Whether he’s dubbed the Rural Fellini or King Leer of Hollywood, no one can doubt the influence of the great Russ Meyer. The prodigious director made 27 films in a career that spanned more than 40 years. Writing, directing, filming, editing, and much of the time producing his own films, Meyer was a one-man movie-making machine.
Never one to shy away from controversy, the much-disputed Meyer shattered the staid stereotypes of a conservative post-war America, breaking down the boundaries between female empowerment and exploitation, between sexuality and iconography. One of the true auteurs of American independent filmmaking in the latter half of the twentieth century, his brassy babes, klutzy cuckolds and horny Hercules have inspired an army of fans around the world.
Meyer's iconic works of high camp have become part of the cultural tapestry of modern pop art; his influence can be still be felt across the modern fashion, music and advertising industries. Love him or loathe him, Meyer's impact was huge. What more would you expect from a man whose 3-volume autobiography was called A CLEAN BREAST?
"The time has come for America's film heritage to grab hold of Russ Meyer's 'oeuvre' with open arms and clutch it to its breast..." www.mutoworld.com
"The 'king of sexploitation' has helped invent anything and everything in pop culture that proudly advertises itself as trash" New York Times
