Bill

If you ever wondered whether Weekend At Bernies would have been improved by gore and mariticide, Bill is the short film for you. This whimsical horror from director Emily Dhue and writer/star Deana Taheri is creative, brutal and wickedly funny.

Long suffering Lilith (Deana Taheri) is at the end of her tether with vulgar and sexist husband Bill (Yianni Sines). Over dinner, as he suggests changes that he would like to her physique, she finally snaps – killing him on the spot. But with her brutal vengeance comes potential. Potential to use his corpse as a chance to build herself the perfect husband. With some pulleys, levers, and a whole load of makeup, the ‘pair’ head out for a romantic dinner, though whether Bill will be able to match Lilith’s standards is still to be determined.

Bill is much more of a dark comedy than it is a horror. Lilith’s psychotic breakdown, set to a ragtime background staging, is hilarious for its quirkiness – colourfully enlightening her unconventional ‘puppet show’. The actual murder scene – which features a brief interlude of severity as Lilith comes to terms with her actions, only to add emphatic finishing touches when Bill shows signs of life – is the film’s funniest moment. It is rivalled by Lilith’s creativity in animating her former husband’s corpse, and her continuing expectations of him at the dinner, giving the film its selection of laugh-out-loud moments.

Yianni Sines is a highlight as Bill (at least in the scenes in which he is alive…). It is clear Sines is taking pleasure in making the character as deserving of his fate as possible, portraying him as an oafish, classless pig with nothing but disregard for his wife’s emotions. It is what ultimately allows the film to work as a comedy – as few tears will be shed for such a rancid character. Deana Taheri fits perfectly with Sines’ performance, acting the subordinate as Bill mouths off until her psychotic tendencies take over. Lilith’s dark side then emerges, and Taheri’s commitment to her character’s delusion at the dinner is where the film’s comedy starts to emerge.

For all of its macabre humour there is still substance to the film, with important themes of sexism, domestic abuse and manipulation woven through the plot. The power dynamic established between the pair, and the invisible abuse Lilith has been subject to comes to a head at the dinner when Bill is handed the bill by an acquainted waiter, despite being dead. It’s a funny, yet meaningful scene which shows how couples can be perceived by those familiar to them – and how much can go unnoticed.

Add to this a vibrant and tailored styling for the short, and Bill makes for an enjoyable and impressive horror/comedy. First viewings will see audiences revel in its humour, but repeats reward fans with deeper meaning and thought-provoking themes. There’s plenty of life in this one…