Nobody is what they seem to be in this dizzying Russ Meyer feature, and everyone is a suspect. The reclusive Adolf Schwartz (Edward Schaaf) pays for weird pansexual pleasures performed by an interracial group of prostitutes. Later, Schwartz (who bears more than a passing resemblance to a more infamous Adolf) is found murdered in his bath, the victim of a hungry piranha. That same morning, Margo Winchester (Raven de la Croix) is jogging on a mountain pass when she's abducted and raped by a local boy. She defends herself and ends up breaking her assailant's neck, an act that is witnessed by state trooper Homer Johnson (Monty Bane). He offers to falsify his report in return for Margo's abundant body, and she enthusiastically accepts. Margo and Homer shack up in his mountain cabin, and he gets her a job at Alice's Cafe, a small-town greasy spoon run by Alice (Janet Wood) and her husband, Paul (Robert McLane). Suddenly business is booming (thanks to Margo's seductive swagger and Mae West impressions) and the trio decide to open a nightclub. Opening night is a smash, until a drunk lumberjack goes ape after witnessing Margo's sultry dance routine. The resulting fracas ends with an axe in Homer's chest and a wild moonlit chainsaw fight. But who murdered Adolf Schwartz? That mystery is solved in not one, but three epilogues which concern the identities of Eva Braun Jr., an undercover police officer and a closet white supremacist, who all fight to the death with a pistol, a dildo, and kung-fu. The action is explained and commented upon by the buxom, perpetually nude Greek Chorus (Francesca 'Kitten' Natividad), who quotes Shakespeare and attempts to raise the story to the level of classic farce. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
Review
Of Russ Meyer's wild canon, Up! is easily his most frenetic film, a nonstop frenzy of nudity, gore, and bawdy humor that only occasionally makes sense. Never a director to waste much time on character development or motivation, Meyer is even more focused here on sheer action, to the point where viewers can only give up and let the gorgeous scenery and ridiculous proceedings wash over them. As the '70s progressed, Meyer's films became more outrageous in terms of sex and violence, and Up! is no exception, with cartoonishly gory axe fights, a vicious rape scene (with comical "Boiiing!" sound effects), and endless noisy couplings in police cars, showers, and mountain streams. The convoluted plot concerns some sort of Nazi conspiracy and will require repeated viewings to understand, though each ride through the beautifully photographed woodland pines will provide giddy enjoyment to those who love low-brow excitement. It's hardly the best place for neophytes to begin exploring Meyer's bizarre macho universe, though fans who haven't experienced the film will love the addled rush of images and action, whether it all adds up to a coherent story or not. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
Cast
Edward Schaaf - Adolph Schwartz
Mary Gavin - The Headperson
Su Ling - Limehouse
Janet Wood - Sweet Li'l Alice; Harry - The Nimrod; Monty Bane - Homer Johnson; Raven de la Croix - Margo Winchester; Bob Schott - Rafe; Ray Reinhardt - Commissioner; Candy Samples; Francesca 'Kitten' Natividad
Credit
Russ Meyer - Director, Russ Meyer - Editor, Bill Loose - Composer (Music Score), Russ Meyer - Cinematographer, Russ Meyer - Producer, Michel Levesque - Sound/Sound Designer, Russ Meyer - Screenwriter, Jim Ryan - Screenwriter, Roger Ebert - Additional Dialogue
