Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!

Deep Inside Valley of the Dolls, the Most Beloved Bad Book and Movie of All Time

De: Stephen Rebello

Narrado por: Paul Boehmer

Since its publication in 1966, Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls has reigned as one of the most influential and beloved pieces of commercial fiction. Selling over 31 million copies worldwide, it revolutionized overnight the way books got sold, thanks to the tireless and canny self-promoting Susann. Turned in 1967 into an international box-office sensation and morphing into a much-beloved cult film, its influence endures today in everything from films and TV shows to fashion and cosmetics tributes and tie-ins.

Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! digs deep into the creation of that hugely successful film - a journey nearly as cut-throat, sexually charged, tragic, and revelatory as Susann's novel itself - and uncovers how the movie has become a cherished, widely imitated camp classic, thanks to its over-the-top performances, endlessly quotable absurd dialogue, outre costumes and hairdos, despite the high aspirations, money, and talent lavished on it.

Screenwriter, journalist, and film historian Stephen Rebello has conducted archival research and new interviews to draw back the velvet curtain on the behind-the-scenes intrigue, feuds and machinations that marked the film's production. In doing so, he unveils a rich, detailed history of fast-changing, late 1960s Hollywood, on screen and off.

©2020 Stephen Rebello (P)2020 Tantor

Interesting book, terrible choice of narrator…

I honestly can’t think of a worse choice for a narrator for this subject matter. Considering the Valley of the Dolls finds it’s fan base in women and the LGBTQIA community, having a deep-voiced, middle-aged, overtly masculine narrator was beyond tone deaf, and it significantly impacts the enjoyment of the story. Hearing him read quotes from gay men and drag queens in an “effeminate” voice comes off as mocking and wholly inappropriate. I’m sure he’s a wonderful narrator for the right content, but this was a major misfire.

Narrator really ruins the story

Not sure why they decided to have the narrator read with such a campy voice, it is just a distraction from the story.

Wish the reader was better...

This very interesting story was read by someone who seems to have been told to sound as fake and stilted as possible. Sometimes he sounded like he had never read the book, with some sentences sounding like they were about to end and then continuing, as if he realized in the middle that it wasn't ended yet. He became slightly more natural near the end, but also exaggerated in odd places. This made for a frustrating listen, but the story being fascinating, I plowed thru it.
Would have benefitted from a better actor and more natural reader!

INTERESTING STUFF

Was A little boring in a few spots. But was entertaining and Informational. Valley of the Dolls Movie fans will sould enjoy 😉

A fun, campy book with spot on narration!

I really enjoyed this book! Full of gossip and inside information, complete camp! The narration was perfect and I liked it so much I searched other books with Paul Boehmer as a narrator....His performance, with voices and accents, was spot on and made this book so much fun to listen to!