Rock It, Elvis! Rock It!

As you can see, Elvis and his pelvis are VERY excited about the ten films I am about to share with you!

My list of “Movies A-Z” has one of The King’s best movie musicals, plus Valley Girls – for sure for sure!

What could go wrong?

Well, Patty Duke needs her “dolls”, that’s what!

Let’s get started with one of the greatest “camp” films of all time, a cult classic based on a provocative best seller!

Original Cinema Quad Poster – Movie Film Posters

10 – “Valley Of The Dolls”

What a way to start! This 1967 camp classic was based on the best-selling novel the year before by Jacqueline Susann…the story of young women making their way through a “far out” Hollywood!

Here is the trailer:

Patty Duke chews the scenery as Neely O’ Hara, who succumbs to the temptations of Hollywood. This is the film that gave us the character of “Ted Casablanca”, a name used years later by the E! Entertainment Columnist.

Of course, a sequel of inevitable, but it wasn’t the sequel anyone saw coming!

That’s right, Softcore Erotic Film Director Russ Meyer teamed up on a wild sequel with Roger Ebert – YES, ROGER EBERT!

One of the most notorious films ever released by a major film studio, you have to see “Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls” to believe it! Click here to see the trailer!

https://johnrieber.com/2013/10/08/roger-ebert-teams-up-with-russ-meyer-russ-and-roger-go-beyond/

Next up, a 1983 film that told the story of teen aged girls in a very specific part of the country, who speak in a very specific way:

“Like, they’re staring right at us!”

“Gross! Let’s move!”

9 – “Valley Girls”

A very young Nicolas cage is the valley boy who roams the malls of LA’s San Fernando Valley to find his “valley girl.”

Check out the trailer:

A fun snapshot of a simpler time, a funny film with a great 80’s soundtrack.

And of course, this guy:

I actually watched SIX new Nicolas Cage films and wrote about the experience…click here to see how I handled it!

https://johnrieber.com/2018/07/21/a-nicolas-cage-movie-six-pack-i-watch-six-new-nic-cage-films-in-a-single-day-heres-how-it-ended/

Next up, a “V” for “Vengeance”, thanks to a brilliant Asisan filmmaker and the “French Elvis”!

8 – “Vengeance”

Singer Johnny Hallyday was called the “French Elvis”, so the film world was stunned when he teamed up with Asian filmmaker Johnnie To for this terrific thriller about a man seeking justice for a murdered daughter.

Check out this riveting trailer:

Johnny Hallyday was a iconic star to the French as well as the rest of the world, and fans were stunned when he died a few years ago.

Click here to see more of his incredible career:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/12/06/rip-johnny-hallyday-the-french-elvis-was-iconic-singer-and-vengeance-star/

Time to take a break a let “the real Elvis” entertain us!

7 – “Viva Las Vegas!”

In my opinion, this is the greatest Presley film of them all! Elvis! Ann-Margret! THAT SONG! Let’s check out the trailer!

Elvis made movies with thin plots, but he more than made up for it when he had a blast like this! And Ann-Margret may have been one of the 60’s most popular sex kittens, but she was amazingly talented as well!

This movie is a lot of fun, and Ann-Margret went on to have a provocative career – if you want to know more about the incredible Actress, click on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/23/hollywoods-legendary-sex-kitten-ann-margret-rock-operas-baked-beans-elvis/

Now, one of Paul Newman’s greatest performances:

6 – “The Verdict”

The great Director Sidney Lumet made this powerful film, about an alcoholic Attorney who gets the case of a lifetime – and one last chance for redemption. Here is the trailer:

The film was nominated for Best Picture of 1982, and Lumet and Newman were both nominated as well. This is a great legal thriller, so check it out!

It’s a serious film to be sure, so maybe you just need some early Tom Hanks instead:

5 – “Volunteers”

In this 1985 comedy, Tom Hanks is a spoiled rich kid who graduates from college with a $28,000 gambling debt. When his father refuses to pay for him, he flees the country and accidentally winds up on a peace corps flight!

Check out the trailer:

Hanks worked with future wife Rita Wilson as well as Candy, and they filmed part of the film on location in Thailand.

When John Candy arrived on location he said,

“Were those your elephants we passed on the way in?”

Next up, my wife Alex mentioned to me that I had to include her favorite “movie with a V”:

4 – “Vision Quest!”

Matthew Modine stars in this terrific 1985 coming of age story set in Spokane, Washington.

Matthew Modine and Frank Jasper wrestle in Vision Quest.

Matthew Modine stars as a high school wrestler with girls on his mind. Here is the trailer:

Linda Fiorentino stars as the girl who captures his imagination. It’s a really good movie, with terrific performances as well.

Speaking of classic performances:

3 – “Vertigo”

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest films, and an example of what a great Actor James Stewart was as well. Here is the trailer for this masterpiece:

The film was shot in San Francisco, and the city’s iconic Coit tower is seen many times…here is a look at this iconic tower:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/06/09/walking-up-coit-tower-alfred-hitchcock-loved-san-franciscos-iconic-400-step-tower/

Next up is a controversial political thriller:

2 – “V For Vendetta”

Directed by James McTeigue and written by The Wachowskis, known for “The Matrix” trilogy, this powerful action thriller from 2005 still resonates today.

Check out the trailer:

In a future British tyranny, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of “V”, plots to overthrow it with the help of a young woman, played by Natalie Portman.

Not a perfect film, but a powerful one to be sure, and here’s one bit of fun trivia to offer up for a very dark film:

The domino scene, where “V” tips over black and red dominoes to form a giant letter V, involved 22,000 dominoes. It took four professional domino assemblers 200 hours to set it up!

So there you go!

I end my list of “Movies With A V” with a somewhat obscure film from Japan that will blow your mind!

1 – “Violent Cop”

Legendary Japanese Actor “Beat” Takeshi made his directorial breakthrough in 1990 – staring himself as a blank, bullish cop dealing with his problems very, very badly.

Check out the trailer:

“Beat” Takeshi has a unique vision and he’s worth checking out!

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So take some “Dolls” and dig into these films!

If you love these as much as I do, please share this post on social media! Thanks!

Categories: 70's Cinema, 70's Music, Action Films, Art, Books / Media, British Cinema, Classic Rock, Comedy Movies, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Hollywood, Movies, Obscure Movies, Obscure Music, Pop Culture, Revenge Movies, Talent/Celebrities

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