Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times, arguably America’s most influential movie critic, was one of the first of his profession to write seriously about the work of Russ Meyer, the sexploitation film great who died a week ago at 82. Ebert later wrote the script for Meyer’s first major studio outing, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and the two remained close friends over the years. On Meyer’s death, AVN.com contacted Ebert for some personal recollections and an assessment of the director’s cinematic legacy. He responded via an email interview.
AVN: Mr. Ebert, were you an admirer of Meyer’s movies before you collaborated on Beyond the Valley of the Dolls?
EBERT: Yes. I found they had enormous energy and humor—a vitality that was compelling. When the Wall Street Journal ran their famous page one profile of Russ, I wrote the Journal approving of the article and calling him an under-appreciated auteur. Russ wrote to thank me, we met, and eventually he asked me to write Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
AVN: Was your experience working with him a happy one?
EBERT: One of the great experiences of my life. But Russ loved to work and was a demanding top sergeant. I think he equated writing with typing, and when he couldn't hear my typewriter actually pounding on the page, he'd shout from his office: "What's wrong?"
AVN: What about Meyer’s experience with 20th Century Fox? Did it (and the failure of The Seven Minutes) discourage him from future Hollywood projects? Did he regret not being able to do more?
EBERT: He considered Fox and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls to be "my journey to the mountaintop." But he thought The Seven Minutes was a career mistake. "My audiences want big tits and square jaws and lots of action," he told me, "and I should never lose sight of that."
AVN: What is your critical assessment of Russ Meyer and his work in the overall context of American movies?
| More on Russ Meyer |
| Beyond the Valley of the Boob-Obsessed Director |
EBERT: He is first of all an American icon whose films will endure not because of the sex but because of the comedy, outrageous parody, dynamic visual and editing style, and off-the-scale characters. He made his first film at the same time Cassavetes made Shadows, and together they demonstrated that it was possible to work outside the system; he was a founder of American independent film. There are two genres that do not require stars: horror films, and skin flicks. By using sex as his trademark, Russ was able to find box office success without stars and large budgets. It was also important that his films were very well made from a technical point of view, so that audiences didn't see them as cheap.
AVN: By the way, Paul Fishbein [AVN president] sends his regards. He says one of his fondest memories was staying at your summer home with Russ, when the activities of Russ and a well-endowed lady from Seattle "kept everyone up all night."
EBERT: What a night. As their roars and gasps of ecstasy reverberated through the entire house, I realized that the athletic sex scenes in Meyer's movies were not an exaggeration.
AVN: Thank you for your time.
