I bought this on DVD because I was expecting to have good moments with a large breasted woman, and it does! This documentary directed by the late great Russ Meyer basically shows how he thinks, especially about the actress with the boobs of his dreams, Pandora Peaks. I have only ever watched this the once to see what it was like, and to be honest it is a bit repetitive with dialogue. I am just giving it quite a high mark for the amount of great nudity. But when I did watch it, I found Meyer a bit weird, German actress Tundi was a bit obsessive about her image and her large breasts, and the other girls Leasha and Candy Samples hardly did anything. Great for the nudity, okay for the entire film!
11 Reviews
Geat girl but poor direction
Red-Barracuda9 November 2015
Russ Meyer returns to film-making for the first time in twenty years with this documentary about mega-busty stripper/nude model Pandora Peaks. It follows a similar basic template to Meyer's earlier stripper documentary Mondo Topless (1966), although with a focus far more squarely on one girl, despite appearances from other models, including Candy Samples. It's typified by lots of sexy routines from Peaks accompanied by biographical voice-over material. There's also quite a lot of (lame) humour.
With this film Meyer essentially achieves what I had always thought was impossible in that he makes large breasts kind of boring. Don't get me wrong, I find Ms Peaks very attractive and the idea of watching her strip through a series of routines sounds like a pretty good idea to me. But the problem is, that in order to make that kind of stuff work you really need to keep things simple and just point the camera and watch but Meyer being Meyer he is simply unable to do such a thing and can't help but use his usual rapid fire editing style, which works so very well in is idiosyncratic narrative films but which is so useless in a film that should essentially just be soft-core erotica and nothing more. So what we end up with is the worst of both worlds with a series of well shot scenes with Pandora Peaks edited so frantically you can't really enjoy them properly. Meaning that, you are left with the film as a documentary but it's hardly riveting stuff on that front and, in any case, is offset by an alarming amount of annoying humour which brings things down a peg or two further still.
I am a fan of Meyer's work but he always achieves his best results when working with an actual story. When he doesn't have one, his style can grate a bit and here is no different. Pandora Peaks is gorgeous of course but it's a pity Meyer didn't provide her with something better suited to his talents as a film-maker. She deserved better from him.
With this film Meyer essentially achieves what I had always thought was impossible in that he makes large breasts kind of boring. Don't get me wrong, I find Ms Peaks very attractive and the idea of watching her strip through a series of routines sounds like a pretty good idea to me. But the problem is, that in order to make that kind of stuff work you really need to keep things simple and just point the camera and watch but Meyer being Meyer he is simply unable to do such a thing and can't help but use his usual rapid fire editing style, which works so very well in is idiosyncratic narrative films but which is so useless in a film that should essentially just be soft-core erotica and nothing more. So what we end up with is the worst of both worlds with a series of well shot scenes with Pandora Peaks edited so frantically you can't really enjoy them properly. Meaning that, you are left with the film as a documentary but it's hardly riveting stuff on that front and, in any case, is offset by an alarming amount of annoying humour which brings things down a peg or two further still.
I am a fan of Meyer's work but he always achieves his best results when working with an actual story. When he doesn't have one, his style can grate a bit and here is no different. Pandora Peaks is gorgeous of course but it's a pity Meyer didn't provide her with something better suited to his talents as a film-maker. She deserved better from him.
Different kind of Russ Meyer movie
Battledragon21 March 2005
There's actually not much to tell about this movie and definitely nothing to spoil. There was no plot, just sequences after sequences where Pandora Peaks gets undressed and dressed again while some music is playing in the background. But, if you wanna see Pandora Peaks naked (you can see every inch of her body in this one) or you're just a die-hard-fan of Russ Meyer stuff (although this one is very different than his real movies), this is the one for you. Otherwise, avoid this one.
I would give it 2 out of 10, and in Russ-Meyer-o'-meter 4 out of 10 (even though this one can't really be compared with his other stuff).
I would give it 2 out of 10, and in Russ-Meyer-o'-meter 4 out of 10 (even though this one can't really be compared with his other stuff).
For Meyer completists only
Tito-824 August 2011
Extremely similar to Russ Meyer's abysmal 'Mondo Topless' some 30+ years earlier, there's not a hint of a plot in this film, and even the rampant nudity gets redundant after a while. Pandora Peaks fills the screen with her fit body (thanks to Trimax exercise equipment -- she actually shills for the company for almost two straight minutes!) and obviously enhanced breasts, and she tells moderately uninteresting stories while we get to look at everything she has to offer. If you prefer natural breasts, Hungarian Tundi appears in numerous clips that were apparently filmed more than a decade before the film was released. Russ Meyer, meanwhile, incessantly rambles on about various places in California (particularly in the desert) and Germany, and sophomoric sound effects routinely play whenever a pair of large breasts are unleashed on the screen.
