A few years ago, when the creators of Dexter hired comedic actor John Lithgow to play a demented serial killer, no one could have guessed that the 3rd Rock from the Sun star would be the series’ most terrifying character. The makers of psychological-thriller The Perfect Host probably realized this when they cast David Hyde Pierce, best known for his co-starring role in Frasier, to play the sadistic murderer in this suspenseful slasher flick. Hyde Pierce plays Warwick, a man hosting a dinner party that is rudely crashed by a criminal on the run. Hyde Pierce carries the film, playing the delusional murderer to a tee, interacting with imaginary characters in a performance reminiscent of James Stewart in Harvey but with a psychotic twist.
This article appears in Nov 3-9, 2011.