ComedyDramaMusic

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

- This Is Not A Sequel. There Has Never Been Anything Like It!

An all-girl rock band moves to Hollywood in the hope of achieving success, only to fall into a whirlpool of wickedness and decadence.

Release Date : 1970-07-17

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : 20th Century Fox

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Kelly McNamara

Original Name : Dolly Read

Gender : Female

Character Name : Casey Anderson

Original Name : Cynthia Myers

Gender : Female

Character Name : Petronella Danforth

Original Name : Marcia McBroom

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ronnie Z-Man Barzell

Original Name : John Lazar

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lance Rocke

Original Name : Michael Blodgett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Harris Allsworth

Original Name : David Gurian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ashley St. Ivens

Original Name : Edy Williams

Gender : Female

Character Name : Roxanne

Original Name : Erica Gavin

Gender : Female

Character Name : Susan Lake

Original Name : Phyllis Davis

Gender : Female

Character Name : Emerson Thome

Original Name : Harrison Page

Gender : Male

Character Name : Porter Hall

Original Name : Duncan McLeod

Gender : Male

Character Name : Randy Black

Original Name : James Iglehart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Baxter

Original Name : Charles Napier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Otto

Original Name : Henry Rowland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matron

Original Name : Princess Livingston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Disciple

Original Name : Stan Ross

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vanessa

Original Name : Lavelle Roby

Gender : Female

Character Name : Girl-in-Tub

Original Name : Angel Ray

Gender : Female

Character Name : Blonde Date

Original Name : Veronica Erickson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cat Woman

Original Name : Haji

Gender : Female

Character Name : Red Head

Original Name : Karen Smith

Gender : Female

Character Name : Art Director

Original Name : Sebastian Brook

Gender : Male

Character Name : Photographer

Original Name : Bruce McBroom

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boy-in-Tub

Original Name : Ian Sander

Gender : Male

Character Name : Assistant

Original Name : Koko Tani

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cynthia

Original Name : Samantha Scott

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rotund Drunk

Original Name : Coleman Francis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fashion Model

Original Name : Ashley Phillips

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fourth Woman

Original Name : Pam Grier

Gender : Female

Character Name : TV Cameraman (uncredited)

Original Name : Russ Meyer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man with Newspaper (uncredited)

Original Name : Garth Pillsbury

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gordon - TV Interviewer (uncredited)

Original Name : Gordon Wescourt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hippy Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Bebe Louie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fashion Model

Original Name : Susan Reed

Gender : Male

Character Name : Party Extra (uncredited)

Original Name : Jacqulin Cole

Gender : Female

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2022-05-30

_**Campy apex of the "wild" late 60s**_ Dolly Read, Cynthia Myers and Marcia McBroom star as an all-girl rock band, who move to Los Angeles to make it in the music biz. The group is so well-received that they turn the head of eccentric rock producer Z-Man (John Lazar) who becomes their Svengali-style manager and changes their name to The Carrie Nations, all to the consternation of their small-time manager, who's a Greg Brady lookalike (David Gurian). Can the girls survive the pitfalls that come with the debauched rock lifestyle? Directed by Russ Meyer and scripted by none other than Roger Ebert, "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" (1970) satirizes the previous melodrama from three years prior. The movie telegraphs right out of the gate that it's a joke and not to be taken seriously like the first film (at least, like they _TRIED_ to do with the first film). The cast is killer, highlighted by the three protagonists, especially the underrated Read. Also worthy of note besides the key players cited above are Michael Blodgett, who's character takes an interest in the singer (Read); Phyllis Davis as her hip aunt; Edy Williams as an oversexed porn star; Erica Gavin who takes a dubious interest in Myers' character; Duncan McLeod as the aunt's sleazy & greedy financial adviser; Charles Napier as her former-beau; Henry Rowland as Z-Man's employee who (I guess) likes to dress-up as a Nazi; and Harrison Page & James Iglehart who vie for the attentions of the foxy drummer (McBroom). The best thing about "Beyond" is that it's the absolute apogee of the late 60s (being shot in '69) and everything that went with it — the overindulgence in drugs, "free" sex, libertine parties, go-go dancing, rock and general debauchedness. There are several noteworthy women, with cutie Read the arguable frontrunner. Also, some of the tunes the band plays are actually catchy. All these factors make for a fun, entertaining flick, which explains how it quickly became a cult film. Yet its quality is brought down by needless nudity and tame sex scenes that strapped it with a NC-17 rating, thus limiting its general appeal and access to the masses, which could've been easily avoided by wisely trimming down a few scenes. There's also too much fruity twaddle for my tastes and the "story" seems to be just one "wild party" after another, which gets redundant. Still, "Beyond" is the undeniable pinnacle of late 60's flicks, even though it can't be taken seriously for a moment, which is actually fitting. The film runs 1 hour, 49 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles. GRADE: B-