Host

by Sean Hill

Please do not confuse with film with the Stephanie Meyer book and movie of the same name. In its ten-minute running time writer director Danny Lacy is able to create more compelling characters and story that Meyer has throughout her entire book and subsequent movie. This film is compelling and entertaining in every way possible.

Short films by their very nature do not have the time for a lot of plot and character development and HOST excels at how to create tension and suspense without using a lot of screen time. We first see “game show contestant” Paul (Raffaello Degruttola) who looks like he is either playing THE HUNGER GAMES or THE RUNNING MAN. Bloodied and beaten Paul is tied to chair with lights, one red and one blue to either side of him. The “host” of the game show is present on a television screen in front of him. It is obvious that a great deal of effort went into this plan. The host has even made sure that his game show has an announcer and commercial breaks but it is unclear if anyone else is actually watching. Rather than a new car of a year supply of turtle wax being at stake here, it is the lives of his wife and daughter. It is obvious that the host has a grudge against Paul but the nature of the grudge is not exactly revealed. There are some clues in the dialogue but it can also be left up to the viewer’s imagination. Revenge appears to be the motive but revenge for what? Does Paul deserve what is being done to him? Is the host actually the hero and Paul the villain? What do the colors of the lights represent? These aren’t plot holes but points that Lacy leaves the viewer to ponder. If this were expanded to feature length these and other questions could be explored. 

This is an excellent short film and is well shot and edited. Even in the short period of time actor Degruttola is able to create a sympathetic character. I hope that Lacy is able to expand this film into feature length as he is already off to very good start. I felt like I was watching a trailer or even a prelude to the opening of the film and I mean this as a compliment. This is the third short film for Lacy, and I can say that the third time is the charm