Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a weird, goofy, trashy film that went on to become a cult classic. Sexploitation, the genre of film-making Meyer's worked in, called for lots of violence and nudity, and there's plenty of both on display here. The film is sexy, displaying ample amounts of objectification (of both men and women - but mostly women). Much of the film is allowing attractive people to simply be attractive.
Despite how trashy and exploitative the film is, it's also smarter than that. Meyer and Ebert's script provides the film with a fair amount of satire and social commentary, and though some of it isn't entirely graciously handled, it gives even the sillier and limper moments a sense of purpose they otherwise might not have had. The film is very much of the time in which it was made. Made in 1970, the film is clothed in the vibe and style of the swinging 1960's that had just come to pass (at times laughably and awkwardly so), and much of the commentary looks forward to the conflicted 1970's America.
Though whatever greater messages about corruption, exploitation and understanding in the film might have devolved, especially in the surreal and silly ending, and are too frequently undercut by the film's sensibilities, the film is at times pretty fun. This is occasionally merely due to a camp factor. But there are still aspects that hold up. Plus there's splatter effects and hot bods.
The film's story of a girl rock group's rise to fame and the cost that comes at remains to be, in the words of the characters, groovy. Even if it is frequently for reasons not necessarily intended by the film. This a trashy, schlocky, at times pretty bad film, but it's also one where a lot of real affection shines through and it remains entertaining even if it's due to just how strange and poorly handled it so often is.
Grade: B-
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