Russ Meyer is considered by most critics to be one of America's few cinematic auteurs. This lofty title is usually reserved for the likes of Bergman or Felini. However, after six decades of great film making, Meyer has more than earned it. What makes his accomplishment so unusual is that RM (as he called himself) did it by filming what he truly enjoys, what he personally finds stimulating -- and certainly not what politically correct society would necessarily deem appropriate.

Born to an Oakland, California policeman and nurse in 1922, Meyer's talent for filmmaking was apparent early in his life. By the time he was 15, he was making award winning amateur films. In 1942, at the age of 20, Russ Meyer joined the Army Signal Corps where he spent most of World War II filming combat footage in Europe, further developing his cinematic skills.

After the war, Meyer went on to become a professional still photographer. In 1955, Russ did the first centerfold for Playboy magazine. And the model just happened to be his wife, Eve Meyer (Playboy's Miss June, 1955). Four years later, in 1959, RM made his cinematic film debut with The Immoral Mr. Teas.

The Immoral Mr. Teas is considered to be the first authentic American porn flick. Although soft-core by today's standards, it was nonetheless quite provocative at the time. Here was a movie that was filmed with the express purpose of seeing beautiful voluptuous girls -- naked! There was no ruse about being an expose on Indiana nudist camps, or that National Geographic-type nudey-native crap. This was real porn -- and, it was a hit!

With one very successful film under his belt and plenty of cash in his pockets, Russ had the freedom to delve deeper into independent filmmaking. With his next film, he cast his wife Eve in the starring role and titled it, Eve and the Handyman. Meyer made this film to compete tongue-in-cheek with the artsy-fartsy films of the day. Audiences roared with laughter at his highly entertaining and satiric treatment of the characteristic message-sending style of all of those European nose-in-the-air films. Actually, to this very day, both England and France regularly hold Russ Meyer film festivals -- which he gladly attends as he pontificates at the speaker's podium as only RM can.

Through a string of well known movies, including Common-Law Cabin, Meyer developed a unique style all his own. His films are wild, boisterous, sexy and primarily softcore fun. Meyer's sardonic sense of humor and taste for satire became his trademark.

Then of course, there are the famous RM breasts. Meyer seemed to make it a point (excuse the pun) of casting the largest breasted women he could find. In some of his later movies, the boobs became so large, you would swear these women needed specially constructed walkers just to keep from falling forward on their face. All jokes aside, these incredibly large breasts harmonize with Meyer's lampooning of American mores and the way sex is dealt with in our strange society where the female body is looked upon as being more dangerous than either drugs or guns.

Between 1964 and 1965, Meyer hit what has been called his 'Gothic Black and White' period. He directed four of his best works, (Lorna, Mudhoney, Motor Psycho and Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!). These movies are now considered to have been well before their time, only getting the recognition they deserve in the last couple years. This is especially true for Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, which has been listed by many film critics as one of the best films made during that decade.

After his smash-hit Vixen came out in 1968, 20th Century Fox hired him to direct Roger Ebert's screenplay, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970). The film was a huge success. After a second effort with 20th Century, The Seven Minutes (1972), Meyer returned to independent filmmaking and his raucous style with films such as Blacksnake, Supervixens, and the outrageous Beneath The Valley Of The UltraVixens.

Meyer's work has come into full bloom, especially with young audiences. If you mention Russ Meyer's name in a crowded room, you are likely to hear, "I love him! RM made my all-time favorite movie!" This is true for both women as well as men. Despite being known exclusively for adult films, strangely enough, Meyer is often cited as one of cinema's first true feminists.

For the past decade, RM has been kept busy with prestigious film festivals and tributes to his films. Recently, Director Keir McFarlane put Janet Jackson in a Porshe, defiantly driving around two scared guys in the music video "You Want This" as a direct tribute to Meyer's Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Now at a very piss-and-vinegar 74 years old, Meyer's is as gruff and energetic as ever. He is still keeping busy, running his business (often answering the phone himself -- he sounds exactly the way he looks!) and has even been directing music videos. RM has three docudramas in the works -- but don't look for them anytime soon: He works on what-he-wants when-he-wants. For years now, he has been promising the publication of his autobiography, A Clean Breast - The Life and Loves of Russ Meyer. He swears that it will be out in the next six months (we'll announce it as soon as we get more information). This will be a slip-covered, three-volume opus containing well over 2,500 pictures. RM stresses that the price tag will be hellaciously expensive and proudly says, "No freebies, even the press has to pay for it."

As an aside, I often see Russ Meyer during the CES convention at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas (where the adult video companies show their wares). Last time we met he told me: "I really don't belong here, in that all my films are softcore. But I feel more of an affinity with these people than with anyone else." A lovely, lonely man even in a crowd of admirers. And even more interesting is that I never see Roger Ebert at the Sahara.

In his lifetime, Russ Meyer has directed over 23 films. Each stamped with his unusual flair and style. No one can make us laugh at ourselves and see through society's imperfections the way RM does. His films are treasures for every generation to savor.

Russ Meyer Blog:  Which is your favorite movie and why? What are some of your other favorite Russ Meyer movies? What would you like to see him do? Or any other comments you might want Russ Meyer to know and read. Click here now to Blog Russ Meyer.