Why Russ Meyer Matters

[Phat Mack]

The true genius of Pussycats is that we get to see a TR-3, an MGA and a Porsche Speedster. I'd comment more, but I'm missing Antiques Roadshow.

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]
The true genius of Pussycats is that we get to see a TR-3, an MGA and a Porsche Speedster.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Porsche Speedster is the nuts. So are the ornaments.

[Moneyline]

[ QUOTE ]
Story I heard from Roger Ebert when he asked Russ Meyer how he wanted to be remembered. Russ said he wanted on his grave this quote by Charles Keating:

"More than anyone else in his time, Russ Meyer was responsible for the decay in values in American Society"

under which Russ wanted carved:

"I was glad to do it - Russ"


[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, a Russ Meyer thread! And double wow for it being a Russ Meyer thread where people aren't making fun of his movies! I never read the lounge because (among other things) my taste in movies is very different from most of the forum regulars, but maybe it's not as different as I thought. Anyway, I liked diebitter's story about Ebert and Meyer, and it reminded me of another story Ebert told about Russ that I'll repeat here to the best of my ability.

Russ was on his deathbed and Ebert went to visit him for a final time. By this point Meyer was ravaged by alzheimer's disease. He didn't know who he was or what he had accomplished, and had long since lost the ability to recognize his friends. In the midst of the depressing visit a nurse walked in to attend to what was left of the filmmaker. After she left Russ sat up, turned to Ebert and said "no tit.s on that one."

[daveT]

Sad to admit that I never heard of Russ Meyers, but I think I will soon be a fan.

[mrbaseball]

[ QUOTE ]
Haven't seen any Meyer in years, except Faster Pussycat, which I had on pre-order when I heard it was coming out. LOVE THIS MOVIE.

It's one of the few movies I'd actually love to see a remake done, but by really good people. It'd be really easy to mess up

[/ QUOTE ]

Watched this last night and liked it a lot. I know what you mean about a remake though. As much as I liked though I felt it just missed in a couple of areas. Hard to describe really? Problem is I think any remake would be horribly botched. Also I think any remake would lose that incredible 60's vibe.

[Blarg]

I can't imagine a Russ Meyers flick being remade by anyone coming out even halfway well. Tarantino might try, but he doesn't have the right combo of anarchic and funny. Well, one exception to Meyers being unrecreatable, especially in these less accepting times -- John Waters, from his Hairspray days, showed he could get into that sort of hallucinatory goofy otherness that Meyers could, and do it in a period piece that somehow combined being observant with being totally over the top. And there are few people who are more comfortable in the role of cinematic outlaw.

That he's gay could make him miss some of the simple pleasures of gigantic boobs and tempt him to turn toward purely making fun rather than also happily throwing some unabashed lust around, who knows. With Meyers it was always clear he very much liked the girls and the robust silliness of the missions his movies set their characters on, and damn well wanted to jump on them. I'm not sure if Waters can do lust.

[diebitter]

I agree it's hard to think of a single director who could tackle it well. But, you know, there's always new talent coming up. I do hope American cinema throws up someone with the pizazz of a Meyer or Waters (or even Gordon Herscell Lewis or early Romero) in the next few years.

[Moneyline]

[ QUOTE ]
I can't imagine a Russ Meyers flick being remade by anyone coming out even halfway well.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not a remake and I haven't seen it, but I've heard good things about this homage. And at risk of sounding nitty, it's "Meyer" without the "s."

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]

Wow, a Russ Meyer thread! And double wow for it being a Russ Meyer thread where people aren't making fun of his movies! I never read the lounge because (among other things) my taste in movies is very different from most of the forum regulars, but maybe it's not as different as I thought.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, It helps to have me around to bring not only sweetness and lust, but also that unsettling touch of reality to this forum that it so resoundingly lacks when I am absent. The somber analytical tone dominants and needs punctured once in awhile. I am the ready weapon. Zen Masters always are.

-Zeno: Zeno Master and TV Repairman

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
I watched Beyond the Valley of the Dolls with my frickin' grandparents. I was 14 and it may have been the single most uncomfortable moment of my life.

[/ QUOTE ]

Netflix has this movie on DVD and as a instant watch via streaming video (I get 17 hours per month of free streams with my more or less standard 3 DVD subscription - assume most of you do too).

~ Rick