Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 31, 2016

Russ Meyer's "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" (1970) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailers for the film; audio commentary with cast and crew members; audio commentary with critic Roger Ebert; archival programs; screen tests; and more. The release also arrives with a 34-page illustrated booklet featuring Glenn Kenny's essay "My Happening", Stan Berkowitz's essay "The Black Lot of Beyond", and technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Ladies and gentlemen, The Carrie Nations singing, for the first time. Find, it.

If there is one thing that can be said about Russ Meyer’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls that after all these years still holds true it is that it remains an incredibly polarizing film. Today its critics are probably a smaller group than its admirers, but their passion to dismiss it as pure trash has not weakened. This is hardly surprising. When these types of films emerge and then hordes of critics and knowledgeable fans clash and fire flares at each other, their valid points tend to get lost in the smoke because the debate quickly becomes personal. (Anyone assuming that times have changed should take a look at the various reviews Gaspar Noe’s Irreversible and more recently Lars von Trier’s Antichrist have generated since their premieres and the type of extreme reactions they have inspired even from industry professionals).

Now that Beyond the Valley of the Dolls has received yet another home video release and an entirely new generation of viewers are likely to discover it, it is a good idea to mention a few of these points. They are not meant to question its reputation -- the good or the bad -- but hopefully they will move expectations closer to the middle. When viewed from there, it is a lot easier to understand where the film succeeds and where it fails.

The first thing that should be made clear is that Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is very much a product of its time and that its goal is very similar to that of Robert Altman’s Nashville. Indeed, these films are a lot more interested in the reality in which their characters exist rather than the series of events that they are a part of. They do tell unique stories, but they are not stories that were meant to make them attractive.

In Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, however, a very large part of the reality is manufactured. The LA scenery is authentic, but the atmosphere and especially the various attitudes and behaviors on display are artificial. This is arguably the film’s biggest weakness. The people that exist in this reality are essentially transformed into kinky puppets whose one and only function is to target and humiliate each other. They are rock musicians, businessmen, actors and athletes, but they are all created equal.

Since none of the relationships between these puppets matter much, the film basically collapses under its own weight. It is true that for a while the chaos and kitsch are quite entertaining, but then Meyer runs out of tricks. After that it does not matter much what the actors say or do in front of the camera as it is essentially more of the same -- the eyes know it and the mind no longer cares.

Ultimately, the film divides people for similar reasons. The people that defend it do it because they like the fact that it delivers excess in huge doses. This is good enough for them. They embrace its manufactured reality and reject the conventional logic that questions its existence. The people that dismiss the film do it because they can’t rationalize the excess. They want a structure and a message that justifies its presence and since the film does not have them they can’t warm up to it.

The great film critic Roger Ebert wrote the script. The film earned an X rating, but anyone expecting hardcore sex or similar extra sleazy footage will be hugely disappointed.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the booklet provided with this Blu-ray release:

"This high-definition digital transfer was created in high resolution from a new 35mm interpositive made from the 35mm pronominal camera negative at IVC Digital Film Center in Burbank, California. Additional restoration was performed by the Criterion Collection. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered from the 35mm magnetic track. Clicks, thumps, hiss, hum, and crackle were manually removed using Pro Tools HD and iZotope RX.

QC and restoration manager: Stephane Pecharman.
QC and restoration: IIona Auth, Jon Buchana, Craig Ferrence, Phoebe Harmon, Betsy Jones
Thad Komorowski, Jeffrey Leiser, Eric Luszcz, Cara Shatzman, Russell Smith.
Audio supervisor and restoration: Ryan Hullings."

The release appears to have been sourced from the same master that was used for the Region-B release. The only notable difference is that the film looks a tad brighter here, which seems to help some of the colors look more vibrant. However, I still think that ideally color saturation should be better because there are areas of the film where select primaries appear somewhat subdued. Shadow definition could be more convincing as well. Detail and clarity are very good. Fluidity is consistently pleasing as well. In fact, I think that a lot of people will find this to be one of the biggest upgrades when comparing the new Blu-ray release to the old DVD release. There are no traces of problematic sharpening corrections. Grain is visible but some minor density fluctuations can be seen. There are no large damage marks, debris, cuts, stains, warped frames, or other distracting age-related imperfections. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The lossless track is very good. The dialog is very clean, crisp, stable, and easy to follow. Balance and separation during the mass scenes are also excellent. Dynamic intensity is as good as it can be for a film of the era. There are no audio dropouts, pops, background hiss, or digital distortions to report.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Above, Beneath and Beyond the Valley - the archival featurette, examines the vision and cinematic style of director Russ Meyer, as well as the controversial qualities of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls that made the film a cult classic. Included in it are clips from interviews with critic Roger Ebert, Stan Berkowitz (Russ Meyer production assistant), Manny Diez (assistant to Russ Meyer), Jimmy McDonough (Russ Meyer biographer), editor Dann Cahn, John LaZar, David Ansen (critic, Newsweek), and writer Nathan Rabin, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (31 min).

• Archival Programs -
  
  1. The Incredibly Strange Film Show - presented here is an archival episode of Jonathan Ross' The Incredibly Strange Film Show which first aired in September 1988 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. The bulk of the material examines the work and rather controversial image of Russ Meyer. Included in it are clips from archival interviews with the director, critic Roger Ebert, actress Tura Satana, and Malcolm McLaren (ex-manager, Sex Pistols), amongst others, as well as plenty of clips from various films. In English, not subtitled. (39 min, 1080i).
  
  2. Cast and Crew Q&A - this archival Q&A session features dierctor Russ Meyer, screenwriter Roger Ebert, actors John LaZar, David Gurian, Dolly Read, Charles Napier, Michael Blodgett, and Edy Williams, and host Michael Dare. The guests answer a wide variety of questions about the film's production history, reception, and some of the lasting appeal. The program was produced by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association in conjunction with Robert Rosen at the UCLA Film & Television Archive in Los Angeles in 1990. In English, not subtitled. (50 min, 1080i).

• Interviews -
  
  1. Beyond the Beyond - in this brand new interview, filmmaker John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Multiple Maniacs) discusses the visual characteristics that made Russ Meyer's films so unique, their acceptance by the major studios and public, the director's relationship with Roger Ebert, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and its quite colorful script (with some specific and very interesting comments about the 'coded' exchanges), etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2016. In English, not subtitled. (30 min, 1080p).
  
  2. Look on Up at the Bottom - this archival featurette takes a closer look at the music of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Included in it at clips from interviews with critic Roger Ebert, composer Stu Phillips, Marcia McBroom, Cynthia Myers, and Jeff McDonald (vocals/guitar, Redd Kross), amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (11 min, 1080i).
  
  3. Sex, Drugs, Music & Murder - this featurette takes a closer look at the socio-cultural environment at the time when Beyond the Valley of the Dolls was made. Included in it are clips from archival video interviews with Paul Marshall (guitar/vocals, The Strawberry Alarm Clock), Lynn Carey (singer and voice of The Carrie Nations), Harrison Page (Emerson Thorne), Erica Gavin (Roxanne), and Dolly Read Martin (Kelly McNamara), amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (8 min, 1080i).
  
  4. The Best of Beyond - this archival featurette focuses on the cult status of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (with many great observations about the classic lines heard throughout the film, the best breasts, the best kiss, etc.). Included in it are clips from interviews with Chuck Kelly (music consultant, Pulp Fiction), Harrison Page, Cynthia Myers, John LaZar, Michael Musto (critic, The Village Voice), Dolly Reed Martin, and Erica Gavin, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (13 min, 1080i).
  
  5. Casey & Roxanne: The Love Scene - in this short video piece, Cynthia Myers (Casey) and Erica Gavin (Roxanne) recall the shooting of their notorious lovemaking scene. Both actresses describe the scene as a "special moment" that surprised even director Russ Meyer. In English, not subtitled. (5 min, 1080i).
  
  6. Memories of Russ - presented here is a collection of clips from archival interviews with actors Charles Napier, Harrison Page, Erica Gavin, and Haji, and Russ Meyer's longtime friend and collaborator/production consultant Jim Ryan. The interviews were conducted in 2005 for Severin Films. The interviewees recall their interactions with Russ Meyer and involvement with Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. In English, not subtitled. (9 min, 1080i).

• Audio Commentary One - in this archival audio commentary, the late critic Roger Ebert discusses in great detail his collaboration with Russ Meyer on Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, the director's career and legacy, the X rating of the film and its reception, the unfinished Sex Pistols project Who Killed Bambi?, the casting process, etc.

• Audio Commentary Two - in this archival audio commentary, cast members Dolly Read, Cynthia Myers, Harrison Page, John LaZar, and Erica Gavin discuss their contribution to Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.

• Teaser - original teaser for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 1080i).

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080i).

• Behind the Scenes - short promo piece with raw footage from the shooting of the film. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080i).

• Additional Trailers -
  
  1. Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).
  2. Vixen. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• Screen Tests - presented here are two screen tests performed by two different couples. In English, not subtitled. (8 min, 1080i).
  
  1. Michael Blodgett and Cynthia Myers
  2. Harrison Page and Marcia McBroom

• Booklet - 34-page illustrated booklet featuring Glenn Kenny's essay "My Happening", Stan Berkowitz's essay "The Black Lot of Beyond", and technical credits.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In one of the archival featurettes included on this release, the late editor Dann Cahn discusses in great detail his work with Russ Meyer and states: "Russ went from making nuts and bolts to tits and ass. And, it's funny, but he knew how to photograph screws." It is true, and this is the biggest reason why Meyer's films will never be forgotten. Criterion's technical presentation of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is very good. As usual, the upcoming Blu-ray release also offers an excellent selection of informative supplemental features. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.