Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

In Russ Meyer's BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, all-girl rock band the Kelly Affair moves to Los Angeles in pursuit of fame and fortune. Upon meeting wealthy rock scenester Ronnie "Z-Man" Barzell (John Lazar) at one of his lavish parties, they believe they've met the man who can bring them fame. Changing their name to The Carry Nations, they navigate their way through a maze of sexual misadventures, drugs, and brushes with some very unpleasant characters only to find that fame comes at a price. Livening up the considerably frantic proceedings are Meyer starlets Edy Williams and Erica Gavin (VIXEN) as well as an appearance by the Strawberry Alarm Clock. Finally invited to work within a major studio (20th Century Fox) following the enormous success of 1968’s VIXEN, Meyer, along with screenwriter Roger Ebert (today a famous film critic), created the ultimate sex, drugs, and rock & roll film of the psychedelic era. An altogether odd mixture of comedy, drama, and left-field shocks punctuated with memorably wacky lines, BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS lets Meyer's reliably decadent formula mingle agreeably with the psychedelia of the time.