Host (film)

Host is a 2020 British computer screen supernatural horror film directed by Rob Savage and based on a script written by Savage, Gemma Hurley, and Jed Shepherd. Host takes place on a screencast of a video call on Zoom, and is presented as a computer screen film. Starring Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova and Caroline Ward, it features a group of friends who attempt to escape a supernatural force inadvertently spawned during a séance.

Not to be confused with The Host (2006 film), The Host (2013 film), or The Host (2020 film).
Host
Film poster
Directed byRob Savage
Written by
  • Gemma Hurley
  • Rob Savage
  • Jed Shepherd
Produced by
  • Douglas Cox
  • Craig Engler
  • Emily Gotto
  • Samuel Zimmerman
Starring
  • Haley Bishop
  • Jemma Moore
  • Emma Louise Webb
  • Radina Drandova
  • Caroline Ward
Edited byBrenna Rangott
Production
companies
  • Shadowhouse Films
  • BOO-URNS
Distributed byVertigo Releasing[1]
Release date
  • 30 July 2020 (2020-07-30)
Running time
56 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

After a short prank skit by Savage which featured a handful of the Host cast went viral across social media, he developed the concept into a feature-length film, which was shot over 12 weeks directly on the Zoom software during the COVID-19 pandemic. The cast and crew set up their own cameras, lighting, and stunts.

An independent film, Host was released exclusively through Shudder on July 30, 2020. It was well received by critics, who praised its themes of social anxiety, its jump scares, and the chemistry of its acting ensemble. It has a notable 100% rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, and was included on Time magazine's list of the "17 Great Movies You May Have Missed This Summer."

Plot

While under pandemic lockdown, a group of friends have decided to hold weekly Zoom calls to stay in touch. For this week's call Haley has hired a medium, Seylan, to lead them in a virtual séance. One friend, Teddy, unintentionally leaves the chat when his girlfriend, Jinny, turns off his chat. During the séance one of the members, Jemma, claims to have made contact with Jack, a friend who committed suicide, only to later admit that she lied after Seylan drops out of the call. The remaining people begin to experience strange, terrifying phenomena; Haley's chair is pulled by an unseen force, Caroline sees a hanging corpse in her attic, and Emma's glass breaks.

Haley manages to get back in touch with Seylan and informs her of everything that has happened. Seylan believes that Jemma's prank could have allowed the spirit world to use the Jemma's prank as a door into our world by a demonic spirit, and begins to give them instructions on how to close the séance. The spirit interrupts this by causing more phenomena and Seylan's call drops out once more. The group believe the ordeal is over, Radina gets up and leaves the room unaware of Alan's body hanging behind her. Caroline's artificial background is interrupted as her face is smashed into the camera, causing her laptop to fall. Emma's camera shows one of her filters on an invisible figure in the living room, the face turns to look at Emma, scaring her. Emma then scatters flour on the floor, showing the footprints of the spirit coming towards, causing her to hide in her room.

Radina attempts to flee her home after Alan's body drops in front of her, but is pulled away from the door and killed by the spirit. Caroline is then seen repeatedly smashing her face onto the desk, pleading for help. Haley and Jemma argue, passing the blame between each other, only for Haley to be pulled off-screen. Frightened, Jemma immediately leaves her home to check on Haley in person. Teddy then returns to the call, only for the spirit to attack him (now in the two forms of a rotting zombified corpse-like demon and a dark ghost-like demon) and kill Jinny, by levitating her and breaking her neck. Teddy is then knocked unconscious and burned alive. Emma, now the only person still active in the call, pans her camera to the doorway of her room. She throws a blanket, which lands on the spirit, showing its form. Terrified, Emma opens her window to escape, but the spirit pushes her down to her death.

Jemma makes it to Haley's home but is attacked by the spirit while other supernatural phenomena occur around her. She manages to find Haley hiding under her desk, and the pair attempt to escape the house using the flash of Haley's Polaroid camera to light the way, only for the demonic spirit to attack the two of them as the Zoom call timer expires.

