Label: Acorn Media International
Region Code: Region-FREE
Rating: Cert: 18
Duration: 84 Minutes
Rating: Cert: 18
Duration: 84 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1)
Director: Brandon Christensen
Cast: Osric Chau, Sara Canning, Gracie Gillam, Barbara Crampton
In the social media influencer sub-genre we have indie thriller Superhost (2021)- a flick that follows 'like' and 'subscribe' addicted travel vlogger couple Teddy (Osric Chau, The Flash) and Claire (Sara Canning, Z), as they travel around the country staying at AirBNB vacation homes, vlogging about their adventures and occasionally cratering the hosts business if they don't enjoy their stays. They're a fairly annoying couple, while Teddy seems more affable of the two Claire is the more 'like and subscribe' obsessed, and seems more prone to being unduly negative to get more liked and subscribers. The flick does good work showing just how potentially superficial and fake influencers can be, exposing the illusion behind the 'reality' of the format, and how negative content can drive a channel's popularity.
They're channel is called 'Superhost', and we catch up with the influencer as they couple embark on their latest video review, staying at a super-gorgeous house deep in the woods, hoping it will be the perfect opportunity to create some new content and attract new followers, at a time when they seem to be hemorrhaging subscribers, which is frustrating, especially for Claire.
They arrive at the place and have trouble from the get-go, first the alarm code doesn't work on the front door, and then the shitter backs up when Teddy takes a dump just minutes after arriving. Never fear though, they're host Rebecca (Gracie Gillam, Scream Queens) is just a phone call away and she's on the scene in the blink of an eye.
Rebecca from the first frame appears to have some Nicholson-sized Jack Torrance style crazy energy, we know something is not quite right about the overly perky bundle of energy at first blush, and the rest of the film only confirms that suspicion. At first she jokes about hoping she gets a good review from them, but as the film continues the vloggers manta goes from 'like and subscribe' to 'like and just survive', as Rebecca's dark secrets are exposed and her murderous intentions come to light. This is compounded by the arrival of an angry former host who had been dubbed 'The Bitch from Draper' by the vloggers, Vera (Barbara Crampton, Re-Animator), who has somehow tracked down the influencers to express her extreme dissatisfaction with their negative portrayal of her business on their channel.
There have been some solid content in regard to AirBNB, social media influencers and online personalities within the horror/thriller medium, and Superhost is a pretty damn solid entry. While I never thought it was scary it had some solid Gothic, its streamlined, and I liked they way it peels back the façade of influencers and how they produce content. Also, I absolutely loved Gracie Gillam's demented energy, especially when she cranks it up to 10, she is the rock star at this films center.
Audio/Video: Shudder Original Superhost (2021) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Acorn Media International in 1080p HD framed in 2.35:1 widescreen. It's a sharp and detailed HD image with solid if a bit muted colors and solid blacks levels, no issues whatsoever. Audio comes by way of uncompressed English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with optional English subtitles. It's a solid presentation with a well-made sound design that capture's the acoustics of the house and the outdoors scenes, no issues with distortions or imbalance.
Audio/Video: Shudder Original Superhost (2021) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Acorn Media International in 1080p HD framed in 2.35:1 widescreen. It's a sharp and detailed HD image with solid if a bit muted colors and solid blacks levels, no issues whatsoever. Audio comes by way of uncompressed English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with optional English subtitles. It's a solid presentation with a well-made sound design that capture's the acoustics of the house and the outdoors scenes, no issues with distortions or imbalance.
Extras begin with an Audio Commentary with Writer/
Director Brandon Christensen that explores the real life inspiration for the film, the struggles of shooting during a pandemic and quite a bit more, it's a solid listen. We also get an 11-min Behind-the-Scenes that gets into the shooting location, the effects, and the slim-line production team that shot. Additionally there a 7-min Shooting in a Pandemic that not surprisingly gets into what it was like making a film during the pandemic. The disc is buttoned up with a fun 4-min reel of Bloopers including Sara Canning blowing quite a few takes with sneezes, a 3-min Superhost Visual FX featurette, a 2-min Behind-The-Scenes Photo Gallery and a pair of Scaredycats Episodes (4 min), which were rather entertaining tales of young boys being scared in the dark.
The single-disc release arrives in an oversized keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork, the same artwork is featured on the disc.
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Brandon Christensen
- Behind-the-Scenes (11 min)
- Shooting in a Pandemic (7 min)
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Brandon Christensen
- Behind-the-Scenes (11 min)
- Shooting in a Pandemic (7 min)
- Bloopers (4 min)
- Superhost Visual FX (3 min)
- Behind-The-Scenes Photo Gallery (2 min)
- Scaredycats Episodes 1 & 2 (4 min)
Screenshots from the Acorn Media International Blu-ray:
