Russ Meyer, a master of sexploitation filmmaking who was called “king of the nudies” or “King Leer” for such soft-core pornography classics as “Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!” and “Vixen,” has died. He was 82.
Mr. Meyer, who also directed the major studio release “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls,” died Saturday at his home in the Hollywood Hills, according to his company, RM Films International Inc. Spokeswoman Janice Cowart said he died of complications from pneumonia.
Something of a one-man studio, Mr. Meyer produced, directed, financed, wrote, edited and shot 23 films that pioneered a genre of skinflicks with much violence and large-busted women but little sex. The titles of the X-rated fare that made him millions are descriptive–“The Immoral Mr. Teas,” “Erotica” and “Wild Gals of the Naked West.”
But with age came admiration as Mr. Meyer’s work was honored at film festivals around the world, including at the American Cinematheque in Hollywood and the National Film Theater in London. Even critics who panned his movies praised his work behind the camera.
Because of Mr. Meyer’s ability to produce films on a low budget, Richard Zanuck, then president of 20th Century Fox, hired him for mainstream projects.
First came 1970’s “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls,” a satirical in-name-only sequel to 1967’s “Valley of the Dolls” made from the best-selling Jacqueline Susann novel. Written by movie critic Roger Ebert, the X-rated sequel proved popular and in many ways a better movie than the original.
As drive-ins dwindled and tastes changed, Mr. Meyer wound down his filmmaking with “Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens” in 1979.
Mr. Meyer married, divorced and lived with several models, playmates, strippers and actresses. His studio said he left no survivors.
