Up! (1976)

Wow. Just... wow. I don't know about Russ Meyer's intent with this film, but in hindsight it looks like the ultimate summation of everything his filmic work was about and a swan song to an industry that was ready to leave him behind for the more explicit but far less interesting pastures of hardcore porn. This is the film he'd been building to since leaving narrative behind in Cherry, Harry and Raquel. What is it? Well, it's kinda sorta not really a murder mystery, but really it's just Meyer's greatest excuse to indulge the exploration of his signature image -- a statuesque and naked (or barely clad) woman with large breasts, standing in a fighting stance and ready to either beat you up or fuck you senseless. All his stylistic hallmarks are in place (spastic editing, knowingly pretentious quotes from various literary works, exceptional photography, fevered acting, cartoonishly graphic violence, loving shots of big ol' boobies), but here they're all pushed as far as they can go. Watching feels like being in the hands of a dangerous lunatic who will show you anything he can to get his point across, and it's all quite exhilarating. Faster Pussycat is still my favorite Meyer flick, but it's clear to me that this outrageous, unforgettable mess is his masterpiece. Get it before the government deems it a controlled substance.

Grade: A