R
Director: Mark Robson
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 123 Minutes
Purchase: Amazon
This product was provided for free for the purpose of this review.
Based on the hit book by Jacqueline Susann and directed by Mark Robson for 20th Century Fox, 1967’s Valley of the Dolls proved to be a success at the box office despite being panned by critics and seemingly shunned by the studio that produced it. Over the years, a cult following began to form, and the film became recognized as a camp classic but also as a strangely prophetic look at the lives of actors involved in the picture. Now the Criterion Collection has released a new 2K digital restoration of the film, along with its sort-of-but-not-really sequel, Beyond The Valley of the Dolls.
Drawn from the real life experiences that author Susann had during her own time in show business, the film follows the lives of three women navigating the treacherous waters of the entertainment industry as each of them attempt to carve out a piece of fame for themselves. Barbara Parkins plays Anne, a naïve, small-town girl who moves to New York with dreams of making it big in the City.
Patty Duke plays a thinly veiled version of Judy Garland, named Neely, an actress and singer whose star rose too quickly and gave way to drugs and erratic behavior. Interestingly, Garland was originally cast for a role in this film but had to be fired due to her outbursts and difficulties on set. Finally, Sharon Tate plays Jennifer, a beautiful starlet who believes her looks are her only talent and who resorts to acting in soft-core French porno in order to make ends meet before eventually taking her own life.
It’s a tragic look at the dangers of the Hollywood lifestyle, one that hadn’t really been explored before the controversial book had been published. It is campy, melodramatic as hell and too long, and every time the Dionne Warwick-sung theme song played, I wanted to put cotton balls in my ears, but there’s something so oddly compelling about it that it remained with me long after my first watch.
Critic Kim Morgan made a video essay on the film that’s included on the Blu-ray, which I believe sums up the movie perfectly, even if I didn’t completely feel the same way as she on all points made. She aptly draws a comparison to Aronofsky’s Requiem For a Dream, which may be the closest film I’d liken this to.
Like all Criterion releases, Valley of The Dolls contains everything you’d come to expect. The transfer is immaculate, with no signs of film degradation whatsoever, and its smooth, crisp picture makes it look brand new. The cover art is fantastic, and the special features are plentiful and incredibly informative.
The audio commentary on the disc is from the 2006 release and features Barbara Perkins and journalist Ted Casablanca, but there is some new content as well, including the aforementioned video essay and new interviews. There’s also a bunch of archival footage from the premiere, as well as a making-of, trailers and screen tests, most notably the ones featuring Judy Garland. A full-color booklet is also included that features an essay from critic Glenn Kenny, which is also a great read if you grab the disc.
While it may not have garnered the same notoriety as the Roger Ebert/Russ Meyer sequel/reboot, Valley of the Dolls is still worthy of a look, and if you’re already a fan, this Blu-ray edition is a must-have.
