RIP Russ Meyers

[raj]

Another icon of b-movies goes to that great theater in the sky:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&e=3&u=/ap/20040922/ap_en_mo/obit_meyer

[blkrider]

Yeah, that really stinks...I always admired Meyer as a guy who did it his own way.

Roger Ebert has a nice tribute on his page, which is only right since they worked together on Meyer's films.

[trekgeezer]

“I made the mistake of reading my reviews. What the public wants are big laughs and big tits and lots of ‘em. Lucky for me that’s what I like, too."

Now that's a quote.  Spent many a  high school weekend  watching Russ's movies at the drive in.  All I've got to say is he had a good life because he got to do what he loved.  Hope there are lots of big tits in heaven.

[Chris K.]

Upon coming back from work to hear that Russ Meyer is no longer, my jaw dropped to the floor. How? How can this be? Truely a sad day for film admirers such as myself who are familiar with his body of work. And yet, despite my sadness of his passing, let's not forget the legacy of films that he has made for all of us to sit back and enjoy.

As for being a called a sleazy sexploitation filmmaker, I have to strongly disagree. As Meyer has stated before, he never believed in hardcore pornography and kept the sexual shenangans to a slight minimun. Yes, he did have large chested women in his films, but that was always part of Meyer's wild, weird world and had a point within the narrative structure, unlike typical sex films that threw the nudity in just for the Hell of it. Not only that, but Meyer's films ususally had strange social commentaries that seemed to be way out there for "sexploitation films" (i.e., BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS seems to give an incredibly outrageous look of the early 1970's lifestyle between the younger and older generation gap). But to say Meyer made bump-and-grind porno realted features is ludicrous. Meyer made films that had unusually strange plotting, good performances, and a high overtone of sexual themes with social commentary. Unusual for a "sexpolitation" filmmaker and hopefully he will be placed alongside the greatest directors in film history.

Rest In Peace, Russ Meyer. I'm gonna' miss you.

[raj]

Well put.  The women in his films were able to take care of themselves (and would take care of the guys too.)

[Scott]

I have yet to see any Russ Meyer films. Hard to find them without ordering them. His films are part of film history.



Post Edited (09-23-04 18:06)

[Mr_Vindictive]

I must agree with Chris K, it is pretty unfair to throw Meyer into the "sexploitation" genre.

Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls is a great flick and by far one of the strangest.  Only a genius could make such a film.

[Yaddo42]

Interesting guy. Between his life story and his fixations, he does seem a strange mix of different eras, the desire to push boundaries but staying away from hardcore (which as Ebert and others have stated was as much his desire to avoid getting involved with organized crime as where his "interest" was) I didn't know that his long-awaited massive biography had finally been released, but three volumes and $199!!! Still fixated on big things and charging a lot for his work, even in books.

Wonder what John Lydon/Johnny Rotten's reaction to the news was? If he even had one.