REASONS TO WATCH VALLEY OF THE DOLLS IF YOU ARE A FAN OF PEYTON PLACE 1.
Barbara Parkins was portraying Betty Anderson on Peyton Place when she landed the plum role of Anne Welles in "Valley of the Dolls", the cult favorite movie based upon Jacqueline Susann's international best seller. Her co stars were Sharon Tate (Jennifer North), who sadly met a tragic end in real life at the hands of Charles Manson and his "family", and Patty Duke (Neely O'Hara), Academy Award and Emmy winner who went on to have a notable career. Ms. Parkins, who has since retired from acting. has appeared in many TV shows and mini series, and has lent her commentaries to documentaries on Sharon Tate and Valley of the Dolls.
2. The director of this film is Mark Robson, also directed the movie of Peyton Place in 1957.
3. There are interesting comparisons to be drawn between authors Jacqueline Susan and Grace Metalious and the scandalous page turners they wrote one decade apart.
4. The DVD of this movie was released in 2006 and is chockful of interviews and behind the scenes looks. It can be purchased at amazon.com.
Amazon.com essential video
They don't make 'em like this anymore. Well, John Waters might, if he ever had a big enough budget. A steamy "inside look" at the alternately sleazy and glamorous world of catfighting, backbiting show-biz starlets, this Hollywood hit from the bestselling novel by Jacqueline Susann is a high-gloss camp artifact--a time capsule (or some kind of capsule, anyway)--from the screwy '60s, when a broad was a broad, a bitch was a bitch (whether "her" name was Neely O'Hara or Ted Casablanca), and a "doll" was a prescription drug. These dames of whine and poses obsessed over their bust lines, booze, and barbiturates. The once-shocking and scandalous language and behavior of these Broadway babes has been eclipsed by Dallas, Dynasty, and Melrose Place, but time has only enhanced the stature of Valley of the Dolls as a classic--and it still puts Showgirls to shame. With Patty Duke, Susan Hayward, Sharon Tate, Lee Grant, Barbara Parkins, and Martin Milner (and juicy, scene-chewing dialogue such as the infamous: "They drummed you out of Hollywood, so you come crawling back to Broadway. But Broadway doesn't go for booze and dope--now get out of my way, I've got a man waiting for me!"), Valley of the Dolls is the Mount Rushmore of backstage movie melodramas. --Jim Emerson
Product Description
Lured by their dreams of fame and fortune, three ambitious young women enter the world of show business and discover how easy it is to sink into a celebrity nightmare of ego, alcohol and 'pills' - the beloved "dolls." A prim New Englander (Barbara Parkins) unexpectedly skyrockets from her job as secretary in a talent agency to a glamorous TV model. A determined singer (Patty Duke) finds that Hollywood success can also spell self-destruction. And a beautiful sex symbol (Sharon Tate) is torn between the money commands and the shame of feeling exploited. Based on Jacqueline Susann's phenomenal best-seller about the underside of Hollywood, this fascinating melodrama was once seen as a shocking behind-the-scenes look at how show business creates instant stars, destroys romances and changes personalities forever.
If you are interested in any of the stars or subjects in this post, you can use the google powered blog search below to learn more.
They don't make 'em like this anymore. Well, John Waters might, if he ever had a big enough budget. A steamy "inside look" at the alternately sleazy and glamorous world of catfighting, backbiting show-biz starlets, this Hollywood hit from the bestselling novel by Jacqueline Susann is a high-gloss camp artifact--a time capsule (or some kind of capsule, anyway)--from the screwy '60s, when a broad was a broad, a bitch was a bitch (whether "her" name was Neely O'Hara or Ted Casablanca), and a "doll" was a prescription drug. These dames of whine and poses obsessed over their bust lines, booze, and barbiturates. The once-shocking and scandalous language and behavior of these Broadway babes has been eclipsed by Dallas, Dynasty, and Melrose Place, but time has only enhanced the stature of Valley of the Dolls as a classic--and it still puts Showgirls to shame. With Patty Duke, Susan Hayward, Sharon Tate, Lee Grant, Barbara Parkins, and Martin Milner (and juicy, scene-chewing dialogue such as the infamous: "They drummed you out of Hollywood, so you come crawling back to Broadway. But Broadway doesn't go for booze and dope--now get out of my way, I've got a man waiting for me!"), Valley of the Dolls is the Mount Rushmore of backstage movie melodramas. --Jim Emerson
Product Description
Lured by their dreams of fame and fortune, three ambitious young women enter the world of show business and discover how easy it is to sink into a celebrity nightmare of ego, alcohol and 'pills' - the beloved "dolls." A prim New Englander (Barbara Parkins) unexpectedly skyrockets from her job as secretary in a talent agency to a glamorous TV model. A determined singer (Patty Duke) finds that Hollywood success can also spell self-destruction. And a beautiful sex symbol (Sharon Tate) is torn between the money commands and the shame of feeling exploited. Based on Jacqueline Susann's phenomenal best-seller about the underside of Hollywood, this fascinating melodrama was once seen as a shocking behind-the-scenes look at how show business creates instant stars, destroys romances and changes personalities forever.
If you are interested in any of the stars or subjects in this post, you can use the google powered blog search below to learn more.
Art films?!?! They were NUDIES!!! LOL. One of my favorites next to What Ever Happened To Baby Jane, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Delores Clayborn. Thanks again for all of your support and kind words. Best, Frank
ReplyDeletePS: Remind me to tell you about my Patty Duke true story.
The original Valley of the Dolls was hardly an art film, more of an over the top cult film with a smidgen of nudity. The follow up by Russ Meyer and penned by Russ Meyer was a different story.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Valley_of_the_Dolls
I haven't seen that one, but I have read much about it.
Frank, I would love to hear your Patty Duke story. Please send me an e mail.
I meant to say that Beyond the Valley of the Dolls was penned by movie critic Roger Ebert.
ReplyDelete