are scenes in Desperate Living that had me laughing so hard that I cried. In fact, the first half hour of the film is absolutely hilarious. Every scene involving Jean Hill who plays the hilarious Grizelda Brown and/or Mink Stole who plays the crazed Peggy Gravel, is a gag waiting to happen. There is a scene that takes place after something horrible happens (like I am going to tell you what happened) when Peggy is driving away with Grizelda that is worth the price of owning this movie. Said scene has Mink Stole going off like a madwoman regarding her hatred of nature, and it never fails to surprise me how funny she is. As happens with most of Waters' early films, it ultimately runs out of steam and starts relying too much on shock value and by now almost any Waters fan is hard to shock visually so it better be funny too. Desperate Living is my favorite early John Waters film, although many find it to be his most grim and depressing.

Female Trouble is one of the early Waters movies that most fans tend to like, and I just did not like it at all. Of course no John Waters film can ever be made without having hilarious moments, but they are far and few in between and I was mostly bored. Mink Stole as usual steals every scene that she is in and she does a variation on her "I hate nature" soliloquy from "Desperate Living," this time involving humans. Although I could not get enough of Edith Massey as the egg lady Pink Flamingos or as Queen Carlotta in desperate living, her role in Female Trouble made me feel for her as I was not laughing with her or could not bring myself to laugh at her. While she has her moments and awesome potty mouth, Waters (possibly without meaning to) takes her costumes to a point where you want to hug her instead of laughing. Divine has the opposite effect as the cruder and ruder that she is, the more that I loved her in this movie.

Pink Flamingos, which is Waters' breakout movie, without a doubt uses shock value more than any of his subsequent films. It is supposedly centered around defining who is the filthiest person alive in Waters' beloved Phoenix, Maryland. Since this was Waters' first fully realized early picture, he went for the jugular in trying to get away with as much gross out material as possible. The story, as is the case with Female Trouble, is not worth following and starts to get old quickly, but there are MANY scenes that will shock the numbest person alive. In many instances, the shock is not a bad thing as my motto is if it's funny, bring it on. Edith Massey as the egg lady is so funny that I can't help seeing her scenes over and over again. There are little touches as the manner in which Divine steals some ham, or apparently throwaway scenes involving dealing drugs and a baby selling ring, that are too funny to describe.

In a nutshell, I think that John Waters in hilarious and is responsible for some of the funniest movies of our time (as is the case with Serial Mom, just to name one), but these early exercises in guerilla filmmaking work better as boundary pushers than fully realized self contained movies. Those who enjoyed Jackass - The Movie, said movie would probably never have seen the light of day if it were not for John Waters, and although some may wish that such were the case, I for one think that Jackass - The Movie is one of the funniest movies ever. Part of that success is due to Johnny Knoxville not attempting to create a linear narrative or a storyline but intertwining bigger and smaller ideas just for the sake of making us laugh. Maybe it was not a choice at the time, but all of Waters' early movies would have worked much better with extensive editing and bypassing the narrative to focus on being funny.

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