Overall, it's easily one of Russ' worst efforts. His plot-driven films weren't always great, but at least they had more than big breasts and boring commentary. The frequent nudity MIGHT be enough to please teenaged boys, but in today's internet-driven world, I doubt it.
It's SLIGHTLY better than his nudie-cuties from 50 years ago, but that faint praise is the best that I can say about this mess.
Overall, it's easily one of Russ' worst efforts. His plot-driven films weren't always great, but at least they had more than big breasts and boring commentary. The frequent nudity MIGHT be enough to please teenaged boys, but in today's internet-driven world, I doubt it.
It's SLIGHTLY better than his nudie-cuties from 50 years ago, but that faint praise is the best that I can say about this mess.
Steam what???
ishiidobie-17 February 2009
As I am gay, the best part of this movie would not (to me anyway) be Miss Peak's breasts (ample and impressive though they are!). No, it has to be the great wealth of knowledge Pandora shows as she gives witty comments. Never let it be said that a blond with an ample bosom is brainless and empty headed! For example, as I was born and grew up 10 miles south of Scranton, I found it especially informative when Pandora was going on and on about the wonderful people and places she gets to see while traveling in support of her titties, and how she loved the wonderful steam ships in Scranton...uhhh...wait...Scranton is nicknamed SteamTown because of the antique steam TRAINS, not SHIPS! I seem to be defeating the very purpose of this post (add sarcasm as needed).
The fact that Miss Peaks cannot tell the difference between steam ships and steam trains might tell you something about her. I'll leave you to decide just what that might be. Hugs and kisses to you!
The fact that Miss Peaks cannot tell the difference between steam ships and steam trains might tell you something about her. I'll leave you to decide just what that might be. Hugs and kisses to you!
Sad Ending?
arfdawg-130 July 2019
Hard to beelive that Russ Meyer had anything to do with this piece of crap. The directing doesnt resemble Meyer at all. In fact, the beginning has a yound guy doing the directing on Will Shire -- as he says it.
The entire film is ust an hour of boring clips of this loser with other people taking still photography in the fram -- again hardly a Russ Meyer trademark. She's not attractive and has none of the boyant personality that other Meyer babes had. She' down right boring.
It appears more that this is just a publicity stunti for Peaks and Meyer had nothing to do with it. I watched the credits and in fact, it was directed by some guy name D. Kelly Marsalis! How is this being credited to Meyer?
The entire film is ust an hour of boring clips of this loser with other people taking still photography in the fram -- again hardly a Russ Meyer trademark. She's not attractive and has none of the boyant personality that other Meyer babes had. She' down right boring.
It appears more that this is just a publicity stunti for Peaks and Meyer had nothing to do with it. I watched the credits and in fact, it was directed by some guy name D. Kelly Marsalis! How is this being credited to Meyer?
What a piece of garbage
Horst_In_Translation19 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
"Pandora Peaks" is easily among the worst films I have seen in quite a while, if not the worst. First of all, this is not 26 minutes long as it states here, but roughly 71. Maybe there is a shorter version I don't know of, but I doubt it. Anyway, it's the last directorial effort from filmmaker Russ Meyer before his death and he also wrote the script and co-narrated this one. I have not seen any of his earlier works I think, but looking at how he is a fairly well-respected filmmaker, I guess he had really lost it at this point.
The most ridiculous thing is that this film actually occasionally takes itself seriously as an informative documentary. It is not. It is really just pretentious. The comments we hear are as pathetic as they are void of any memorable content. It's basically porn only that nobody is having sex. We see naked breasts and vaginas from start to finish and hear random rambling. The title person describes herself as shy while we see her naked in all kinds of sexual positions. The most embarrassing moment was maybe when she compared herself to Madonna and Dolly Parton. Also, she was so full of herself that it was truly cringeworthy. And it's not even stimulating in anyway unless you like hugely oversized boobs. I personally find them repulsive, even if they may be real. Who knows. And what's with the weird sound effects all the time. Was that supposed to be funny? Disgusting documentary that gives film a bad name. Highly not recommended.
