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This review was made possible by an screening of Late Night With The Devil. Late Night With The Devil premieres in theaters on Friday, March 22nd, and will stream exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024.
It’s Halloween night in 1977. The host of the late night TV show Night Owls, Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), attempts to commune with the devil himself on live television. Late Night With The Devil shows the resurfaced footage of this fateful night that dives into terrors and mystery of the occult. The film was written and directed by the Australian duo Cameron and Colin Cairnes.
Striving to be the top dog in the world of late night entertainment, Jack has pulled out all the stops to make this Halloween special one that no one will forget. A night stacked with a psychic medium, a magician turned paranormal skeptic and even a girl who is supposedly possessed by the devil. What could possibly go wrong, right?
WHAT WILL YOU SACRIFICE FOR SUCCESS?
A man devastated by personal loss and years of being in Johnny Carson’s shadow, Jack has one last shot to claim the top spot before his contract runs out. His rumored demonic after hours activities show some promise when he brings on June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon), author of the book Conversations With The Devil, as well as the subject of the book, a young girl known simply as Lilly (Ingrid Torelli).
Shown through the lens of a talk show, it elevates the feeling of tension as the unexplained phenomena continue to ramp up. Shocking both the live audience and the crew. The setting also breathes fresh air into the overdone possession movies set in churches or religious settings. Bringing in a new feel while still having that nostalgic stylings of the 70s.
A BLAST FROM THE PAST
The attention to detail that transports you back into the golden age of late night talk shows can not be understated. The film truly feels like it was unearthed from the 1970s for our viewing pleasure in the present day. Even with switching from a 4:3 aspect ratio when the broadcast is live to a now normal 16:9 aspect ratio when we get to see the behind the scenes footage during commercial breaks.
On top of that the film uses practical effects mixed with VFX that really hammers down that feeling of the times the film is trying to elicit. Makes the devilish events that transpire feel more real and visceral. It is framed more of a docu-series rather than found footage. But it does evoke that same feeling The Blair Witch Project gave me back in 1999.
Late Night With The Devil is a gripping journey of demonic proportions with an incredible vintage 70s aesthetic. Dastmalchian finally gets his chance to shine in a leading role and commands your attention. While the film is contained to basically just the set of the talk show, the events that unfold are truly unworldly. A must watch for horror fans, but a fair warning to the faint of heart, this one might not be for you. The film will be released in theaters on March 22, 2024, and will stream exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. Check out the trailer below.
