Academia is a place where people debate ideas. In February 1970, at Yale Law School, an institution that has educated four of our nine current Supreme Court justices, the topic of discussion was a surprising one: the films of Russ Meyer.
Meyer occupies a distinct place in cinematic history as a kind of gleeful vulgarian. In the 1960s, around the time standards loosened up about what could be shown in movie theaters, Meyer was one of the leading figures in a genre known as “sexploitation.” It may tell you all you need to know about his films that at the time of his death in 2004 from complications from pneumonia, he was at work an anthology film about his career titled “The Breast of Russ Meyer.”
Meyer came to Yale as the star attraction of the two-day Russ Meyer film festival, and he brought two of his leading ladies with him. They were Cynthia Myers, who was also a Playboy Playmate and had featured in perhaps Meyer’s most famous film, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. He also brought Haji, the star of another one of his more notorious works, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
LIFE photographer John Olson was on hand to document the scene, and he had fun highlighting the juxtaposition of Meyer and his actresses exploring the school’s neo-Gothic architecture. In Olson’s shots, Yale students seemed delighted to have Meyer and his actresses on campus.
But not everyone was amused. The New York Times covered the gathering, and the newspaper’s brief story was headlined “Meyer and Two Feminists Exchange Barbs at Yale.” The Times repored, “The women accused Meyer of having a `breast fixation’ and said his films showed sex as something `sinful and evil.'” Meyer responded by suggesting he and the woman compare sexual experiences.”
Meyer’s response was provocative and rude, and just about what you might expect, especially in a setting where he was meant to embody crassness. They were also emblematic of the kinds of issues that people take up when they discuss of free expression. It’s the classic question—how much protection do you give to words and images that people find offensive?
Discuss amongst yourselves.
Director Russ Meyer, with leading ladies Haji (right) and Cynthia Myers (left) visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer, with leading ladies Haji (left) and Cynthia Myers (right) visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer, with leading ladies Haji (left) and Cynthia Myers (right) visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer, with leading ladies Haji (right) and Cynthia Myers (left) visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Russ Meyer, with leading ladies Cynthia Myers (left) and Haji (right) visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Russ Meyer, with Haji (right), one of his leading ladies, visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer, with two of his leading ladies, Cynthia Myers (left) and Haji (right) at the Russ Meyer Film Festival at Yale University, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer, with leading ladies Haji and Cynthia Myers (off to the right) visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer visited Yale for their Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer at the Russ Meyer Film Festival at Yale University, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Russ Meyer with Haji, one of his leading ladies, at the Yale campus for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer at the Russ Meyer Film Festival at Yale University, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer, with leading ladies Haji (right) and Cynthia Myers (left), visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer at the Russ Meyer Film Festival at Yale University, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer at the Russ Meyer Film Festival at Yale University, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer at the Russ Meyer Film Festival at Yale University, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Director Russ Meyer, with leading ladies Haji (left) and Cynthia Myers (right), visited Yale for the Russ Meyer Film Festival, 1970.
John Olson/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