The most ridiculous thing is that this film actually occasionally takes itself seriously as an informative documentary. It is not. It is really just pretentious. The comments we hear are as pathetic as they are void of any memorable content. It's basically porn only that nobody is having sex. We see naked breasts and vaginas from start to finish and hear random rambling. The title person describes herself as shy while we see her naked in all kinds of sexual positions. The most embarrassing moment was maybe when she compared herself to Madonna and Dolly Parton. Also, she was so full of herself that it was truly cringeworthy. And it's not even stimulating in anyway unless you like hugely oversized boobs. I personally find them repulsive, even if they may be real. Who knows. And what's with the weird sound effects all the time. Was that supposed to be funny? Disgusting documentary that gives film a bad name. Highly not recommended.
shame this wasn't better integrated as a feature film. This is a documentary if anything
hillbillyfromhell10 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
for the Meyer purist, this is a double-edged sword. All the classic elements are there- the fast cuts, the great camera angles, the sharp focus, and of course the HUGE BOOBS! But on the down-side, there's no story, no characters, none of the exploitation/sleaze elements, or heavy-handed dialog, and quite frankly no plot line really at all. It's merely a collage of Meyer-stuff, like he threw a bunch of left-over stuff in a blender and out this came. Shame too as I'd have loved to have seen what he could have done with Pandora as a real character in a real story in a real film. it would have been a true swan-song. I'm guessing it was him being too old and lacking of resources, along with his Alzeimer's perhaps that kept him from fully realizing this. Hell, there's not really much of Pandora in this, which is odd considering her name is the title of the film. I think Russ must've really lost it towards the end(as it appears from reading the very excellent and informative Meyer book bio).
it's nice to watch but i wish it was more an actual movie. Pandora is indeed one of the most stunning women in the world(long since retired and sadly reduced breast-wise) and she was at her peak(sic) about the time Russ shot her. Shame they didn't take it further as perhaps then Russ would've gone out with a BANG! instead of a fizzle.
I own it nonetheless and any true Meyer fanatic should. Great shots as usual, and Pandora will make your heart pound.
it's nice to watch but i wish it was more an actual movie. Pandora is indeed one of the most stunning women in the world(long since retired and sadly reduced breast-wise) and she was at her peak(sic) about the time Russ shot her. Shame they didn't take it further as perhaps then Russ would've gone out with a BANG! instead of a fizzle.
I own it nonetheless and any true Meyer fanatic should. Great shots as usual, and Pandora will make your heart pound.
A showcase that makes itself difficult to like
StevePulaski21 January 2014
Your response to Russ Meyer's Pandora Peaks will depend on your tolerance to reused footage, large breasts, rapid-fire editing, and crystal-clear photography used over and over and over again for seventy-one minutes. Keep in mind, this style rarely results in a specific point and discussion of themes housed in the film can definitely be initiated but only to a questionable reward.
My tolerance for this specific material proved rather high because, by the credits, I enjoyed Meyer's swan song, which would send off decades of risqué exploitation pictures that emphasized on the female body and the gloriousness of large breasts. Appropriately, Pandora Peaks focuses on the titular porn star who was incredibly top-heavy with a HHH bust measurement and an incredibly toned figure. The film largely spends its time follows Peaks around as she dresses and undresses, usually in public, and wears outrageously tight outfits that only go on to emphasize her voluptuous figure. During Peaks' scenes, she narrates and discusses her early years, largely spent hiding her unusually large figure thanks to her Christian-Conservative parents before embracing her body and her form later in her years as a stripper and a porn actress.
Peaks is a pretty attractive force, thanks to her beautiful blonde hair, dashing figure, confidence in appearance and position, sensual voice, and, of course, her assets. We get a lifetime's worth of scenes of her having fun with her assets and dressing and undressing for our pleasure. In one scene, she is dressed in loose-fitting blue costume, resembling a cheerleader, as she strips and discusses her work as a dancer at the Marcus Street Cinema. Through nostalgia and its ability to arouse, the scene clicks very well.
Spliced in with the frequent shots of Peaks are shots of places such as Mojave, Palm Desert, Germany, and Berlin, concocting what looks to be a travelogue narrated by Russ Meyer. Other clips from Meyer's older films such as Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, and shots of another big-breasted model named Tundi. This creates a strangely disjointed "story," that sometimes nauseatingly jumps between Peaks' autobiographical detailing of her life and Meyer's pseudo- travelogue chapter, creating what seems to be an intentionally uneven mash-up of focuses.
However, Peaks' story - which commands a good 60% of the film - is an intriguing one and one of sustainable interest. We get the impression that she is undercutting Meyer's lax approach to this particular project by using this potential-vehicle as an opportunity to allow her personal story to be heard and sincerity on her behalf to prevail. Through her efforts to do this, Peaks becomes likable and more than a big-breasted enigma. Few would be able to erect a personality while the camera's fixation seems to constantly be on your oversized assets.
Regardless of what story we're involved with, Meyer provides us with sharp photography, heavy on color- contrast and clarity and makes a film that is low on continuity, questionable in its intentions, but surprisingly bright and fun to look at.
Yes, there is little presence of a story, and many of the brave souls who will seek out this film are likely to dislike it and write off the entire project as a muddle. You're, in a way, correct. Pandora Peaks, through all its weirdness and inanity, is almost too easy of a target when put in a critical perspective. And yet, Meyer does what he wants with the project, ,molding it and forming it anarchically, forgoing convention and instated formula. The film is, in many ways, a fine send off to a bold filmmaker, and a strong showcase for its titular character, with an emphasis on "tit."
