When COVID-19 took over the world, production came to a screeching halt. However, there was one man who came up with an idea to circumvent the evil virus. Rob Savage (Dawn of the Deaf) shot an entire movie Host via Zoom, and it will debut July 30th on Shudder.
According to the press release, “Host was shot remotely during quarantine and features groundbreaking scares, stunts, and surprises, all filmed by the actors in their own homes, operating their own cameras, helping pull off their own practical effects, and lighting their own scenes.” Savage directed the movie remotely, and never had any human contact with the actors.
The horror film was made from idea to air date in less than three months. Craig Engler, Shudder’s General Manager saw a horror short that Savage made, and asked him if he could do a full-length movie, Savage said that he could, and Engler says that we are getting a feature that “surpassed all our expectations.”
What is it about? Host is the story of six friends who hire a medium to hold a séance over Zoom during lockdown, but they get far more than they bargain for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realize they might not survive the night. The film stars Haley Bishop (Deep State), Radina Drandova (Dawn of the Deaf), Edward Linard (The Rebels), Jemma Moore (Doom: Annihilation), Caroline Ward (Stalling It) and Emma Louise Webb (The Crown).
The actors not only had to learn their own lines, but they also had to perform their own special effects. Personally, I think some of the scariest horror films are the ones with the least CGI or special effects. I prefer ones like American Werewolf in London. Its simplicity made it more terrifying. Something I think Host will also accomplish.
So host a Zoom party on July 30th, and watch Host with your friends. If you dare!
