Les collines du plaisir

Watchable if only for the appearance of the delectable Patricia Haines (Mrs. Michael Caine as was), Virgin Witch also subverts some 70s clichés quite neatly.

Nice music and fairly attractive photography lift this from the mire as does the Surrey location.

Some passages and attitudes obviously grate a little with 21st Century sensibilities. Be disappointing if they didn't. But all in all a pleasant and (to this viewer at least) pretty sexy hour or so.

And who wouldn't want to wake up next to the unclad Ms Haines?

Or is it just me?

Hardly very 'extreme' but I have a soft spot for this. Anne Michelle stars (with her sister) and through the course of the film develops from a mini skirted dolly bird to a rather convincing coven priestess. The girls look great in their tiny skirts and without their clothes so the fact the plot line is not up to much barely matters, as it were. We get sex, lots of nudity, witchcraft scenes indoors and out and a girlie magazine shoot. That's about it really and there are slight threads involving the deposed priestess's lusting for young Anne and a young man's attempts at rescuing the younger sister from the Sabat. It's pretty, it's English and it moves along. Can't say fairer than that.

It seems this was made as an excuse to show plenty of nudity from two highly attractive sisters and some poorly constructed witchcraft scenes. Unlike many Hammer releases, it at least portrays sex with more then a childish giggle. Overall, this takes itself too seriously and the plot becomes too confusing towards the end. However, the dated fashion is worth a look as is the sleazy fashion photographer. Not to mention the main sisters involved, (later to be seen in the popular UK TV series 'Allo Allo').

The difference between a British sleaze film of the 1970s and an American sleaze film of the 1970s is that the British film is well acted and features interesting locations. "Virgin Witch," quite possibly the quintessential sleaze film of the 1970s, manages both. It's not that the film is not exploitative and rather insulting to women, it's just that one would have to take it seriously to take offense. The film stars real-life sisters Ann and Vicki Michelle as an ambitious career woman (Ann) and a repressed virgin (Vicki) who leave their strict parents and come to London. On the way they meet Johnny (Keith Buckley), in one of those 1970s movie coincidences, and he develops a bone for Vicki. Meanwhile, Ann answers an advert for a model and is "auditioned" by lesbian agent Sybil Waite (Patricia Haines), who invites her up for the weekend at a manor house owned by Gerald Amberly (Neil Hallet), a sort of proper Hugh Hefner, who is (of course) also the leader of a coven of witches. Ann (character name "Christine") is all for it, even the attentions of Sybil, if that's what it takes to get ahead, but Vicki (Betty) is still repressed. Sex rites ensue. In fact, the coven really isn't much into black magic at all, just sex games. Suffice it to say that the film did not have much of a costume budget. It would be a lot easier to dismiss this film as so much trash if it were not decently acted, particularly by Haines and Hallet. Ann Michelle--a kind of road company Martine Beswick--also does well under the direction...at least under the camera pointing...of stuntman-turned-director Ray Austin. There's nothing scary about this "horror" film, and truth be told, even with the vast amount of nudity, there's nothing very erotic about it either. It's a time capsule of a particular era of very strange British thriller films, but a rather disarming one.

The real-life Michelle sisters, Ann ("Psychomania") and Vicki ('Allo! 'Allo!) are an extremely delectable pair of sibling birds who strike out on their own, arriving in London. Christine (Ann M.) hooks up with a shady modelling agency run by the mysterious Sybil (sexy Patricia Haines, 'The Avengers'), and with Betty (Vicki M.) in tow, travels to a remote estate for some supposed shoots that will be done. But, of course, the agency is a front for a witches coven. Betty becomes concerned when the impressionable and headstrong Christine decides that she likes what she sees, and wants to know more about becoming a witch.

With the 1970s being a fairly relaxed time for censorship, and with interest in the occult becoming part of the public consciousness, it led to the rise of enjoyably sleazy British horror films like this one. It's rather slow at times, and not always terribly interesting, but does redeem itself with its generous doses of trashiness. Female nudity is abundant, and even when Ann isn't removing her clothes, the two lovely ladies are often to be seen wearing some very short miniskirts. To add more spice, Sybil is a lesbian with a definite interest in Christine, and who resents guys like photographer Peter (James Chase, "The Leather Boys") moving in on her.

The performances are quite entertaining throughout, with Neil Hallett ('The Newcomers') adding more than a touch of class as a kindly "doctor" who introduces Christine to the wonders of the occult. Keith Buckley ("Excalibur") plays Betty's boyfriend, determined to free her from this spooky environment.

Most of the time, the film is mildly amusing, but it does kick things into a higher gear for some climactic rituals involving disrobing. Most of the nudity in "Virgin Witch" is female, but some dudes do drop their trousers, too.

Supplemented by a rich music score by Ted Dicks, "Virgin Witch" is decent fun for people who love this era in British filmmaking.

Filmed at the same location as Norman J. Warrens' "Satan's Slave".

Six out of 10.