MOVIE INFO:
Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show ‘Night Owls’ that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. However, ratings for the show have plummeted since the tragic death of Jack’s beloved wife. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, on October 31st, 1977, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other–unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America.
REVIEW:
Late Night With the Devil is the kind of film that rewards midnight insomnia streaming. And oddly, since it’s filmed with the old tv aspect ratios, the simulated vhs grain and colors, delves heavily into 1970s late night talk show nostalgia, plays better on smallish screens. It also haunts better if watched solo.
The directors, the brothers Colin and Cameron Cairness, know well those folks who suffer from night demons- the Generation X that grew up with demonic possession, Satanism and occultism in the cinemas and on their brains. Late Night is filled with the standard horror tropes of the time- the possessed child needing an exorcism, projectile vomiting of evil looking dark fluids, levitating, the Exorcist facial makeup, hypnosis scenes, etc. The film is nostalgia with some serious menace behind it.
The Johnny Carson rating chaser host, Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) gets a found footage chiller worthy of his television rise and fall. This lost and now recently discovered Halloween night 1977 Night Owls episode include a medium (Fayssal Bazzi), a parapsychologist (Laura Gordon), a leading paranormal debunker (Ian Bliss) ala James Randi, a possessed child waiting to let loose her inner demon (Ingrid Torelli), along with added in between commercial break coverage. The real time buildup sucks you into the illusion, makes you a part of it. It all appears seamless, even with the artifice of the added backstage drama, that is filmed in black and white.
The Brothers Cairnes chillingly explore the codependent bond between TV host and audience. Late Night With the Devil fully exploits the old trope that while God may save your soul, only the devil will grant you what your vanity desires. For Delroy it’s ratings fame, but one mixed with grief for a dead wife brought to God too soon, mixed with retribution for the cruel injustice of it all. Of course, he will get more than he bargained for. What the viewer receives in turn is the diabolically good delight of seeing this pact dragged through sludge, blood and mud to a satisfying horrific conclusion.
Late Night With the Devil gets a 4.0/5 or an A- . It’s streaming on Shudder.
CREDITS:
Directed by
- Colin Cairnes
- Cameron Cairnes
Written by
- Colin Cairnes
- Cameron Cairnes
Produced by
- Mat Govoni
- Adam White
- John Molloy
- Roy Lee
- Steven Schneider
- Derek Dauchy
Starring
- David Dastmalchian
- Laura Gordon
- Ian Bliss
- Fayssal Bazzi
- Ingrid Torelli
- Rhys Auteri
- Georgina Haig
- Josh Quong Tart
Cinematography
Matthew Temple
Edited by
- Colin Cairnes
- Cameron Cairnes
Music by
Production
companies
- Image Nation Abu Dhabi
- VicScreen
- AGC Studios
- Good Fiend Films
- Future Pictures
- Spooky Pictures
Distributed by
- IFC Films
- Shudder (United States)
- Umbrella Entertainment
- Maslow Entertainment
- Ahi Films (Australia)[1]
Release dates
- 10 March 2023(SXSW)
- 22 March 2024(United States)
- 11 April 2024(Australia)
Running time
93 minutes[2]
Countries
- Australia
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
Language
English
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