SOUTHERN CHARM Beyond the Valley of the Dolls party theme explained
Whitney Sudler-Smith confused everyone with his Beyond the Valley of the Dolls theme party on season 9 of Southern Charm.
Everyone in Charleston had their own interpretation. We’re explaining the REAL concept below…
Whitney Sudler-Smith
Whitney Sudler-Smith is the executive producer, creator and star of the hit Bravo reality series Southern Charm. Currently airing its 9th season, the son of matriarch Patricia Altschul has introduced us to the likes of Shep Rose, Craig Conover, Austen Kroll and more.
Sudler-Smith is also musician, featuring his guitar playing on several episodes of Southern Charm. He’s also been known to throw a party or two… with his latest being to christen his new bachelor lounge that he created in the cottage of the Altschul estate.
Always doing things a little different, the theme for the event was Russ Meyer movies, most notably Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
The younger cast members attempted the theme, with some looking like 70’s porn stars and some looking like 50’s go go dancers…
— Reality By Ashley (@RealityByAshley) January 6, 2024
So what the HECK is Beyond the Valley of the Dolls anyway? Let us explain…
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a 1970 American satirical musical & melodrama film starring Dolly Read and Cynthia Myers. Other stars include Phyllis Davis, John LaZar, Marcia McBroom, Michael Blodgett, and David Gurian. The film itself is set in the 1960’s.
It was related to Valley of the Dolls *in name only* as the two films have different concepts and directors.
Valley of the Dolls was such a good movie. RIP Sharon Tate. Now I have to watch Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Why is Whitney who’s 54 year old hanging out with 30 year olds#SouthernCharm
— vcc-stay woke✊🏽❤️🤍🔺🐘 (@wheetz) January 5, 2024
According to sources the film was:
Originally intended as a sequel to the 1967 film Valley of the Dolls—”dolls” being a slang term for depressants & pills or “downers”—Beyond the Valley of the Dolls was instead revised as a parody of the commercially successful but critically reviled original.
The plot of the movie follows 3 sexy female rockstars as they travel to Los Angeles. They are introduced to a flamboyant, well-connected rock producer, Ronnie “Z-Man” Barzell who urges them to perform at one of his parties. Tragedy and shenanigans ensue.
The film later developed a cult following due to its satirical and “metafictional” elements. Metafiction is a form that emphasizes its own narrative structure – constantly reminding the viewer that they are consuming something that is not real.
Our guess is Whitney loves both the swinger feel of Russ Meyer films along with the higher level of sense of humor required to absorb something slightly absurd. To correctly dress in theme, one would wear 1960’s camp.
🎬’Beyond the Valley of the Dolls’ premiered in theaters 51 years ago today, June 17, 1970 pic.twitter.com/tFFsE2fiWd
— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) June 17, 2021
Ashley Marie is a writer for Starcasm and the personality behind Twitter’s @RealityByAshley. You can contact Ashley via Twitter or email at realitybyashley(at)gmail.com
