Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)

  • 68% of critics liked it
    (22 reviews)

  • 70% of users liked it
    (7,747 ratings)

After nearly a decade as one of America's most successful independent filmmakers, legendary sexploitation auteur Russ Meyer first reached out for the brass ring of major studio success with this frantic cult favorite, once described by Meyer and screenwriter Roger Ebert as "the first… More

NC-17,
Directed By
Written By
Roger Ebert, Russ Meyer
Genres
Drama, Romance, Mystery & Suspense, Classics, Comedy
In Theaters
Jun 17, 1970 Limited

Critic Reviews

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    This trashy, gaudy, sound-stage vulgarity about low life among the high life is as funny as a burning orphanage.

  • , Time Out

    With his first movie for a major studio, Meyer simply did what he'd been doing for years, only bigger and better.

  • Vincent Canby, New York Times

    Any movie that Jacqueline Susann thinks would damage her reputation as a writer cannot be all bad. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls isn't -- which is not to say it is any good.

  • Michael Musto, Village Voice

    A psychedelic wow that serves up the free love, plunging necklines, androgynous boys, and lusty lezzies of the era with a narcotized abandon.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    Although it would not be appropriate for me to review it or give it a star rating, I offer the following observations written for Film Comment magazine on the occasion of the movie's 10th anniversary in 1980.

Read all 16 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • AJ V


    This movie is a semi spoof of Valley of the Dolls, and it's very funny. The girls find themselves in crazy situations, there's a lot of crazy orgy parties, and the characters are crazy too. A classic cult film, check it out, I love it.

  • Tim S


    Absolutley insane and bizarre. I loved it!

  • Drew S


    I have no idea what the fuck I just watched, but I kind of loved it. This is High Camp, effortless and energetic and unironically involving. I was totally submerged in the bizarre plot until the last ten minutes or so, which I think is an incredible triumph on Russ Meyer's part,… More

  • Steve K


    I was not prepared for how awesome this movie was, nor had I realized how many films I have seen were clearly inspired by it.

  • Stephen M


    How Russ Meyer ever managed to steer this film through a major studio (20th Century Fox) is nothing short of miraculous. It's an hilarious, ultra-camp, rags-to-riches soap opera about a girl-group trying to break into the music scene in L.A. Of course, it's pretty tame by… More

Read all 15 featured audience ratings

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Cast

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