Late Night With the Devil – Review

On Halloween night, 1977, evening talk show Night Owls is running low on steam and viewership compared to Johnny Carson’s Late Night, so host Jack Delroy (Dastmalchian) has a special evening planned to kick of Sweeps Week. His memorable episode is to feature a foray into the psychic world, then come back to reality with a professional skeptic, before kicking it up a notch with an interview with a possessed girl and her doctor. Will he pull off his shocking evening and get his ratings to skyrocket?

The movie plays out as a broadcast episode of the production with most all shots from the camera crew’s perspective, however features behind the scenes clips at the opening and spliced into the commercial breaks giving it a documentary feel. Jack is fully focused on delivering topical jokes to the live audience, minimizing studio pressures, and of course keeping the advertising sponsors happy.

The cast works well together, and the featured Night Owls production feels authentic and natural. The 70s setting allows for a world full of apprehension over demonic hysteria and evil cults, as well as a golden age of late-night programming where families and insomniacs were glued to their TVs with few choices for what to watch.

While I have to classify this as a horror movie, that element is not overpowering, and most scenes play out with fun, as well as light tension before things get a bit wilder towards the climax. The found footage/documentary vibe works towards the films advantage, as it pulls the film viewer in just like its intended 70s audience. The pacing is perfect, delivering just enough intrigue and hints of terror to keep the viewer glued to their seats.

If I had any complaint, it would be that the ending feels a tad rushed, but I must admit the story presents a hard landing to fully stick. This was in no way a detractor to my enjoyment of the film, and there are a bunch of elements that work extremely well throughout. The film is all featured on one set, which is done with great care and detail, while the cast chemistry leads to a fun experience in the long run.