A to Z Blogging Challenge: Movie Memories
Blogging about the movies that made an impact on my life
I was only nine years old when Jacqueline Susann's best-selling novel "Valley of the Dolls" was published in1966. I remember overhearing my mother and her friends talking about how racy it was.
I pretty much forgot all about it until I was in junior high and the Manson murders made headline news. I remember how awful it was that Sharon Tate was murdered. Valley of the Dolls (1967) was her last movie.
But I didn't get around to reading the book or watching the movie until I saw Helter Skelter (1976). It was about Charles Manson and the murders. In that movie I learned that the Beatles had been a major influence in Manson's life. This film was horrifying because as a teen, I had been a hard-core Beatles fan. I knew more about the Beatles than they knew about themselves. I was intrigued by Manson, wondering what makes people do such horrible things.
As for Valley of the Dolls, critics hated it. But Patty Duke was amazing and the theme song by Dionne Warwick was hauntingly beautiful.
Although I'm not sure I understood it all back then, I loved Valley of the Dolls and especially the theme music! Wow- you brought back memories!
ReplyDeleteRae: I really enjoyed the book...and Susann's followup novels, The Love Machine and Once is Not Enough.
ReplyDeleteHi Luana
ReplyDeleteI read the book years and years ago! Never seen the film.
And just to let you know I've awarded you the Versatile Blogger award if you'd like to come over and get it sometime.
Well deserved, and I'm very pleased to have met you.
warm wishes
Debbie
x
Debbie: Wow...thanks for the award! It's great to meet new friends in the blogging challenge.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of the movie, but I really don't know anything about it. I may have to look it up.
ReplyDeleteMarjorie: It's about three women whose lives take a tragic turn. The "dolls" in the story are pills...sleeping pills, speed, etc. The movie is much tamer than the novel which was pretty graphic.
ReplyDeleteThat's a CLASSIC!
ReplyDeleteFifi: Absolutely! Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing the helter skelter movie and it scared the daylights out of me! Blessings, Joanne
ReplyDeleteYou've found another one I haven't seen - and you are still the ONLY movie blogger I've visited this challenge (and that's a fair number) to vex me this way! Well done! I will have to give this a watch!
ReplyDeleteJoanne: Even now when I see pictures or videos of Charles Manson, I get the creeps. One look in his eyes and you can see is totally insane. I had nightmares after watching Helter Skelter.
ReplyDeleteCraig: This is a movie you should definitely put on your must see list. It's hard-core chick flick with a 60s vibe. And there is a little bit of eye candy for the guys.
ReplyDeleteI read the book, and like Rae, I really did not understand it at the time. It was a different time back then, and the Manson murders were a raw reality for our age. Good blog.
ReplyDeleteSusan: Documentaries about Manson are still popular. I remember reading Helter Skelter after seeing the movie and it was so frightening because it was true. I can handle fiction, but THIS...
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