Starring: Pandora Peaks. Directed by: Russ Meyer.
My tolerance for this specific material proved rather high because, by the credits, I enjoyed Meyer's swan song, which would send off decades of risqué exploitation pictures that emphasized on the female body and the gloriousness of large breasts. Appropriately, Pandora Peaks focuses on the titular porn star who was incredibly top-heavy with a HHH bust measurement and an incredibly toned figure. The film largely spends its time follows Peaks around as she dresses and undresses, usually in public, and wears outrageously tight outfits that only go on to emphasize her voluptuous figure. During Peaks' scenes, she narrates and discusses her early years, largely spent hiding her unusually large figure thanks to her Christian-Conservative parents before embracing her body and her form later in her years as a stripper and a porn actress.
Peaks is a pretty attractive force, thanks to her beautiful blonde hair, dashing figure, confidence in appearance and position, sensual voice, and, of course, her assets. We get a lifetime's worth of scenes of her having fun with her assets and dressing and undressing for our pleasure. In one scene, she is dressed in loose-fitting blue costume, resembling a cheerleader, as she strips and discusses her work as a dancer at the Marcus Street Cinema. Through nostalgia and its ability to arouse, the scene clicks very well.
Spliced in with the frequent shots of Peaks are shots of places such as Mojave, Palm Desert, Germany, and Berlin, concocting what looks to be a travelogue narrated by Russ Meyer. Other clips from Meyer's older films such as Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, and shots of another big-breasted model named Tundi. This creates a strangely disjointed "story," that sometimes nauseatingly jumps between Peaks' autobiographical detailing of her life and Meyer's pseudo- travelogue chapter, creating what seems to be an intentionally uneven mash-up of focuses.
However, Peaks' story - which commands a good 60% of the film - is an intriguing one and one of sustainable interest. We get the impression that she is undercutting Meyer's lax approach to this particular project by using this potential-vehicle as an opportunity to allow her personal story to be heard and sincerity on her behalf to prevail. Through her efforts to do this, Peaks becomes likable and more than a big-breasted enigma. Few would be able to erect a personality while the camera's fixation seems to constantly be on your oversized assets.
Regardless of what story we're involved with, Meyer provides us with sharp photography, heavy on color- contrast and clarity and makes a film that is low on continuity, questionable in its intentions, but surprisingly bright and fun to look at.
Yes, there is little presence of a story, and many of the brave souls who will seek out this film are likely to dislike it and write off the entire project as a muddle. You're, in a way, correct. Pandora Peaks, through all its weirdness and inanity, is almost too easy of a target when put in a critical perspective. And yet, Meyer does what he wants with the project, ,molding it and forming it anarchically, forgoing convention and instated formula. The film is, in many ways, a fine send off to a bold filmmaker, and a strong showcase for its titular character, with an emphasis on "tit."
Starring: Pandora Peaks. Directed by: Russ Meyer.
Pandora Peaks At Her Peak!
Mvpkinger25 June 2014
This documentary was written, produced, and directed by Russ Meyer (1922-2004). Filmed over a period of time in the early nineties, it was released in 2001, when Pandora Peaks was at the peak of her popularity. This turned out to be the final film of Russ Meyer, who was admittedly past his prime when this was made. There is no storyline, but there is narration provided by Mr. Meyer himself. The footage of Pandora, who is breathtakingly beautiful, is well worth the price of the DVD. Considering how few films she appeared in before retiring, this much footage of Pandora is a rarity. As if that weren't enough, this documentary also includes footage of the legendary Candy Samples. Forget the deeper meaning displayed in Russ Meyer's earlier classic films, and enjoy the eye candy on display in this documentary.
Lesser Meyer
Michael_Elliott29 February 2008
Pandora Peaks (2001)
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Russ Meyer "documentary" about Pandora Peaks and her triple-H breasts. The German woman's breasts keep this from a BOMB rating but I guess those breasts are the point to this movie. There's no real story and no real documentary, although Meyer talks about various California cities in between all the nude shots. After a while it just gets tiresome. I've heard this is unlike any other Meyer movie and I certainly hope that's true.
Leave this one alone and check out some of the director's classic titles.
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Russ Meyer "documentary" about Pandora Peaks and her triple-H breasts. The German woman's breasts keep this from a BOMB rating but I guess those breasts are the point to this movie. There's no real story and no real documentary, although Meyer talks about various California cities in between all the nude shots. After a while it just gets tiresome. I've heard this is unlike any other Meyer movie and I certainly hope that's true.
Leave this one alone and check out some of the director's classic titles.
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