LATE Night with the Devil is a refreshing take on the demonic possession/exorcism and found-footage horror genres.
This is a unique film that proves dark, delicious, and downright hilarious in parts, and will stay with you for its wicked and entertaining build-up, which is perfectly executed and delivered upon.
Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) hosts syndicated talk show ‘Night Owls’, which is a big hit with insomniacs across America, but isn’t going to cause Johnny Carson any sleep loss, or see his ratings plummet either.
In fact, Jack’s own audience has started to dwindle since the tragic death of his beloved wife Madeleine (Georgina Haig) and he is terribly spooked by his waning popularity. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, on October 31, 1977, he plans a Halloween special like no other — unaware he is about to unleash evil into living rooms across the country.
The concept behind this supernatural horror-comedy, written, directed, and edited by Colin and Cameron Cairnes, is really very clever.
Jack decides to give TV audiences something they have never seen before — conversing with loved ones from beyond the grave, group hypnosis, and a live studio exorcism, complete with spooky costumes, musical guests, satanic rituals, and a badly-behaved demon named Mr Wiggles.
Merv Griffin and Dick Cavett would turn in their graves at the ungodly mayhem that ensues on the sofa of this retro TV show. With mishap after mishap, tension builds before the final segment, and ratings start to skyrocket with it.
The scene is perfectly set for a diabolic and explosive finale that is truly nightmarish and makes sitting through the Late Late Show on a Friday night only feel like the first circle of hell. Second or third if you are talking about the Toy Show, obviously.
Late Night with the Devil is a fiendishly enjoyable watch. This is one of the most refreshing and flipped out pieces of horror cinema I have seen in sometime.
Roll it there, Lucifer!
(5/5)
