Late Night with the Devil

One of the most unique and entertaining horrors I've seen in a LONG time - I really didn't want it to end!

Far from the tired Blumhouse cookie cutter approach to the genre, LNWTD is vibrant, entertaining, gripping and above all - creepy as hell.

I particularly loved the old-school style practical effects and filmmaking. Apart from a few electrical sparks, there wasn't really any CGI - a huge relief, as I feel it's a real detriment to creepy, organic horror films.

The cast were fantastic and had great chemistry, with David Dastmalchian once again proving he's a charming and compelling leading man.

It is 1977, and Johnny Carson reigns supreme over the world of late night television. Looking to usurp his throne is Jack Delroy, host of Night Owls, a programme that has always played second fiddle to Carson in the ratings. Delroy thinks the show he has planned for Halloween night will finally land him the top spot on the Nielsen ratings list. A psychic, a conjurer-turned-sceptic and the sole survivor of a Satan-worshipping cult are to be his guests- though when the broadcast gets underway, his dream show turns into a nightmare.

Written and directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes, 'Late Night with the Devil' is an original, enjoyable comic-horror packing chills and thrills a-plenty. Taking on the form of a piece of found-footage, the narrative has some genuinely unsettling moments, which are very well-realized; a worm-filled display of conjuring power in the latter half being particularly hard-to-forget. Furthermore, the Cairnes brother's characterisation and satirical take on 70's programming is consistently entertaining, if not exactly profound, and their dialogue is sharp.

However, the whole affair is rather predictable, with the denouement effectively given away in the film's opening minutes. In addition, although much mention is made of the rivalry between Delroy and Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett- whose show Delroy's more closely resembles and who, in reality, was often a close second to Carson ratings wise- never comes up. Neither, in fact, do the numerous others who had late night style shows at the time; which seems like an oversight.

Further, the found-footage gimmick doesn't make much sense, as during the ad-breaks that would have occurred in the broadcast, the film adopts a documentary style- begging the question: why were there two documentary cameramen filming a behind the scenes look at a show that doesn't do particularly well in the ratings?

Despite that, it is a fun film, and a fine looking one to boot. In fact, the only reason that the aforementioned issues with realism matter at all is because the 1970's visual aesthetic is so faithfully recreated. Production designer Otello Stolfo, alongside costume designer Steph Hooke, perfectly capture and reproduce the look and feel of a 70's, Dick Cavett-style talk-show, from the orange and beige dominated colour scheme to the cartoon intertitles- created with the help of AI.

Moreover, director of photography Matthew Temple makes clever use of the traditional three-camera set-up, lending proceedings additional authenticity. Furthermore, Glenn Richards' score is stirring, while Roscoe James Irwin's arrangements with The Night Owls Studio Orchestra are headily atmospheric. Additionally, the special effects and make-up are effectively disquieting and the aforementioned sequence involving worms features some truly stomach-churning practical effects.

David Dastmalchian, starring as Delroy, gives a thoroughly convincing performance as one powered by ambition, willing to risk it all to get ahead. He carries the film squarely on his shoulders, working well with his co-stars, all of whom do fine work. Ian Bliss is particularly good, as the arrogant, James Randiesque sceptic Carmichael Haig, as is Fayssal Bazzi as the psychic Christou, whose abilities might be greater than even he thinks. Although each of the characters are essentially one-note parodies of real people; the cast elevate them nevertheless.

An entertaining comic-horror, Colin and Cameron Cairnes' 'Late Night with the Devil' may not be perfect, but it is an awful lot of fun. The production design and costumes effectively harken back to the 70's, while Glenn Richards' score is stirring. Boasting brilliant practical special effects and make-up, as well as a frighteningly strong performance from star David Dastmalchian, 'Late Night with the Devil' is well worth staying up for.

Late Night with the Devil is a new and unique horror flick. Even having seen 500+ horror films, I can't compare this to anything else. It's not groundbreaking or mind-blowing, but it's different and original.

It's also really good, well-made in most aspects. It hooks you early on, even before any of the horror starts. For a while you're just enjoying a fabricated late night TV talk show. And then when the horror kicks in, oh does it kick. There are a few memorable and jaw-dropping scenes.

My headline is referring to something that drives me crazy. People, including close friends, complain that Hollywood has run out of ideas and only makes sequels, remakes and superhero movies. I respond by showing them all of the original movies released in a year, and how they did not watch any of them. They only go to the theaters a few times a year, and only for the blockbusters. What they're complaining about is their own fault.

If you're a fan of horror and are looking for something far from traditional, Late Night with the Devil is for you. And if you're sick of the perceived lack of original ideas, this is the kind of movie you should be supporting.

(1 viewing, 3/31/2024)

"Late Night with the Devil" takes us back to 1977, where it envisions a fictional fourth commercial broadcast network competing against the reigning king of late-night talk shows, Johnny Carson. The rival host, Jack Delroy (played by David Dastmalchian), is a local Chicago talk show host who gets bumped up to the national level. The film opens with a five-minute prologue that sets up Jack's backstory, including a key biographical fact that hints at the movie's eventual outcome.

During sweeps week-a quarterly event when networks try to boost ratings by airing their most outrageous content-Jack and his producer, Leo (Josh Quong Tart), decide to take their Halloween broadcast up a notch. They invite a psychic named Christou (Fayssal Bazzi) and Carmichael the Conjurer (Ian Bliss) to the show. Things take a dark turn when bestselling parapsychologist Dr. June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon) interviews Lilly (Ingrid Torelli), the sole survivor of a satanic cult's mass suicide.

The film expertly balances absurd dark humor with eerie horror elements, with a perfect mix of 70's tone and atmosphere. Dastmalchian's performance as Jack Delroy is fantastic, and the practical effects add to the overall creepiness.

However, the movie stumbles in its execution. The insistence on being a "found footage" film built around a buried broadcast creates unrealistic expectations for everything that follows. While the gooey practical effects are impressive, the movie doesn't always feel beholden to the visual conventions of circa-1977 American late-night talk shows. Perhaps this departure from realism is intentional, but it can be jarring for viewers expecting a more consistent tone.

And then there's the ending. Unfortunately, it's a complete shift that destroys the atmosphere the rest of the movie worked hard to establish. The terrible CGI undermines the tension, leaving viewers disappointed. It's a shame because "Late Night with the Devil" had the potential to be a really good movie, but that awful ending prevents me from wholeheartedly recommending it.

This might have been a 8-9 but that ending drops it to 6-7.

This film is proof you don't need a ton of money to make a good movie. You just need the right talent and some thought.

Late Night with the Devil starts out with a documentary style very similar to Woody Allen's Take the Money and Run. It soon morphs, however into a Halloween episode of a late night talk show, purporting to re-air a live episode including scenes never show on TV.

This part is a bit weird because the scenes shown during the commercial would have never been filmed, so how did they have them? No matter, the movie is so compelling, you'll probably disregard this minor point.

The show's first guest is a psychic, then a skeptic, then a girl who is supposed to be possessed by a demon. It unfolds really well and I really loved the movie.

Until the ending.

For me, the ending took two stars away from the review. It was just too abrupt and ethereal. Still worth a watch, however.