re: Myra Breckenridge

[tazber]

Somehow while browsing amazon I stumbled across this dvd. The reviews are hysterical! It sounds like all kinds of crazy and is apparently one of the most notoriously bad films ever made.

So of course I'm dying to see it. It looks as camptastic as they come.

Rex Reed has a sex change and becomes Raquel Welch. Mae West comes out of retirement to play a man-eating agent.
And a young Tom Selleck and Farah Fawcett too!

Has anyone here ever seen this?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I have it on DVD. It is totally ridiculous.

[Roscoe]

It is virtually unwatchable. So bad that it is just bad.

The book, however, is hilarious. Give it a shot, you'll like it.

[tazber]

Is it campy bad like those movies Borstal always mentions, or just bad bad in which case I should simply avoid it?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I think it CAN be enjoyed as camp, but it's rather long and torturous. And I agree that the book is worth reading.

[doodlenyc]

It's pretty bad and unwatchable. I love camp, even bad camp like Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, but this is just bad.

[Borstalboy]

Agree with Roscoe...do read the book.

[JoeKv99]

There is a scene where someone pegs someone with a very threatening looking strap on- Who can refresh my memory as the pegger and the peggee?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Myra is the pegger. I forgot who the pegee is.

[JoeKv99]

They used to show that scene at Sidetrack all the time but it's been years now....

[Borstalboy]

Once again: Better in the book.

[doodlenyc]

It was Rusty...

[best12bars]

Taz, it's ridiculously bad! But it's not as craptastic as "Sextette."

You MUST rent "Sextette," and you'll see what I mean. Have smelling salts ready.

Also rent "The Apple."

[tazber]

I own The Apple! Love it!

[best12bars]

Then you MUST see Sextette. Not that they are remotely the same, but the crapalicious-factor is even higher and better in that one.

[Pgenre]

I own and adore THE APPLE as well.

But shouldn't the dvd come with a straw and a mirror? I mean, really...



P

[tazber]

lol! I actually like some of the songs. In a Rocky Horror kind of way.

[Pgenre]

Haha! I love THE APPLE in a more SHOCK TREATMENT sort of way!

:) :)

P

P.S. "I'm Looking For Trade" is my fav song in ROCKY or SHOCK, for the record!

[tazber]

That one, Little Black Dress, and Lullabye.

I actually like the music from Shock Treatment better that RHS.

[Pgenre]

Me 2, taz! I LOVE RH, but ST has a much better score.

And who could forget "B*tchin' In the Kitchen"?!

P

[tazber]

Definitely!
And I must mention Me Of Me and Anyhow, Anyhow.

Besty, Sextette is out of print, but it looks crazy over the top!
I hope they reissue it at some point.

[Roscoe]

Good old Jessica Harper, she kind of dropped off the map didn't she?

I'll never forget her "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" in PENNIES FROM HEAVEN.

[Pgenre]

Roscoe, Jessica Harper is one of, if not my absolute favorite actress of the 70s (sorry Faye!). In a few short years she was a part of films as diverse as PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, SUSPIRIA, LOVE & DEATH, STARDUST MEMORIES and SHOCK TREATMENT! SUSPIRIA and STARDUST MEMORIES are two of my favorite films of all time (the latter my fav Woody Allen, and I'm a huge fan and own them all so that's saying a lot) and a lot of that is due, at least dramatically, to Miss Harper's brilliant performances in each. And a memorable and HUMAN performance in each. Few actresses come across as REAL as Miss Harper does! And the herpes line at the phonebooth in STARDUST MEMORIES is absolute comic HILARITY!

Spielberg coaxed her out of retirement for a scene in MINORITY REPORT and she was divine but she has chosen to focus on family and writing for the last decade or two.

She has a VERY successful and lucrative children's book franchise.

She has a lot of lovely and interesting things to say in the recent 25th Anniversary documentary that comes on the 2 disc (or 3 disc) Special Edition of SUSPIRIA that would be worth checking out for fans of hers.

It was no coincidence that she worked with Brian De Palma, Woody Allen and Dario Argento, all at the start of their impressive careers, all in the same year. She's GOT "it", whatever "it" is!

P

[sondheimboy2]

I've never seen the "Apple", but "Myra" and "Sextette" sould definitely be put on your Netflix list.

And you should really read the sequel to "Myra Breckinridge", called "Myron", too.

[Roscoe]

Thanks for the update, P-Gen. PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE is the only De Palma film I willingly watch. Damn that Harper woman could sing.

[best12bars]

Not to totally threadjack entirely here, but I'm on a "crappy" roll ... so I'm sticking with the theme!

Taz, so sorry to hear Sextette is out of print.

Check out this wonderful, romantic scene with an 83-year-old Mae West and a 20-something Timothy Dalton. I kid you not! Oh, did I mention it was a musical?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCRgcKqb8M