Bliss (1997)

A newly married happy couple visits a sex therapist to determine why the wife can't achieve an orgasm with her husband. This causes a horrific suppressed memory to emerge and she becomes more and more distant.

Director:

Lance Young

Writer:

Lance Young

Stars:

Craig Sheffer, Terence Stamp, Sheryl Lee

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Craig Sheffer	...	Joseph
Sheryl Lee	...	Maria
Terence Stamp	...	Baltazar
Casey Siemaszko	...	Tanner
Spalding Gray	...	Alfred
Leigh Taylor-Young	...	Redhead
Lois Chiles	...	Eva
Blu Mankuma	...	Nick
Ken Camroux-Taylor	...	Hank (as Ken Camroux)
Pamela Perry	...	Dottie
Eli Gabay	...	Carlos
Molly Parker	...	Connie
Hiro Kanagawa	...	Doctor
Merrilyn Gann	...	Motel Woman
Gillian Barber	...	Therapist

Storyline

Joseph and Maria are married for six months and Maria still has never had an orgasm with her husband. They begin to visit mysterious doctor Baltazar who teaches them how to reach ecstasy in sex.

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Plot Keywords:

rape victim | sexually dissatisfied wife | sex | vagina | bare breasts | 

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Taglines:

Love is only the beginning.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic sex scenes with strong sex-related dialogue, and for language

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 April 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Au-delà du désir

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$54,547, 8 June 1997, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$207,751, 29 June 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Triumph Films, Stewart Pictures, Pacific Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Crazy Credits

Special Thanks to INDIA.

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Alternate Versions

Some more explicit shots were omitted from the sex scenes to earn an "R" rating, replacing the MPAA's previous "NC-17" rating.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Con Air/Bliss/Buddy/The Pillow Book/The Quiet Room (1997)

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Soundtracks

I've Been Working On You
Performed by The Feminine Complex
Written by Mindy Dalton
Published by Alpine Music (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Teenbeat o/b/o Athena Records by arrangement with Ocean Park Music Group

User Reviews

Getting to the bottom of the wife's sexual problems.

O, man. Okay, first off I'm gonna just admit to you all here that I have a similar problem to one addressed in the film, a wife who by nature (or genetics or abuse, who knows) isn't very interested in sex. So, I got this movie for some insight cuz I can't afford a shrink. After watching this movie over and over, I'm no better off than when I started. My ultimate conclusion is that the film IS entertaining; Terence Stamp is one of the most interesting characters I've seen in a film. But the main thing that threw me off was there was something about half way through the film where it makes fun of itself...there is a montage of short scenes set to music where they show the patient going through the doctors exercises, and they set it up comical. If this film was made to make us aware of the tantric (hence the title BLISS), this part shoots the film in the foot. Also, Sheryl Lee over acts sometimes and I know she's playing a psycho but it served to throw my mind off again into thinking we're getting off track here. There was also something about the film that made it hard to follow. One of my fellow reviewers here said it was hard to watch and that is true. Like I said, I watched it repeatedly and I would be at work or something thinking about the film and there would be these big blank spots. I'd come home and go over these spots again and I'd still be like "uh....???".