Late Night with the Devil
Late Night with the Devil
7.097%82%
October 31, 1977. Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show 'Night Owls' that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. A year after the tragic death of Jack's wife, ratings have plummeted. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other, unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America.
Varun reviewedOctober 19, 2024
I really had a lot of fun watching this. More than a movie, it felt like an episode from a horror comedy anthology series like Inside No. 9 or even Black Mirror. David Dastmalchian usually plays villainous roles so it was refreshing to see him as a talk show host and he really nailed it. The guests were really entertaining too. Ian Bliss really steals each scene as the pompous skeptic. Christou really cracked me up and at the same time manages to have a flair about him rather than looking phoney. And Lilly is absolutely creepy, blurring the lines between being innocent and demon-like. Also shout out to Gus, he was pretty funny while also serving as the moral compass of the show. I was captivated the entire runtime, the pacing is really good and the long takes really make it feel like you’re watching a live show and are part of the audience. The film aesthetic perfectly captures the paranoid and curious vibes of the 70s. I think a lot of the new age spiritual stuff is bullshit as the West misinterpreted and appropriated a lot of genuinely helpful Eastern practices. And due to this misunderstanding, the scientific rationalist types with their arrogance completely threw the baby out with the bathwater. I think the dialogues in this film explores this tension pretty well. I thought the ending could’ve packed more punch and been less vague, it wasn’t entirely compelling but I did enjoy how hypnotic it gets and accurately conveys Jack’s psyche. Overall this was a really enjoyable horror film that’s best watched during Halloween.