Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens is a 1979 comedic and satirical sexploitation film from director Russ Meyer, known for his distinctive erotic and campy style. The film features Kitten Natividad, Ann Marie, and Ken Kerr in leading roles.

The narrative primarily revolves around the life of a voluptuous and vivacious bombshell named Lavonia (Kitten Natividad). Lavonia is bored, unsatisfied, and discontented with her humdrum life and encapsulates a rampant sexual frustration that her husband, Lamar Shedd (Ken Kerr), cannot satiate. The hapless Lamar, in a comedic twist of events, is obsessed with rear-end passion, an inclination not shared by his wife. Lamar, a tire-changer for a living, seeks sexual satisfaction in an unusual place, the supernatural derrieres, creating an uproarious situation.

Integral to the plot is Eufaula Roop (Ann Marie), a radio evangelist who gives Lamar somewhat misguided advice on personal satisfaction. Her eccentric aid to the protagonist provides another amusing layer to the narrative.

Straying far from conventionality, Meyer's setting is a surreal version of Smalltown, USA. Meyer's common themes of erotic parody, humor, and larger-than-life women characters are on full display. Through the various characters and their antics in the film, it satirizes and critically examines the conventions of the genre, the American lifestyle, and attitudes towards sex.

The film is populated by a menagerie of distinctly eccentric characters, including the sexually liberated Lavonia, her antics to seek satisfaction and fulfil her pleasures. There's Asa Lavender, a bisexual door-to-door lingerie salesman who becomes one of Lavonia's many lovers in her journey of exploration. Not to forget, we get to see the Junkyard Sal, an overbearing woman with a penchant for crushing cars and men. The caricatured players provide the film with its manic charm and vibrant life.

Meyer's cinematic style is evident in the film's aesthetic, with its platform of visually stimulating scenes. The film is vibrant with technicolor cinematography, punctuated with a whimsically surreal charm and often bordering on the outrageous. It is filled with various sexual scenarios, portrayed with a degree of absurdity and comic relief. Kitten Natividad carries the film as the bombshell Lavonia, delivering an impressive performance of exaggerated sensuality and comedic timing.

Though explicit and bordering on the outlandish, Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens isn't a film devoid of depth. Amid its evocative visual imagery and sexual frankness, the narrative seeks to critique social ideas of monogamy, chastity, and varying sexual tastes.

The screenplay, penned by Roger Ebert and using the pseudonym R. Hyde, is slick with humor, often bordering on the absurd. The risque humor populates this film, fueled by caricatured performances, comedic situations, and raunchy dialogue. The musical score by William Loose is infectiously catchy, contributing to the film's over-the-top, playful aura.

However, this film certainly isn't for everyone, given its explicit sexual content and portrayal. It may also seem outdated by today's standards of sexuality on screen. For those unafraid of embracing the outrageous, the film is a riotous exploration of sexual autonomy and liberation.

Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, with its vivid imagery, audacious plot, unique characters, epitomize the campy and extravagant spirit of the sexploitation genre that was a staple of Russ Meyer films. It is a vibrant snapshot of a time when sexual revolution permeated the cinematic sphere, making it a unique historical artifact in cinema.