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Ronnie 'Z-Man'/ Pill Spector oddly Prophetic - Spoilers Beware


********Beware Spoilers Below********

I am not really a fan of Russ Meyers films but caught this on tv the other night again after first time since watching in my teens....when I probably didnt "get it" quite so much at I do now

anyway I was oddly struck by the looney behaviour demonstrated by the Ronnie 'Z-Man' Barzell character towards the end of the film. Not so much the dodgy man-boobs of course :-) but more how he ends up running amok and goes on a murderous spree etc.

looking on this site afterwards (more to see what others made of this 60's kitsch classic..than anything else..) I was interested to read that Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert used 'Phil Spector' as one of the influences for creating this character..and thought this even more interesting that his antics ended up not dissimilar to some those of the "currently serving 19 years to life for murder" real Spector
all of which obviously took place a long time after this film

I am sure at the time this film was made it may have been known to many in the music/film industry (least of whom his wife ...Ronnie..) that Mr Spector was known to be a little more than temporamental and/or violent

....but the earliest I ever heard of him "completely losing it"..was during the recording of Lennons "Imagine" album in the early 70s where he alledgely brandished a gun and held to Johns head (not sure how much of this was true/rumour)....but again this 'supposedly' took place at least a couple of years after this films production..and a good solid 20 + years before his imfamous murder trial..

anyway..coincidence I know..but an interesting/prophetic one that struck me..
:-)



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Phil Spector produced an album with The Ramones in '79, and the band noted that his behavior was similarly wacky. Phil waved at gun at Johnny Ramone, after Johnny complained about having to do hundreds of takes of one song in the studio. Seems Johnny got sick of Phil's obsessive perfectionism, and told him to *beep* off.

On another note, I think its possible that the 'Z-Man' character was a shemale, e.g. a 'chick with a dick'. He got breast implants, but his genitalia was still of the male variety. Characters like that probably did exist in LA, SF and NYC in the 70s.

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marcellis_robinson typed,

Characters like that probably did exist in LA, SF and NYC in the 70s.


And Baltimore. See Pink Flamingos (1972).



"May the Force be with you."

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He pulled a gun and shot a hole through the ceiling when recording with John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

He didn't produce an album for Lennon again after that little stunt. Specter was a complete nut with a long reputation wave around guns while making threats and what not. A complete nutcase he turned out to be. And, yeah, I agree.....in a number of ways, this movie's characterization of him turned out to be spot on.

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