I am back with a new series of articles on movies I think have been forgotten about and need a little cinematic resurgence. First up is the brilliant David Hyde Pierce starring flick The Perfect Host
The Perfect Host – Forgotten Great No.1
The Perfect Host stars David Hyde-Pierce (Niles from Frasier) and Clayne Crawford. It was my first time seeing Hyde-Pierce do any sort of role outside of what I absolutely adored on Frasier. In many ways, Hyde-Pierce plays a version of the character from the hit TV show – only he channels his very dark dangerous and insanely unpredictable side. I wasn’t a fan of Frasier as a kid, but as I grew older I realised the brilliance in the writing and acting. It was a show that was suited to all but was extremely intelligent and heartwarming.
Hyde-Pierce channels his inner Nasty Niles and it is such a credit to the man’s acting. I mean, I am pretty sure everyone, at one stage during Frasier thought “Wow, I would love to see this man crack and descend down a dark psychotic path” – well folks, look no further. I just wish he would take on more of these dark and delicious roles.
The film starts off just after a botched robbery. The robber, John Taylor, the mastermind behind the heist is wounded andhis foot is messed up and bleeding dangerously.
On the run and looking for the closest place he can hide away from the authorities, he calls to the house of a Jehovah’s Witness. This God-loving American quickly sees John’s lies and before he knows, the door is slammed in his face. Then, he thinks he has struck gold when he takes a postcard from the neighbour’s mailbox and pretends to know the sender “Julia”.
He calls at a stranger’s door, this stranger is Warwick. After John’s sob story of how he was stuck and left with nowhere to go, Warwick seems hesitant but decides to help John, because if he didn’t, “Julia would never forgive him”.
Warwick almost immediately begins to question John on how he met his friend Julia in Sydney, and after a few close calls, John thinks he has finally convinced Warwick with his lies. But what John doesn’t know is that it is already too late for him. Warwick has a whole different plan for his new guest, but as well as that, he’s got more guests calling and a dinner party like no other to throw. After all, he is The Perfect Host.
John soon realises that he is in the presence of a very mentally unwell and unstable man. As the night progresses Warwick becomes more unpredictable to the point that John starts to fear for his very life.
The Perfect Host showcases two great performances. There is more than one setting but this would really make an awesome play. Hyde-Pierce delivers a demented Niles Crane who is both funny and extremely scary. It also goes in a direction that I guarantee you – you won’t be able to guess. I found the last shot of this very fascinating and, in my opinion, could be the scariest bit of the film. I will be making a new video for the socials explaining why and I hope you check it out.
Sadly, The Perfect Host was released in 2010 (and was the feature-length adaptation of a 2002 short of the same name) so it looks like we won’t be seeing a sequel but it really deserves a continuation.
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