The world of late-night talk shows has a history of being just as cutthroat and vicious as any number of edge-of-your-seat genre films. Note the ugly feud between David Letterman and Jay Leno for the coveted gig of filling Johnny Carson’s TONIGHT SHOW shoes, which could easily be parodied into some kind of satirical horror flick a la AMERICAN PSYCHO. In Cameron and Colin Cairnes’ new film LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, the lengths at which one will go for killer television ratings is the subject of conversation, but, as fun as the film is, the discourse never ventures any further than expected territory.
Starring David Dastmalchian (who has seemingly somehow recently become a bit of a spokesperson for horror media) the film tells of Jack Delroy, host of a 1970-something late-night TV talk show called Night Owls, whose recent decline in popularity has led to a very special (and crucial) Halloween episode right in time for sweeps week. His lineup of spooky-ooky guests includes Dr. June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon), skeptic Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss), medium Christou (Fayssal Bazzi), and alleged vessel of an ancient demonic entity, young Lilly (a show-stealing Ingrid Torrelli). Genre favorite Michael Ironside also makes an unexpected “appearance,” though you’d never realize it unless paying close attention to the closing credits. As expected, one horrific event leads to another and before the studio audience knows it, they’re living out the film’s title to hellish effect. Odes to the Nielsen rating system, the 70’s obsession with Satanism and the occult, and even an Anton LaVey would-be are fun for viewers who are in the know.
Utilizing a play on the found footage format, the film features the alleged live broadcast from said fateful Halloween night. While a noble attempt, it must be noted that LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL owes a great debt to the 1992 made-for-BBC Halloween special, GHOSTWATCH, as the setup is undeniably and shamelessly ripped from that infamous and controversial experiment in media broadcasting. However, where GHOSTWATCH successfully convinced millions of unsuspecting viewers that it was a real, genuine, and terrifying paranormal broadcast, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL doesn’t attempt to be anything more than a slick, scripted, narrative feature wrapped in a grainy, retro filter. While it’s a fun trip down a brown and beige 1970s memory lane, a distracting shift in the narrative structure during commercial breaks negates the gimmick entirely.
Pacing in the film works well enough leading up to its yet satisfying, predictable (if not a bit rushed), climax. While LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL never achieves any real scares, it does engage enough to keep viewers invested. The few horrific scenes are effective and entertaining, and the production utilizes great creativity in keeping the single set piece of the TV studio interesting and ever-shifting. However, the puzzling choice to make heavy use of CGI throughout the film, unfortunately, takes away from its moments of impressive practical effects, making the practical moments seem out of place – a disappointing circumstance, as the opposite is usually the case.
While LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL is a far cry from recent Blumhousian horror carbon copies, it’s an even farther cry, still, from the type of original horror film genre fans are always clamoring for. That said, it’s certainly worth a watch if only for some clever performances from Dastmalchian and co. Bust out the popcorn and shelve your expectations and you’re certain to have a good time.
If you loved GHOSTWATCH, you’ll like LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL.
LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL is in limited theaters on March 22nd and will stream on Shudder beginning April 19th.
