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Bitch Slap
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| Bitch Slap | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Rick Jacobson |
| Written by | Rick Jacobson Eric Gruendemann |
| Produced by | Eric Gruendemann Rick Jacobson |
| Starring | Julia Voth Erin Cummings America Olivo Ron Melendez William Gregory Lee Minae Noji Michael Hurst |
| Cinematography | Stuart Asbjornsen |
| Edited by | Joe McFadden Corey Yaktus |
| Music by | John R. Graham |
Production company | Epic Slap[1] |
| Distributed by | Freestyle Releasing[2] IM Global Summit Entertainment |
Release date |
|
Running time | 109 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $514,537 [3] |
Bitch Slap (alternate title: Before Me We Say I Do) is a 2009 American action film directed by Rick Jacobson and starring Julia Voth, Erin Cummings, America Olivo and Michael Hurst, with cameos by Lucy Lawless, Kevin Sorbo, and Renee O'Connor.[4][5]
Plot
[edit]Three attractive and voluptuous vixens, a down-and-out stripper named Trixie, a drug-running killer and ex-convict named Camero, and a corporate powerbroker nicknamed Hel, arrive at a remote desert hideaway to extort massive riches from a ruthless sword-wielding killer named Pinky, who is also a notorious underworld figure. None of the three women are who they appear to be: each has an ulterior motive.
They kidnap a gangster called Gage and try to force him to reveal where the treasure is buried. He refuses, believing they will kill him anyway, but Hel promises he will not be harmed. Camero shoots and kills him, against the wishes of Hel, saying she made no such promise. His phone rings, and they believe Gage is connected to Pinky.
Things become more complicated when a police officer named Deputy Fuchs arrives. Unknown to them, he was in the audience five nights ago when Trixie performed as a stripper to seduce Gage. However, the three women hide the body and are able to convince Fuchs to leave. While digging for the treasure, Camero asks the girls about the best sex each has ever had, believing the answer tells her something important about their character. She admits her best sex ever was with a circus contortionist, although she did not even know the contortionist's name at the time.
During a water fight, Trixie falls onto something in the sand. They dig; however, instead of buried treasure they find the dead body of one of Hel's contacts. Trixie goes into the trailer to collect herself as Hel follows her to check on her, only for Trixie to seduce Hel into making out and going second-base with her, which leads to them having vigorous sex until Camero catches them in the act and is furious, as she apparently is in love with Hel too. They are interrupted by Hot Wire and his girlfriend Kinki, whom Camero is familiar with. At gunpoint, the two abuse the women and force them to dig for the buried treasure. Deputy Fuchs returns just as they discover the location of an underground bunker, He attempts to save the women, but instead causes a gunfight, which Hel ends with a high-powered machine gun found earlier in the nearby trailer.
Camero asks the meaning of the code Hel uses on the bunker access keypad, "75650". At closer inspection it appears that the number 1 is associated with the letter A, 2 with BCD, 3 with E, 4 is with FGH, 5 is with IJK, 6 is with LMN, 7 is with OPQ, 8 is with RST, 9 is with UVW and 0 is with XYZ. With this info the code numbers spell "PINKY" Hel and Trixie find the hidden bunker full of goods stolen from Pinky, including a mysterious weapon, diamonds, and a beautiful sword, which Trixie takes. Camero, believing she is in the midst of a double-cross, fights Hel for the diamonds. Camero overcomes Hel and sets Trixie afire along with barrels of flammable liquids. Camero leaves Hel in chains while she attempts to drive away with the diamonds; however, Hel quickly uses the super-machine gun to free herself, and fires a rocket that destroys the car Camero was driving.
Hel admits to Trixie that she is a secret agent who reports to a man named Phoenix, and that she is on a mission to retrieve the weapon they found in Pinky's lair. Camero returns and again fights Hel. After she beats Hel to the ground, Camero assumes she is dead and moves to kill Trixie. As Trixie will not fight back, Camero tries to rape her, but stops when she sees a tattoo and realizes Trixie was the shadowy contortionist from her past. Before she can kill Trixie, Camero is shot in the back and killed by Deputy Fuchs, who managed to survive the explosion. However, instead of thanking him, Trixie kills Fuchs using a hidden throwing star. Hel awakens, having survived Camero's attack. Trixie then reveals that she, in fact, is Pinky, and concocted the entire plot to retrieve the sword she took from Gage's bunker, which he had taken from her six months previously.
Cast
[edit]
- Julia Voth as Trixie
- Erin Cummings as Hel
- America Olivo as Camero, and Sister Prudence Bangtail
- Michael Hurst as Gage
- Ron Melendez as Deputy Fuchs
- William Gregory Lee as "Hot Wire"
- Minae Noji as "Kinki"
- Scott Hanley as "Black Ice"
- Kevin Sorbo as Mr. Phoenix
- Dennis Keiffer as MacDaddy
- Lucy Lawless as Mother Superior
- Renee O'Connor as Sister Batril
- Mark Lutz as Deiter Von Vondervon
- Debbie Lee Carrington as "Hot Pocket"
- Zoë Bell as "Rawhide"
- Brian Peck as Wrong Place - Wrong Time
Music
[edit]John R. Graham composed the musical score and the soundtrack was released in 2009; featuring 29 songs.[2] The film also features songs by AM Conspiracy, Rebel Vengeance and Eagles of Death Metal.
Release
[edit]The film was released in the United States on January 8, 2010, in theaters and video-on-demand. It received a limited run of three weeks in three theaters and closed January 21.
The film grossed $17,365 at the domestic (US and Canada) box office and $199,436 foreign.[3]
Home media
[edit]An unrated DVD was released on March 2, 2010, in the United States.[6]
Critical response
[edit]On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 29% based on 17 reviews, with an average rating of 4.55/10.[7] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 19 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".[8]
In Daily Variety, IM Global's Stuart Ford described Bitch Slap as "a pure exploitation pic — chicks, boobs, guns and bad guys, in that order".[9] In Variety, Joe Leydon wrote "Overblown and underwhelming, 'Bitch Slap' is a desperately unfunny attempt to satirically recycle cliches and archetypes from sexploitation actioners of the 1960s and '70s."[10] Amy Biancolli of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote "The idea is to amuse anyone who's not offended by all the over-baked violence, bad acting and slapping babeage, but it's so heavy-handed and hyper-stylized that any extant wit gets smacked into submission. It's just not any fun."[11] Mark Olsen in the Los Angeles Times noted that, "Despite its obsession with décolletage, Bitch Slap is surprisingly puritanical (much teasing, no pleasing)."[12]
Inspiration
[edit]The film is described as "a post-modern, thinking man's throwback to the 'B' Movie/Exploitation films of the 1950s–70s as well as a loving, sly parody of the same".[13] The film is inspired by the Dragstrip Girl, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Kung Fu Nun, the pantheon of blaxploitation and other exploitation films which had a renewal in popularity after the cult success of Grindhouse in 2007.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ "'Bitch Slap' Girls Gone Wild Promo Spot!". December 11, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ a b "Bitch Slap -- Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. October 14, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ a b "Bitch Slap". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "EXCL: Filmmakers and Stars Talk Bitch Slap!". Dread Central. January 8, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "News Bites: 'Demons' BBC Record Opening, 'Bitch Slap' Poster Designs, 'Gantz' Goes Live-Action & 'Penance' Clip". Bloody Disgusting. January 6, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "Bitch Slap DVD Pre-Release Event". Dread Central. February 26, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "Bitch Slap (2010)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 21, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "Bitch Slap Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "Veterans share sales wisdom". Variety. May 8, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "Bitch Slap". Variety. September 23, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "Review: 'Bitch Slap' flagellates itself". SFGate. January 8, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "More decolletage than homage". Los Angeles Times. January 8, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ Davis, Erik (July 22, 2008). "SDCC Exclusive: 'Bitch Slap' Poster and Photos". Cinematical. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved July 22, 2008.
- ^ "Bloodied Hot Babes in New 'Bitch Slap' Photos". Bloody Disgusting. November 26, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
External links
[edit]Bitch Slap
View on GrokipediaProduction
Development
Rick Jacobson, an experienced television director known for helming episodes of series such as Baywatch, Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, La Femme Nikita, She Spies, and Cleopatra 2525, brought his background in crafting stories around strong female characters to his feature film directorial efforts, having previously worked on low-budget projects for producer Roger Corman.[5][6] The screenplay for Bitch Slap was co-written by Jacobson and producer Eric Gruendemann, who had previously collaborated on Xena. Development began in March or April 2006 as a self-financed, low-budget concept limited to few locations and practical daytime shoots, starting with a 12-page treatment by Jacobson that drew from his personal affinity for 1960s and 1970s B-movies and exploitation cinema. Over the next year and a half, the duo refined the script through extensive revisions, finalizing it around late 2007 to ensure fully fleshed-out characters and narrative twists before entering pre-production in 2007 and continuing into 2008, which included planning for action sequences via storyboards and concept art.[5][6][3] Financed independently through Bombshell Pictures—a company formed by Jacobson and Gruendemann—the production operated on a modest budget estimated between $1 million and $10 million, reflecting challenges in raising funds for a female-led action film amid a market favoring male-dominated genres, and relied on the filmmakers' personal investments alongside connections from their television work with figures like Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert. Key pre-production decisions emphasized authenticity in action, with the hiring of stunt coordinator and fight choreographer Zoë Bell (a Xena alum) to oversee practical stunts inspired by Sergio Leone westerns and John Carpenter's They Live, while incorporating green-screen techniques and over 640 visual effects shots for backgrounds to balance cost and visual ambition without over-relying on CGI for core action elements.[6][3][5]Filming
Principal photography for Bitch Slap commenced on March 16, 2008, and wrapped on April 1, 2008, primarily in the greater Los Angeles area.[7] Filming locations included Palmdale, California, for the remote desert hideout sequences, capturing the arid Mojave Desert landscape essential to the story's tense confrontations. Urban flashbacks depicting the characters' backstories were shot on location in Los Angeles, utilizing city streets and industrial sites, while interior bunker scenes made use of abandoned warehouses to evoke a gritty, confined atmosphere. The desert exteriors, intended to convey sweltering heat, were actually filmed during mid- to late-March when temperatures were cool and comfortable, requiring post-shoot adjustments to achieve the desired parched visual tone.[7][8][9] The production employed cinematographer Stuart Asbjornsen to helm the visuals, with a significant portion of the film—approximately 75%—utilizing green screen technology to composite dynamic action and backgrounds efficiently on a limited budget. Practical effects were prioritized where possible, influenced by budgetary constraints that favored cost-effective stunts over extensive CGI.[10][8] One of the key challenges during principal photography was coordinating the film's elaborate fight sequences and stunts, overseen by stunt coordinator Zoe Bell. The lead actresses, including Julia Voth, Erin Cummings, and America Olivo—many of whom had limited prior experience with intense physical action—required hands-on training in punch throws, falls, and combat choreography to ensure safety and authenticity. Bell addressed their initial fears of injury by building trust through personalized instruction, compensating for the low-budget production's lack of additional specialists like a dedicated fight choreographer or rigger. Desert shoots also presented logistical hurdles, such as managing equipment in the remote Palmdale terrain, though the cooler spring weather mitigated some environmental risks.[11] In post-production, editors Joseph McFadden and Corey Yaktus assembled the footage with an emphasis on rapid, kinetic cuts to amplify the film's high-energy action and nonlinear narrative structure.[10]Inspiration
The film Bitch Slap draws primary inspiration from 1960s and 1970s exploitation cinema, particularly Russ Meyer's Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965), which influenced its portrayal of fierce female anti-heroes engaging in high-stakes action and betrayal in a desert setting.[5][6] Director Rick Jacobson and producer Eric Gruendemann explicitly referenced watching Meyer's films during development, aiming to capture their bold, over-the-top style while updating it for contemporary audiences.[5] This foundation also extends to other low-budget exploitation staples, such as Roger Corman's productions, emphasizing limited locations, explosive action, and a small ensemble of strong women.[6] Additional influences include Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse (2007), evident in the film's retro aesthetic, faux-vintage film scratches, and playful nods to fake trailers through its opening credit sequence.[12] These elements homage the double-feature grindhouse experience, blending pulpy violence with tongue-in-cheek humor to evoke the era's drive-in theater vibe.[13] In its cultural context, Bitch Slap offers a post-modern reinterpretation of feminist revenge narratives, merging female empowerment—highlighted by its all-female lead trio and fight choreography by Zoë Bell—with satire of sexual objectification through exaggerated cleavage shots, water fights, and self-aware sensuality that prompts viewers to question exploitation versus agency.[6] Specific homages appear in dialogue echoing B-movie bravado and visual callbacks to blaxploitation icons like Pam Grier's roles in Foxy Brown (1974) and Coffy (1973), integrated via montage clips in the credits to celebrate tough, vengeful women protagonists.[6][14] Jacobson's intent was to craft a "guilty pleasure" cult film that subverts exploitation tropes by infusing them with modern irony and "thinking man's" narrative twists, such as a non-linear structure, while honoring the genre's unapologetic fun without descending into mere pastiche.[5][15]Cast and characters
Principal cast
The principal cast of Bitch Slap consists of three lead actresses portraying the film's central trio of women entangled in a high-stakes desert confrontation. Julia Voth plays Trixie, the manipulative and cunning stripper who serves as the group's de facto leader, masking her ruthless ambitions behind a facade of vulnerability. A Canadian model-turned-actress born in 1985, Voth transitioned from print modeling to acting shortly before landing the role, which marked her feature film debut; she prepared intensively by working with an acting coach and enduring the physical demands of filming in the Mojave Desert, including stunts amid harsh sandstorms and cold nights while wearing minimal clothing.[16] Erin Cummings portrays Hel, the driven and businesslike mastermind with a secretive past, acting as the group's strategic enforcer and protector. Known for her role as Sura in the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010), Cummings drew on her background in theater, dance, and journalism to embody the character; for the film's intense fight scenes, she trained under renowned stunt coordinator Zoe Bell, leveraging her dance training from the Kilgore College Rangerettes to master the choreographed action sequences.[17] America Olivo stars as Camero, the volatile and feral drug runner whose explosive temper and loyalty drive much of the conflict, serving as the wildcard in the trio. A singer-actress with a degree in Opera Theatre from The Juilliard School, Olivo's musical background directly influenced her performance, particularly in a scene where she performs a sultry rendition of "Ave Maria" as a stripper, adapting her classical vocal training to fit the character's raw edge.[18] The casting emphasized actresses who combined striking beauty and athletic prowess to homage 1970s exploitation cinema, with auditions prioritizing on-screen chemistry among the leads to ensure dynamic interactions in the film's action and dialogue-heavy sequences; director Rick Jacobson selected Voth after a callback reading, Cummings following a traditional agent submission and improvisation test, and Olivo directly after spotting her in a stage production.[16][17][18]Supporting cast and cameos
Ron Melendez portrays Deputy Fuchs, a determined lawman who pursues the three principal female characters through the desert after their criminal activities draw official attention.[19] Melendez, a veteran character actor with credits in television series such as CSI: Miami, brings a gritty intensity to the role, emphasizing Fuchs's relentless drive in key chase and confrontation sequences.[2] William Gregory Lee plays Hot Wire, a secondary antagonist aligned with the criminal elements in the story, appearing in action-heavy desert confrontations alongside his partner Kinki. Known for his leading role as Sean Renier in the Fox series Dark Angel (2000–2002), Lee's background in science fiction and action genres adds a familiar edge to his performance as a tough, wired enforcer.[2][20] Minae Noji appears as Kinki, Hot Wire's fierce companion in a brief but memorable bunker scene, where she wields a razor-blade yo-yo in a violent skirmish against the protagonists. Noji, recognized for roles in General Hospital (2007–2009) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012), delivers a high-energy portrayal that highlights the film's over-the-top exploitation style.[2][15] The film features notable cameos from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess alumni, serving as fan service nods to cult television audiences. Lucy Lawless briefly appears as Mother Superior, a commanding figure in a hallucinatory sequence; Kevin Sorbo plays Mr. Phoenix, a shadowy authority in the criminal underworld; and Renée O'Connor is cast as Sister Batrill, contributing to the film's blend of action and absurdity. These appearances leverage the actors' genre legacy to enhance the movie's self-aware, B-movie homage.[2][21][22] Michael Hurst stars as Gage, the central antagonist and ruthless kingpin whose hidden cache of diamonds drives the plot's central extortion scheme. A prominent figure from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys as Iolaus, Hurst's involvement extends the film's ties to 1990s fantasy-action television, with his character anchoring several intense fight and interrogation moments that propel the narrative.[2][4]Music
Score
The original score for Bitch Slap was composed by John R. Graham, a seasoned composer with credits for major studios including Disney, Universal, and Warner Brothers, as well as a 2008 Just Plain Folks award for his work on Long Flat Balls II.[23] Graham crafted an electronic-orchestral hybrid score featuring pulsing synths, rock elements like guitar anthems, and thunderous underscores to capture the film's grindhouse aesthetic and parody of 1970s B-movies.[23] This style provides tension-building cues for desert action scenes while amplifying the exaggerated, humorous tone of the exploitation narrative.[23] In close collaboration with director Rick Jacobson—who requested a retro 1970s sound to match the film's stylistic homage—Graham developed motifs that blend legitimacy with parody, enhancing the balance of violence, betrayal, and campy energy.[23] The score was recorded in 2009 and seamlessly integrated during post-production, with standout tracks including the main title "Bitch Slap Theme" (3:36), action chase motif "Pinky's Ride," and parody-driven cues like "Hel No" and "Kinki Spank!" (4:07).[24]Soundtrack
The film Bitch Slap incorporates a dynamic selection of licensed rock and punk tracks to amplify its high-octane action, campy dialogue, and exploitation-style visuals, with songs strategically placed during opening sequences, fight montages, and closing credits to heighten the rebellious, gritty atmosphere. These vocal pieces, drawn from emerging and established alternative artists, contrast with the non-diegetic original score by providing diegetic energy in key scenes, such as strip club performances and desert confrontations. Director Rick Jacobson curated the selections to match the film's punk-infused tone, emphasizing raw guitar riffs and aggressive rhythms that underscore the characters' fierce personas. Notable tracks include "Bitch Slap (Take the Ride)" by Rebel Vengeance, which blasts over the opening credits montage introducing the protagonists' chaotic arrival in the desert. "High" by AM Conspiracy plays as Hel assists Trixie in a glamorous yet tense moment, building anticipation for the ensuing drama. Eagles of Death Metal's "Chase the Devil" kicks in during the first end-credits roll, delivering a high-energy rock outro that encapsulates the movie's unapologetic vibe. Other highlights feature Blue Stahli's industrial-tinged "Scrape" amid intense hand-to-hand combat between Hel and Camero, and Minae Noji's sultry "Dangerous Love" (also known as "Kinki Girl") in the second end-credits segment, tying back to the film's themes of seduction and betrayal.| Song Title | Artist | Scene Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Bitch Slap (Take the Ride) | Rebel Vengeance | Opening credits montage |
| High | AM Conspiracy | Hel helps Trixie from the car |
| Nobody Hot as Me | KU | Trixie's striptease and drink-spiking |
| Lust in the Dust | Rebel Vengeance | Slow-motion digging sequence |
| Throw the Towel Down | Stank E. Digitz | Strip club performance at Homeland Security |
| Ave Marie Divita | America Olivo and Kyle Mack | Trixie's seductive stage encounter with Gage |
| Welt | AM Conspiracy | Intimate moment between Trixie and Hel |
| A Long Walk Home | Walls of Jericho | Deputy Fuchs confrontation and yo-yo fight |
| Scrape | Blue Stahli | Hel vs. Camero fight montage |
| Chase the Devil | Eagles of Death Metal | End credits (first song) |
| Dangerous Love (Kinki Girl) | Minae Noji | End credits (second song) |
