'The Bitch' holds the distinction of being the first motion picture to retail on sell-through video. Copies were on sale in Woolworths for about £100 each ( probably more than the film's total budget ) at the time of its release. It was, of course, the sequel to the steamy bonk-buster 'The Stud' ( 1978 ) which starred Joan Collins as man-mad London disco owner 'Fontaine Khaled'. Oliver Tobias was to have returned, but angered Jackie Collins ( on whose book it was based ) by giving a frank interview in which he called the first film 'rubbish'. He was dead right, of course. Jackie responded by saying that she hadn't originally wanted him in the film, he only got the role because Paul Michael Glaser ( of 'Starsky & Hutch' ) was unavailable.
In place of Oliver ( why did no-one think to hire Leonard Rossiter? ) came Omar Sharif-lookalike Michael Coby as 'Nico', whom Fontaine meets and has it off with ( over and over and over again! ) while Biddu disco music throbs on the soundtrack ( unlike one of the other reviewers here, I have fond memories of '70's discos. I was no Travolta though. My answer to 'Saturday Night Fever' would have been called 'Friday Night Slight Chill'! ). Nico is affiliated to the Mob, headed by 'Thrush Feather' ( sounds like a sexually transmitted disease ), played by Ian Hendry, a long, long way from the heights of 'Get Carter'. Fontaine's life is under threat, but it all works out happily at the end.
The first film's most famous sex scene was the elevator one involving Colins and Tobias, so here they went one better by having a swimming pool orgy full of randy young things ( luckily they did not have to worry about A.I.D.S. in those days ). The best moment is when Fontaine seduces her chauffeur Paul ( Maurice Thorogood ) with the line "I think I'll give you a raise!".
Ridiculous though this is ( the 'Emmanuelle' films are subtle by comparison ) one would not mind had it looked rich and glossy. It does not. The sets look like left-overs from 'Coronation Street' and the costumes must have come from a Scope charity shop. Another annoying aspect is that, despite the title, Fontaine does not get to be bitchy. A number of talented performers ( presumably there for the money ) such as Carolyn Seymour, Pamela Salem, Sue Lloyd and Doug Fisher ( 'Larry' from 'Man About The House' ) are wasted in this drivel. Still, it manages to be more fun than 'Dynasty'. Boosted by a high-profile publicity campaign that focused on Joan in kinky underwear, the film was another hit.
Given the current Hollywood mania for remakes, it is reasonable to assume some whizz-kid producer will attempt a 'reimagining' of 'The Bitch' in the not-too distant future, possibly with 'Fontaine' being humped by C.G.I. aliens while in zero gravity aboard a disco space station. I'd definitely pay to see that!
In place of Oliver ( why did no-one think to hire Leonard Rossiter? ) came Omar Sharif-lookalike Michael Coby as 'Nico', whom Fontaine meets and has it off with ( over and over and over again! ) while Biddu disco music throbs on the soundtrack ( unlike one of the other reviewers here, I have fond memories of '70's discos. I was no Travolta though. My answer to 'Saturday Night Fever' would have been called 'Friday Night Slight Chill'! ). Nico is affiliated to the Mob, headed by 'Thrush Feather' ( sounds like a sexually transmitted disease ), played by Ian Hendry, a long, long way from the heights of 'Get Carter'. Fontaine's life is under threat, but it all works out happily at the end.
The first film's most famous sex scene was the elevator one involving Colins and Tobias, so here they went one better by having a swimming pool orgy full of randy young things ( luckily they did not have to worry about A.I.D.S. in those days ). The best moment is when Fontaine seduces her chauffeur Paul ( Maurice Thorogood ) with the line "I think I'll give you a raise!".
Ridiculous though this is ( the 'Emmanuelle' films are subtle by comparison ) one would not mind had it looked rich and glossy. It does not. The sets look like left-overs from 'Coronation Street' and the costumes must have come from a Scope charity shop. Another annoying aspect is that, despite the title, Fontaine does not get to be bitchy. A number of talented performers ( presumably there for the money ) such as Carolyn Seymour, Pamela Salem, Sue Lloyd and Doug Fisher ( 'Larry' from 'Man About The House' ) are wasted in this drivel. Still, it manages to be more fun than 'Dynasty'. Boosted by a high-profile publicity campaign that focused on Joan in kinky underwear, the film was another hit.
Given the current Hollywood mania for remakes, it is reasonable to assume some whizz-kid producer will attempt a 'reimagining' of 'The Bitch' in the not-too distant future, possibly with 'Fontaine' being humped by C.G.I. aliens while in zero gravity aboard a disco space station. I'd definitely pay to see that!