Serving during World War II as a U.S. Army combat cameraman for the 166th Signal Photo Company, Russ Meyer would go on to become a legendary independent filmmaker. A writer, director, and producer, he had a talent for satire that unified comedy, shapely women, and offbeat storylines that kept you enthralled.
Granted, Meyer had aspirations of breaking into major Hollywood productions, but he still built his own legacy on the fringe of the mainstream with a list of titles such as 1970’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. However, let us not forget Meyer’s other successful works, such as 1968’s Vixen! A film that really changed the playing field in many ways, Vixen! drew a lot of attention, and because of it, Meyer was able to build a Vixen Trilogy with the sequels 1975’s Supervixens before 1979’s Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens.
A trilogy by name alone, in truth, each Vixen film is vastly different from the last. For example, the original Vixen! centralized around one lady named Vixen (Erica Gavin) with a sexual prowlus and attitude that controlled every situation. A surprise hit at the box office, this original match offers humor, adult situations, and a heavy hand of commentary on societal issues. Then, Supervixens focused on six different women (with Shari Eubank as SuperAngel and SuperVixen, Uschi Digard as SuperSoul, Colleen Brennan as SuperCherry, and Deborah McGuire as SuperEula), each uniquely dominating qualities while being a bit more wacky and comical.
This leads to Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens… perhaps the most outrageous of the entire series. With Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, Meyer (with a screenplay co-written by the famed Film Critic Roger Ebert) amplifies the sex but not without offering a sarcastic commentary on American culture. In this, Meyer turns the pristine idea of small-town America upside down and gives you a peek into what may happen behind closed doors.
In this story, the leading lady is Francesca ‘Kitten’ Natividad, who plays Lavonia, an adventurous wife with a husband who has a little problem. What is that problem? If you have not seen Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, then you will just have to find out for yourself as you dive into a world of sexual chaos, hilarious situations, and so much more.
As alluded to, Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens is by far the most looney of the entire series, yet still manages to offer some very clever and thought-provoking commentary on society. Keeping you laughing each step of the way, while it has been relatively unseen for many years, thanks to a recent agreement in 2024 with Severin Films and Russ Meyer’s estate, each of the three Vixen films will make their way to Blu-Ray, 4K, and DVD in 2025.
Each title is individually set for release in varied formats on January 28, 2025, the most exciting part of which is the 4K UHD restoration. After many hours of hard work, some of the film’s original negative was damaged because of less-than-ideal storage over the decades. Some were likely in better shape than others, and it is said that a ton of passion was put into each restoration. With an understanding of everything, the restoration of Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens is something truly to behold. Crisp, clean, and colorful, you will be amazed at how Severin Films was able to put together this new uncut edition.
Beyond this, the special features add up to more than two hours of viewing content, including an interview with Kitten Natividad, Ellen Adelestein’s 1979 interview with Russ Meyer, and more. Overall, it is the perfect homage to Russ Meyer’s Vixen Trilogy and a perfect way for fans to bookmark their personal collection with an exclamation point. That is why Cryptic Rock praises Severin Film’s restoration of Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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