Up!

During the 1970's Russ Meyer established a reputation for producing low budget movies exploiting violence and nudity which were very successful as midnight features in conventional cinemas, or at drive in cinemas. They established a recognisable genre which usually followed a similar template and made a Russ Meyer film very easy to recognise. Now that these films have reappeared on DVD's for home viewing, and are being featured on some TV channels, interest in them may be reviving. Their most characteristic feature is one or more very violent sequences in which characters who have received what should clearly be fatal wounds, pull themselves together and continue to cut themselves to pieces until even the director has been satisfied. Another almost universal feature is a cast that includes several very generously endowed young women who are not adverse to displaying their natural assets unwrapped. Other common features in Russ Meyer films are (1) great photography of a variety of exceptionally scenic locations (to my mind this is often the most attractive feature of his work), (2) a naked siren or spirit who watches over the proceedings, and periodically comments on them in a moralistic way, (3) a corrupt law enforcement officer with a voracious sexual appetite who eventually meets a "just" death, (4) a script which ultimately delivers violent death to all those characters that Meyer regards as completely antisocial (these include all homosexuals, anyone associated with the drug trade, and any Nazi supporters who have survived World War II), and (5) some sort of postscript that summarises the lessons which we are expected to have learned from the film that we have been viewing. "Up" was released in 1976 and is I believe the best, (or the worst - according to ones point of view), of the films of this genre he produced.

Such a film could not be easily imitated today, it dates from a time when the augmentation of mammaries was not usually practiced, so the fairly vigorous movements Russ required from his cast always led to very pronounced "bouncing boobs". Today most of the starlets who compete to participate in movies that feature their bare breasts, have had silicone implants which lead to a very different physical response. Whilst most of Russ's films feature such starlets in the cast, "Up!" may be the first where Russ recognised that these unusually well developed mammaries are often associated with an unusually generous pubic thatch, and also made a great effort to pay his photographic respects to this characteristic. Clearly the primary focus in the selection of the cast for this film was not acting ability, and too much should not be expected in this area. Nevertheless Raven de la Croix has an extremely expressive face which, when compared with some other Russ Meyer films, minimises any deficiencies in this respect.

This film also features all the other characteristics of his work listed above. The naked spirit who provides a periodic commentary is playfully portrayed by Kitten Natividad, who has a role listed as the Greek chorus and whose comments are frequently delightfully pretentious. Gory violence is perpetrated with an axe and a chainsaw, both of which appear to have been chosen by the characters concerned in preference to the firearm that they could also have used. This scene would be completely intolerable to view were it not filmed with such extreme hyperbole that it is reduced to the level of black comedy. "Up!" also features the ultimate in surviving Nazi supporters - Adolph Hitler himself, together with his daughter by Eva Braun, who in some way appear to have escaped from the bunker in Berlin and taken up residence in California. The story, such as it is, starts with the murder of Adolph and follows the search for his assassin. Continued flashbacks make it difficult to follow, but this film is comedy rather than drama, and anyone viewing it today will be watching it for the visual effects (including both the types of spectacular natural scenery so generously featured), rather than the story line.

A good review should help its reader to decide whether they would regard the film as worth watching. With "Up!" this is simple, if you are a fan of Russ Meyer but do not know this film, you should certainly, in my opinion, accept any opportunity to see it because it is a more mature production than many of those which preceded it. If you have not seen any of his films but are anxious to sample one of them in order to assess why they have become cult favourites, I would recommend "Up!" because it is very characteristic of, but less extravagantly presented than, many of his earlier works. If you are one of those to whom Meyer's somewhat incoherent films will not appeal, the information above should be sufficient to save you from investing valuable time watching it.

The film begins quite mysteriously in a dungeon where a young man is torturing an Adolf Hitler look-alike… We then quickly cut to a stunning nude, played by Kitten Natividad, who teasingly introduces the audience to the setting…

We are in Northern California, in a small, rural community… Just outside of town, a very beautiful, buxom young lady is hitchhiking along a lonely country road… She is picked up by a young man, who happens to be the infant terrible of the local rich set... He tries to take advantage of the girl's abundant sexuality but after a short sequence involving a brutal rape, she turns the tables and ends up killing him...

Russ Meyer has never been one to linger too long on a single shot… He likes to cut, especially to ladies running naked as jaybirds around the lush countryside… In this case, however, he has added more than just a tease with Kitten Natividad, who narrates the events of the story with a husky, British accent while displaying her terrific figure… The true star of the show, however, is Raven de la Croix, whose piercing dark eyes and fully rounded, voluptuous figure combine with some firmly loyal acting for an explosive performance

I love Russ Meyer movies! It's really difficult to explain the appeal of them to those that are unfamiliar with his work. Best thing is to watch one yourself, and Up! is as good a starting place as any.

Prepare to enter a world like no other! Full of women - good ones, "bad" ones, powerful ones. Women who are IN CONTROL. The plot here doesn't really matter. It's a kinda murder mystery involving the death of a pervert who may or may not be Hitler. That's really just an excuse for a slew of scenes like none you've ever seen, and dialogue (co-written by Roger Ebert!) that continually astounds.

Kitten Natividad makes her mark as "the Greek Chorus" but the real star here is Raven De La Croix (as Margo Winchester) who is the most stunning women to ever grace a Meyer flick. You've got to see her to believe her! Raven (according to her web site "psychic counselor to individual members of the Hells Angels Worldwide") energizes the movie everytime she is on screen, but is especially unforgettable in a water fight sequence with Janet Wood which surely must be one of the high points of exploitation cinema!

So, sit back, relax, and prepare to be astonished by Up! Your world will never be the same again!

Russ Meyer's movies have always struck me as a cross between porn and the Loony Toons. (The bleedin' obvious, perhaps...) Hence I don't see why RM even bothers with his quasi-plots, because it's really just the (large) breasts and the rest that matter. UP! has that unique and wonderful 70s look, but without the fast-forward button it is almost unwatchable, because far too repetitious and uninteresting. Plus, occasionally it has nonsense that cannot possibly appeal to any healthy heterosexual male: Hitler getting raped?? Who the hell wants to watch that? The bottom line is that isn't funny (and the other bottom line is that we need nore female bottoms). But what can one expect from the "renowned" film-critic and gourmet, fat Roger Ebert? He co-scripted this crap, a fact that neatly fits in with his horrible taste in movies (and, I presume, food, too). Perhaps the Hitler-rape has something to do with Ebert's clandestine sexual inner fantasy world? The dialogue, as in nearly all RM films, is dull and fast-forward-worthy.

UP! was made in the golden age, when implants very rarely infested the bodies of luscious Russ Meyer women. RM's later produce is full of silicone, hence totally worthless. I guess he must have been just like any other hick who cannot differentiate between a beautiful pair of naturally formed breasts and a pair that looks like it's been pumped at NASA.

UP! succeeds only as a "live" large-breast calender, to be viewed with the remote control close at hand. As usual, there is a fair amount of imaginative directing and wild editing, but when there is no plot (or even worse: an Ebert "plot"), it isn't of much use.

And the Fedor Award For Movie's Best Pair Of Large Breasts goes to (after much, much deliberation)... the Asian woman in the early scenes (Su Ling).

The Fedor Award For Movie's Prettiest Face goes to... Alice (J.Wood).

I wonder if these women were forced to undergo couch-casting with Ebert?... An awful thought. Perhaps only the Hitler actor had to...

My personal favorite of Russ Meyer's films. The script, by Roger Ebert (!), is loaded with brilliant sexual dark humor. For example, the opening sequence finds an aging Adolph Hitler lookalike being whipped by a stud in a Pilgrim outfit; meanwhile, "Hitler" is tortured (erotically) by a variety of buxom ethnic babes ("Ah! Limehouse!"). Later, the Pilgrim really gives to Adolph what the rest of the world always wanted to give him - and sticks it to him good! And the ending wraps up a murder mystery by rising to outrageous absurdity. Along the way, our Greek Chorus narrator (Kitten Natividad) keeps us UP to date on the proceedings. Beautifully photographed (Meyer's best acheivement, I think). See what I call "The Indian Flip," and learn something new to do with a light socket. An absolute must for - as someone said - you know who you are...