Late Night with the Devil

• Written, Directed, and Edited by Colin and Cameron Cairnes
• March 10, 2023 (SXSW) / March 22, 2024 (US) / April 11, 2024 (Australia)

During the Halloween episode of Night Owls with Jack Delroy in 1977, in an effort boost ratings, an allegedly possessed girl is interviewed.

For me Late Night with the Devil became a horror must see from the first teases that I saw. It promised something different if not ultimately disturbing. And it largely succeeds by focusing on atmosphere and tone to keep the viewer feeling unsettled rather than jump scares or overt imagery.

It presents itself as a documentary and maintains that appearance though in the closing moments that gives way to a more standard presentation. Largely though this is shown as the tape of an infamous episode intermixed with behind-the-scenes footage to give a more complete story of a fictious episode from a Carson competitor.

You will believe this is about a legitimate former contemporary to The Tonight Show. And it uses that quite heavily. Night Owls is not some super successful talk show that that eclipsed Carson but one living in Carson’s shadow to the point they even highlight history only remembers the successful and not the also rans.

Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) is a grieving widower desperate for success who it is hinted may have literally given up his soul for success. He has clawed his way to the top but is lost without his wife Madeleine (Georgina Haig) who died from cancer. Jack is equal parts believer and opportunist. He certainly believes what’s going on but also wants to use it to save his failing show and become a legend. Dastmalchian makes him complex and human. You like him but also see he is playing with fire.

Visually there is a level of authenticity to this. Just enough is done in Late Night with the Devil to make it look like the footage came from the time but not so much that it feels fake. Too often movie set in a different era drown you in the imagery. We have here the difference between understanding the times and having thumbed through a few old magazines. That goes hand in hand with creating enough plausibility in the scenario that you can buy it as presented.

Much of what they use has some parallels or inspirations from era. Magician-turned-professional-skeptic Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss) was clearly inspired by James ‘The Amazing’ Randi who was a common feature of shows of the time. There is the mononymous questionable (though proven real) psychic Christou (Fayssal Bazzi) who stands in for any number of talk show regulars during the 70s/80s.

You are just sucked into the reality. But as a story it is just disturbing and unnerving. You’re more creeped out than actually scared. And that is fine. Being uncomfortable in a horror film is just as important as being frightened. It can still make for a good film like here.

I would have preferred a different ending to Late Night with the Devil than what we got. Something far more ambiguous. It was very definitive but also paid off several hints that were dropped in the film. They give alternative though difficult to swallow alternative explanations and I preferred that over something clear cut. It did not ruin things for me but was less than I thought it could be.

Late Night with the Devil is an excellent horror film. By immersing you in the era and keeping the viewer uneasy, you will be hooked from start to finish. Highly recommend.