Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965) - Meyer's thrill-tastic outlaw masterpiece

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A racy, sensationalistic, screamingly naughty poster for Russ Meyer's Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Three go-go dancers race-drive in the desert, where they meet a young couple. The leader of the dancers, Varla murders the guy and kidnaps the girl. The group wind up at the home of some maniacs with money, and a true blood bath unfolds!

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! is written by Jackie Moran (Wild Gals of the Naked West (1962)), with Californian master co-writer-director Russ Meyer (The Seven Minutes (1971)) contributing story elements. It was Meyer's 9th theatrical fiction feature.
This movie simply exceeds the usual bar of awesomeness by miles. It has to be experienced, and even then its wild, renegade thrills are stupefying.
The scruffy, dirty jazz and rock that fills out the film's soundscape fits perfectly with the insane, overstrung dialog and characters. Tura Satana (Irma la Douce (1963)) is mean and badass as Varla, and Meyer and Charles G. Schelling (The Black Cat (1966)) has cut the film to perfection.
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! is the epitome of a cult film and a subversive treat that continues to spread its wicked fun.

Related post:

Russ Meyer: Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (1979) - Late-late night sex-silliness from Russ Meyer

Watch Meyer speak shortly about his career in an interview here

Cost: 45k $
Box office: Unknown
= Uncertain - but appears to have been an initial-flop-later-hit
[Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! was released 6 August (USA) and runs 83 minutes. The title was changed from The Leather Girls to The Mankillers to its final title, which sound editor Richard S. Brummer came up with. Meyer has stated that it signifies a film that has everything: Speed (faster), sex (pussycat) and violence (kill! kill!). The film was shot on B/W due to its low budget. Susan Bernard was just 16 at the time, couldn't drive and was afraid of Satana. Her mother was present during shooting, which took place in California. The fights include real hair-pulling and throwing sand in the face. The film was released on a double bill with Mudhoney (1965), also directed by Meyer, in North America, and the only other listed market is West Germany in 1967, prior to re-releases, beginning in the 90s. Reports on its performance differ; it seemed to have flopped initially, but become profitable over time, as it has become a cult item. It made 36k $ in its 1995 US re-release. Satana returned as an uncredited stripper in Our Man Flint (1966). Meyer returned with Motorpsycho! (1965). Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! is fresh at 74 % with a 7/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!?

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (1979) - The final dose of late-late night sex silliness from Meyer

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A group of smiling, extremely buxom young women is the main element on this text-heavy poster for Russ Meyer's Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens

The inhabitants of a small, Texan town are exhibited: Lavonia, the nymphomaniac, who fights her anally obsessed hubby, Lamar. The imposing, black Junkyard Sal, who owns her own junkyard, and many other colorful characters.

 
Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens is written by Roger Ebert (Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)) and Californian master filmmaker, co-writer/producer/director/cinematographer/editor Russ Meyer (Mr. Tease and His Playthings (1959)), whose 23rd feature it was.

There's not much in the way of a real plot in Ultra-Vixens, just endless sex scenes. It became the last theatrical release of notorious, American sexploitation maverick Meyer, who had found great success with his very informal films starring lots of big-breasted dames.
Meyer method here comes down to exaggerating EVERYTHING, mostly regrettably to no little effect besides the sensational and (for some audiences) erotic. The film is at least semi-pornographic, if not to be considered soft-core porn; but somehow not lewd. It is made with Meyer's characteristic enthusiasm and high spirits flowing freely from every cast-member, which is what makes it worth watching.

Two time Miss Nude Universe winner (1970 and 1971) Kitten Natividad (The Double-D Avenger (2001)) plays Lavonia, every (straight) man's dream, and June Mack is very memorable as Sal.
Be advised that only in the most unusual social circumstances would it be appropriate to show Ultra-Vixens; which is recommended for late-late night watching and not in the company of parents, grandparents or sleazy uncles, (unless you care to watch graphic sex scenes with your relatives.)

 

Related post:

 

Russ Meyer: Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965) - Meyer's thrill-tastic outlaw masterpiece

 

Watch a clip from the film here

Cost: Reportedly 239k $
Box office:  Unknown
= Uncertain

[Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens premiered in April (USA) and runs 93 minutes. Meyer took most positions on the film himself to keep costs low, and shot the interior scenes in his own home. Shooting took place in California. About dating Natividad during filming, Meyer has stated: "we shot inside, and we'd forgo lunch and have sex–wonderful, riotous, noisy sex… laughing and scratching. Yeah, that was fun. That really worked out wonderfully." The film's gross results, - from North America and in a handful of foreign markets up through the 1980s, - are regrettably not reported online. It is not unlikely that the film was highly profitable. Meyer did not return again with a fiction feature but did make a couple of music videos and documentaries before passing away in 2004. Natividad returned in The Lady in Red (1979). 3,4k+ IMDb users have given Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens a 5.4/10 average rating.]

 

What do you think of Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens?