BLISS OF EVIL ** Australia 2022 Dir: Josh Morris. 85 mins
Being a gigging drummer in a band before covid and having a picture come my way involving music is a combination I looked forward to when I saw the promotional materials for Josh Morris‘s Bliss Of Evil (2022). Reading some of the background of the film says it was produced during covid restrictions and took a lot of perseverance. Having played for years in live music, festivals, outdoor gigs, and even actually Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, nobody gives tinkers the circumstance of what you do, just what they see and hear at that moment. The people who did Bliss Of Evil (2022) should have cared more about their real story.
Co-written by director Josh Morris and Corrie Hinschen, Bliss Of Evil (2022) finds an indie rock band (What is indie please tell me) Prom Night, going to rehearse for an upcoming showcase gig. The drummer in me cringes at the amount the band prepares for a rehearsal, the gear placement, the lack of sound checks and the actual good-natured pissing around that goes into some of the prep. The drummer Rhea (Emily Rowbottom) shows up with sticks in hand and that’s it. That’s not the story but simple details should have been done for credibility. The sound engineer Isla (Sharnee Tones) whose family owns the warehouse rehearsal area doesn’t even know what a base pedal is when getting one from a closet and refers to it as a ‘thing’.
Prom Night is aiming for world domination rather than playing little shows in Brisbane or as Joe Strummer of The Clash once referred to as ‘Playing a Toilet’. During their toils the band find that they are trapped physically by an avenging force that turns out to be a guitarist/singer who committed suicide that’s when the killing starts.
Bliss Of Evil (2022) brings forth the band members Roy [Brendan R Burman-Bellenger), the bass player Lee [Jordan Schulte) and a new guitarist, Rhea the drummer and vocalist Nic (Shanay De Marco). Nic wants to play the song Bliss Of Evil which seems to bring back memories for Isla the sound person and manager. I didn’t know till later that the song held special significance for the entity known as Bloodface (Corrie Hinschen).
Bliss Of Evil (2022) fills in the story with some flashbacks including a brilliantly handled audio section of a sexual assault that some will find difficult and kudos to the filmmakers for handling a pivotal event to the story in a manner that is not cheesy. Instead, the audio and single shot of the bedroom door tells the story more effectively than any trip down titillation alley for some pond life.
Bloodface starts the killing beginning with Jamie (Michaela Da Costa) in a thankless giggly role as a horny groupie who ends up in a clinch with Nic. In fact, it seems the sexual aspect of rock and roll is played without tension as many of the band members are gay and want to use the soundproof rooms except for muscle guy bass players Roy and guitarist Nic. Odd for a story that is dependent on sexual tension as a story point yet makes fun of it in the next. Recalls my idea that much of the new horror and independent horror do not know how to handle sexuality on screen. The depiction must either be extreme or turn into a softcore porn film that many actors perhaps are not comfortable with doing at that level.
Courtney (Chenaya Aston) is the straight-up groupie who maintains a level head-on things when all the chaos starts and the doors lock. The chaos is in the script and the story of the film that tries to do too much.
Bliss Of Evil (2022) tries hard with a payoff that may not work for some plus it misses the real story that being with Isla, Bloodface and a horrible night that triggers this event. The actors do their best, try hard yet often will speed through dialogue and not be given moments by the director due to the number of story lines. Bliss Of Evil (2022) has been enjoying screenings at many festivals on the circuit.
Review by Terry Sherwood