Cast
  • Haley Bishop as Haley
  • Jemma Moore as Jemma
  • Emma Louise Webb as Emma
  • Radina Drandova as Radina
  • Caroline Ward as Caroline
  • Edward Linard as Teddy
  • Seylan Baxter as Seylan
  • Jinny Lofthouse as Jinny
  • Alan Emrys as Alan
  • Patrick Ward as Caroline's Dad
  • Jack Brydon as Legs
  • James Swanton as Jack, an demonic spirit

Production

The film has its basis in a short video created by Rob Savage in early 2020. The short featured Savage investigating strange sounds in his attic while on a group video chat with others. It was initially intended as a prank, as the others were unaware that a frightening visage would pop up on camera, and Savage placed the video online, where it went viral.[2][3] Savage found the format easy to watch and chose to apply it to a feature-length film. He has stated that the short's success enabled him to create Host.[2]

Host was filmed while quarantine restrictions were in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Savage had to direct the actors remotely while they had to set up their own cameras, lighting, and stunts.[4] Practical effects were also handled by the actors and a virtual workshop was held on how to set up effects such as "moving doors, making things fly off shelves". Savage has stated that the movie took twelve weeks to complete, from conception to its delivery to Shudder.[5]

Release

Host was released as a Shudder exclusive on July 30, 2020.[6]

Critical response

Host received widespread critical praise, holding a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 93 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The site's critics' consensus states: "Lean, suspenseful, and scary, Host uses its timely premise to deliver a nastily effective treat for horror enthusiasts."[7] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]

Common praise for Host centered around its themes of social separation and anxiety.[9][10] Comparisons were made between the film and the 2014 horror film Unfriended, which also featured supernatural activity occurring during a group video chat, by outlets such as the New York Times and Rue Morgue.[11][12] Time Magazine named it one of the '17 Great Movies You May Have Missed This Summer,' saying Host is "not only one of the best horror movies of the year, but also an intimate look at creativity, film production and a shared global culture in the throes of a rampaging virus."[13]

Accolades
Award Year Nominated work Category Result Ref.
British Independent Film Awards 2021 Douglas Cox Breakthrough Producer Nominated [14]
Brenna Rangott Best Editing Nominated
Calum Sample Best Sound Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association 2021 Host Best Horror Film Nominated [15]
Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards 2020 Rob Savage Best Independent Film Nominated [16]

References
  1. "Host (2020)". BBFC. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. Munday, Rob. "From Zoom prank to feature: The story of Rob Savage's 'Host'". Short of the Week. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  3. "How new horror film 'Host' was made on Zoom in lockdown". Yahoo Movies UK. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  4. Ramos, Dino-Ray (2020-07-07). "Shudder Invokes Quarantine Spirits With Remotely Filmed Horror Film 'Host'". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  5. Johnson, G. Allen. "Behind the scenes of 'Host,' a British horror film shot on Zoom". Datebook (San Francisco Chronicle). Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  6. "First Trailer for Smash Hit Horror Film 'Host' Made Entirely on Zoom". FirstShowing.net. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  7. "Host (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  8. "Host Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  9. Lee, Benjamin (2020-07-31). "Host review – surprisingly effective Zoom-based horror". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  10. WHITTAKER, RICHARD (July 31, 2020). "Movie Review: Host". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  11. "Review: "Host" Is The Socially-Distanced Séance Of Your Nightmares". Rue Morgue. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  12. Turner, Kyle (2020-07-30). "'Host' Review: A Zoom Séance Channels Spirits and Melancholy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  13. Berman, Judy. "17 Great Movies You May Have Missed This Summer(2020)". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  14. "Winners and Nominations · BIFA · British Independent Film Awards". BIFA · British Independent Film Awards. 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  15. "The 2020 Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  16. "The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards – Honoring the best in classic horror research, creativity and film preservation". rondoaward.com. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
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