VIDEO FILE: ROCKY'S PRIDE & JOY
VIDEO: Your Hell | BAND:Rocky’s Pride & Joy | DIRECTOR:Conor Mercury | DOP: Emerson Hoskin
In horror movie terms, there’s only one thing scarier than the dark. And that’s scary shit happening in broad daylight. Cue the terrifying clip for Rocky’s Pride and Joy’s latest release ‘Your Hell’, directed by local music video maestro Conor Mercury.
The five-minute masterpiece is simple enough. A lone man runs through the outback in agonising slow motion: eyes wild, teeth bared, glorious mullet flowing, white mesh tank soaked in blood. It’s a mysterious intro that keeps the audience guessing and on edge until nearly half time, before the villain (played by iconic local wrestler, Rat Daddy) reaches his goal: the band.
What follows is a maniacal chase scene, a dramatic recreation of Tom Cruise’s iconic Risky Business slide (only far more demented) and a whole lot of fake blood. It’s gripping, cinematic, and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats for the duration of the five-minute clip.
The concept was developed collaboratively between Conor and the band and shot by Emerson Hoskin on a rural property 90 minutes from Adelaide. “There were a bunch of abandoned ’70s demountables onsite, which lent the property a sort of retro futuristic vibe,” says Conor. “They were filled with bugs and there were newspapers from the ’70s still kicking around. It was too stinky to film in there, though!”
While an abandoned house with a cockroach infestation seems an appropriate backdrop for a doom band, the daylight setting contrasted with gruesome imagery is reminiscent of Ari Aster’s acclaimed folk horror film Midsommar. “I made the choice to film during the day because it’s so unexpected. It’s confusing to see this bloodthirsty maniac running around in colourful clothes on such a beautiful, sunny day.”
Despite the chilling nature of the video, there is – as with all of Conor’s work – an undeniable sense of humour to it all. It’s unclear, for example, how the villain actually claims his victims. The audience sees only an exaggerated, Donkey Kong-esque thumping action and then an inexplicable (and generous) spray of blood in every direction. “I brought an axe along to the shoot for Rat Daddy to use as a weapon,” vocalist and lead guitarist Brenton Wilson laughs. “But we opted for the comical angle. Plus, the action didn’t feel quite as grim without a weapon!”
The ‘Your Hell’ video is perfect for lovers of the darker side of the cinematic universe but is so absurdly entertaining that even the faint-hearted among us will crack a smile. That being said: the final shot of Rat Daddy’s blood-soaked silhouette against the shadowy gum trees? Certifiably haunting and likely to stick with you once the lights go out tonight.
Words by Timothea Moylan
Cover Photo by Jack Fenby
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