The Valley of the Dollies (Ho Ho Ho)

 

The Forwardian Arts Society hosted its monthly Film Lovers’ Gathering at The Cheeky Monkey Coffeehouse in Stroudsburg, PA on Friday September 23rd. Due to the weather, very few were present as the screening of the 1967 “Valley of the Dolls” began and fewer stayed as the film progressed. The film is based upon the 1966 novel written by Jacqueline Susann which became very successful. Her success later led the way for other authors such as Jackie Collins to depict the private lives of the real-life rich and famous under a veneer of fiction. The term “Dolls” as referred to in the title is a slang term for downers and barbiturates used as sleep aids.

The film featured Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke who began portraying more serious roles after the film‘s release, and Sharon Tate who was married to Roman Polanski and became a victim of the Charles Manson Family in 1969. It about three women who come to New York City with dreams of stardom in their eyes. They meet with some success but the pressures of being always on top of the hill leads to the use of drugs and romance in order to maintain whatever they need to maintain. This is never quite clear throughout the film.

One does have to constantly remind oneself the film was made in 1967 in order to keep laughing uproariously at the tragic lives being paraded upon the screen. However, there are some groups who meet in theatres and reads the script in order to enjoy a hearty laugh at the film’s campy qualities. It is also a favorite among the gay and lesbian community for one derogatory line Sharon Tate utters. Although the line is derogatory, her utterance of it recognizes gays and lesbians exist. No film up to that time did so.

During the time of the film’s release, it received a number of positive reviews and nominations for awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award for Best Music, Scoring of Music, and Adaptation or Treatment of music by John Williams, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Female Newcomer to Sharon Tate, and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States Grammy Award for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture to André Previn. One can’t help wondering if the film was made in 2011 in the same style and manner if these accolades would be bestowed on it. I personally doubt it, but stranger things have happened.

Still, the film was fun to watch and it was interesting character study in some instances. I feel it would have been a better film if they wiped away the glittery generalities and focused the story on one woman instead of trying to give screen time to all three. But, that is merely second guessing a film maker’s approach that was decided upon nearly 45 years ago and, since the film made lots of money at the time, who really cares what I think. Smiles.

The Cheeky Monkey Coffeehouse offers a variety of coffee, drinks, and culinary treats along with events such as the one described in this article. The next Film Lovers Gathering held at The Cheeky Monkey is yet to be scheduled and the film has not been decided upon. However, our October gathering will be our last for the season and will resume in April with out Forwardian Film Festival kicking another season off. The Cheeky Monkey is currently showing the work of Kim Pollard as part of their Espresso Yourself Art Shows Series in an Exhibition which continues until November 1st. Ongoing events at The Cheeky Monkey include their Tuesday evening Open Mic Nites and their “Spoken Word Symposium” on Thursday evenings. Please Explore The Cheeky Monkey Coffeehouse Website at www.cheekymonkeycoffee.com or call 570-420-8222 for more information.

The Forwardian Arts Society is a fellowship for people who love the arts seeking to enhance the creative community by encouraging those interested in the arts to go forward toward their dreams, by supporting those groups and individuals who are manifesting their dreams through performances and/or presentations, and by loving them and all they do. In addition to their Film Lovers’ Gatherings and Annual Forwardian Film Festival, The Forwardian Arts Society publishes a literary and arts magazine titled, “Forwardian” and is currently displaying the work of Kari Nespola as part of their “Forwardian Solo” exhibition being presented at The Sarah Street Grill and will continue until October 31st. The Forwardian Arts Society also offers information and news relating to the arts through its website. Please Explore The Forwardian Arts Society Website at www.theforwardianartssociety.com to learn more information about all they have to offer the creative community.