Host: The Quarantine-Horror That Encapsulates the Lockdown Zeitgeist.
Words by Erin Cutts (she/her)
The horror genre has always been aligned with our culture’s most pressing fears throughout history, from the first horror films of the late 19th century, right up to today. It’s because of this that the genre has remained such a vital part of pop culture, allowing us to explore our collective anxieties. While the genre has evolved, molded, and split into various sub-genres, its reflection of our modern-day concerns is always consistent, meaning that we see aspects of ourselves and our world on screen.
The atomic bombs brought us nuclear monsters, Vietnam influenced slasher-horror, while consumerist culture continues to popularise the zombie film. Now, in a world where the words Covid-19, lockdown and Zoom have become a regular part of our vocabulary, what will the future of horror films look like? Recently I stumbled across the term “quarantine-horror,” more commonly shortened to “quar-horror.” It refers to films shot under Covid-19 restrictions while dealing specifically with the anxieties associated with isolating in a pandemic. As restrictions ease, is it possible this dubbed genre will make itself popular in the near future?
As if being trapped inside your house while an uncontrollable virus rages outside isn’t nightmarish enough, independent filmmakers began to translate the fears of lockdown onto the screen. This is how quar-horror quickly became a term. Fears such as the unknown, isolation, and lack of control are all already common themes within the horror genre. Within the context of Covid-19, they become all the more frightening and relatable. Think of how Zoom quickly became our relied upon means of maintaining social connection, and how instead of being scared of a physical monster, it was an unseen and rapidly spreading virus that we couldn’t control. Think of the uncertainty, the social anxiety, and the sense of entrapment that lockdown created in our homes, where we were supposed to feel safe. All of these familiar and uncomfortable feelings we experienced (and continue to experience) are what feed into quarantine-focused horror. It’s not a shock that filmmakers turned to horror during lockdown restrictions, as it’s a genre that is generally forgiving to low budgets and allows room for innovation. Many took to YouTube to release their quar-horror shorts, ranging from Kenneth Brown’s Stay at Home to Lights Out director David F. Sandberg’s Shadowed. Regardless of whether it morphs into its own official sub-genre or not, it goes to show that horror is the place where filmmakers can illustrate the global fears of a specific time.
One such film that led me to discover the term quar-horror is the 2020 supernatural computer-screen horror Host, directed by Rob Savage. Filmed and produced entirely under lockdown restrictions, the film scored a whopping 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and received impressive reviews from horror fans, while Time Magazine praised it as “one of the best horror movies of the year.” Set in the midst of the pandemic, the film centers on a Zoom call gone wrong when a group of friends summon an evil spirit while conducting a séance (no surprises there). Just 57-minutes long, screen-casted entirely on Zoom, and borrowing from various supernatural found-footage horror films (such as Paranormal Activity, The Blair Witch Project, or the more recent Unfriended) Host packs a terrifying punch. Yet, in an interview with SlashFilm, director Savage explains how his film isn’t a “pandemic movie” but rather “very much about the specifics of being isolated, of being virtually together, but actually in a state of exposed isolation.” This is what Savage’s film portrays so well and is why fans are now dubbing it a quar-horror.
Pandemic films aren’t anything new. From zombie movies like Dawn of the Dead and Train to Busan to the medically-focussed Contagion, we’ve seen it all before. We’ve experienced what a pandemic really is and we know that we won’t see the undead staggering in the streets. Instead, Savage focuses on paranoia, unease, and helplessness in Host, telling SlashFilm that he wanted “to only show actions that felt authentic to everyone's experience.” Savage, therefore, captures the spirit of lockdown, by playing with the Zoom filters and backgrounds to deliver many of the supernatural elements. He taps into anxieties about being unable to help our friends when we are forced into isolation. The effect lies also in having a short run-time, simulating something close to the length of a typical Zoom meeting, making the audience feel as though they are a part of it. Ultimately, Savage’s quarantine-horror proves that traditional horror movie tropes will always be effective, however it’s the cultural spin on them that makes them truly terrifying.
But what’s next for the genre? Two years on, as the world tries to regain some of its normality, Host still stands as a strong representation of our collective lockdown experience. It’s possible that it signals a new direction in the genre, just as past films have responded to cultural shifts, but it could also just remain a creative take on the typical supernatural found-footage film. The impact of Covid-19 will undoubtedly manifest in some form or another onscreen, but will Host lead the direction it takes? We’ll have to wait and see.