Vloggers Check In But They Don't Check Out in SUPERHOST: A Review and Interview with Star Osric Chau

Halloween is long over, and the new year has just begun, but sometimes our greatest fears found are in the little things we take for granted. We spoke with Osric Chau, star of the newly released Superhost, about making a film that combines the conventions of horror with a fresh scenario that speaks to the digital culture and physical isolation of the 2020s.

Now a food columnist, restaurateur, established horror actor and the producer for this film, Osric draws favorable comparisons between his two seemingly disparate passions: “Making a movie and working in the restaurant industry, it all comes down to the people you work with.”

And what a stellar group to work with! Superhost tells the story of Osric Chau and Sarah Canning as Teddy and Claire, travel vloggers whose adventures take a strange turn after they encounter Grace Gilliam as the enthusiastic Airbnb "Superhost," Rebecca. Their interactions quickly transition from awkward to deadly as Teddy and Claire discover that their overly friendly host is not who she appears to be. The palpable tension builds to a climactic series of scenes with the fabulous Barbara Crampton, who portrays Vera aka “That Bitch from Draper”. The film’s practical and special effects mixes well with a delicate touch of gore, intermittent jump scares, and sudden revelations that leave the viewer's heart-rate higher than twelve shots of espresso ever could.

Ever humble, Osric gives credit to all the members of the cast and crew, including the director, Brandon Christensen, as he mentions that the prospect of working with Christensen was the biggest factor that enticed him into working on and in the film.

“Sarah and Grace are such pros, they made me feel like a lazy actor,” Osric conceded. On Gracie Gilliam: “She came prepared, and it was such a treat to just watch her do her thing, because she was just so good!” We are inclined to agree. The lovely Gilliam displays fantastic range throughout the film in showcasing various facets of Superhost Rebecca's character, from eerily cheerful to outright psychotic.

Osric Chau and Sarah Canning

Speaking of the many sides of Rebecca, we noted how her true nature and the overall theme of the movie play to an introvert’s worst nightmare: being physically alone while being digitally observed. Here are Osric’s thoughts on the challenges of playing on that fear and conveying it to the audience:

“There’s so much about this film that was a challenge for both me and Sarah. We are not 'influencer' types, we don’t normally put the cameras in our faces. That was an additional challenge to put us into these characters' headspaces, but I certainly have a lot of experience with Airbnb’s. It’s a terrifying thought to have your privacy and everything encroached upon in ways you just don’t really think about.”

The film plays with both character and camera perspectives, using the phones and digital cameras of characters Teddy and Claire as well as the cameras installed at the Airbnb, to create an air of voyeuristic horror that gives the audience a window into the mind of both the hunter and the oblivious prey. On how this filming style changed his approach to the film, Osric explained, “I think there’s a really fun aspect to playing around with the technical [aspects]. I loved playing around with the camerawork." This film hearkens back to the feel of the found footage from The Blair Witch Project while playing on the moment by moment choices each character makes, which turns this into a feature that leaves viewers pulled in, focused on the edge-of-your-seat tension of the present, dying to know what happens next, and THAT is a true hallmark of good horror.

Osric gives credit to the film's amazing director. “That’s all Brandon. I was curious to see how it would all come together, and I must say it looked pretty damn good, he’s a pro, he knew what he was looking for and he really pulled it all together.”

With a combined cast and crew of 14 at most (and that ‘s only on the biggest day of the shoot), this film manages to achieve maximum thrill factor with a smaller production, and certainly proves that modern filmmakers can do more with less. On the subject of the production, the practical and special effects are blended beautifully. Unlike the other more gratuitously over-the-top horror takes of today, its subtle thrills leading to a fantastic, ever-twisting finish offer some hope for smaller independent films. When discussing the future of these in the film industry, Osric had this to say: “I hope there are more smaller films that happen, I hope there remains a stage for independent films. Horror is one of the genres that will still be safe by the nature of the genre and the fan base and what they are willing to put their money towards. It's nice to know that horror will remain untouched. ”

And indeed it rings true; despite the march of time, an ongoing pandemic, and thousands of beetles that showed up to plague the film's production at one point, Superhost perpetuates the underlying fears of both loneliness and exposure that remain with us all throughout current events. Even in our time of isolation, are we ever really alone?

SUPERHOST is now available on VOD, Digital, DVD and Blu-ray.