MEYER MONTH – ‘Big Bosoms and Square Jaws: The Biography of Russ Meyer, King of the Sex Film’ by Jimmy McDonough (2005) review by Carl Thomas

I really like Jimmy McDonough’s style; his writing is fast-paced, free of fluff and tells you what you need to know. He is completely unprejudiced and lets everyone else do the talking, especially when it comes to the final part of Meyer’s life. He obviously loves Meyer’s stuff as much as he does Andy Milligan’s (he wrote his biography as well), and really likes the women in Meyer’s movies, but then that’s the point, isn’t it? Meyer was all about the boobs!

After an introduction that teases you with a few details, McDonough runs through Meyer’s life and films more or less chronologically, from his early wartime and glamour photographer years, through to his descent into dementia at the very end. There are lots of details from people like David K. Frasier (who was a good friend to Meyer and did his own biography), Tura Satana, Tempest Storm, Charles Napier, Haji, etc., all adding their own flavour into the mix about how Meyer was a generous man, but an absolute bastard when making films; everything had to be just perfect, although there were times when Meyer appeared to relish in stirring it up for the hell of it. His three marriages are covered in detail, his union with Edy Williams being of most interest; McDonough lets Edy have her say and basically gives her all the jewel-studded rope she needs! There is a complete film guide at the back of the book, including the names of film scripts that were never made (Who Killed Bambi?, Blitzen, Vixen & Harry, etc.) and a modest colour picture section at the centre of the book.

It becomes obvious that Meyer was a very private man emotionally and the book touches on his controversial upbringing, hinting at potential incest or abuse issues concerning his dominating mother, Linda, and his unhinged sister, Lucinda (SIDE NOTE FROM LYDIA – Russ’ Mother was called Lydia and not Linda). The book also delves into Meyer’s life from the 1980s onward, when it was obvious that he was succumbing to dementia; this influenced the creation of the Pandora Peaks documentary, which should never really have been made. His violent relationship with Melissa Mounds is covered, as is the entry of the most controversial person in Meyer’s life: Janice Cowart. Janice is the one person who the courts gave power over Meyer to while he was ill. She stopped his friends from coming around and stripped his house of all memorabilia. I have to give power to McDonough here for being completely impartial and letting Cowart have her say about the matter. It is entirely up to the reader to work out if she was only acting in the interests of Meyer or if she was up to something more. Whatever, she now owns RM Films and is the reason why Meyer’s legacy is being treated, in my opinion, with complete disrespect.

If you are a fan of Russ Meyer (or a fan of sexploitation cinema), then you NEED to have this book in your collection. I could not put it down and was really sad once I’d finished it. Absolutely, definitely recommended!

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Russ Meyer biopic in the works?

Beyond the valley of my imagination? Apparently not!

David O. Russell, director of The Fighter and I ❤ Huckabees, is attached to the project that may see the rights being bought to Jimmy McDonough’s Big Bosoms and Square Jaws: The Biography of  Russ Meyer.

Meyer is a deserving candidate of a future biopic. One of the most hard working independent filmmakers, Meyer became King of the sex film, churning out sexploitation and B movie films in the 1950s and 60s. He is an important figure in the industry for helping to bring sex, nudity and the depiction of sexuality to the big screen, paving the way for other Western directors to up the ante to the state of display we have in film now. Often associated with his big breast fetish, his films and his leading ladies have since become legendary.

Big Bosoms and Square Jaws is an excellent biography and a fantastic read, even if you’re not a fan of the man himself. Full of anecdotes from everyone associated with Meyer, it paints a very rounded portrait of the man, warts and all. I wonder, if the film does get greenlit, what exactly it will focus on. One option would be to focus on the 1960s to the early 70s, when his career really took off, culminating in his three picture deal with and eventual release from Fox Studios (going full circle, the film is being optioned by Fox Searchlight, a subsidory of Fox specialising in independent film). Another would be to really dip in and out of Meyer’s varied life. Many forget that he served as a combat photographer during the Second World War, his stills and footage are regularly used in documentarys and films. What would also be interesting to see is the relationships he had with the women he cast in his films and how they changed over the years. The impression that you get from Big Bosoms is that, at times, Meyer could be very difficult to work with and was quite cold towards his actresses.

Either way, if the final product is a film, it will be interesting to see how it is recieved. Many consider Meyer to be a movie genius and give him credit as creating strong willed and sexually active female roles for women. Others consider his work to be smut and argue that the gratuitous nudity and odd rape scene undermine women and are just examples of exploitation.

My requests? Please get his women on board! With Tura Satana, the lead in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and probably his most iconic actress, having passed last month, it would be such a shame to not let the remaining ladies contribute in some way. After all, they made his career in all shapes and sizes. It would be fantastic to have input from Roger Ebert who, aside from being a good friend, co-wrote scripts with Meyer and really championed his work. Although only attached at the moment, with no definitive word on a role, David O. Russell would be a great director for the project and could possibly deliver the right intensity and comic delivery that both he and Meyer are known for.

But James Franco circling the lead? That idea is completely beneath my valley of ultra imagination…