A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms.
Chuck says:
Once a staple of the genre, found footage horror films have fallen out of fashion over the last decade. That being the case, the time is ripe to revisit this format…that is, if it’s a worthy effort. Cameron and Colin Cairnes’ “Late Night with the Devil,” utilizes this approach in a fresh way, presenting a 1970’s talk show as it plays out live on television while also supplying a behind-the-scenes look at all that goes on during commercial breaks. It’s a neat premise as what starts out as just another day at the office for host Jack Delory goes horribly awry when a Halloween stunt spins wildly out of control.
However, before we are shown “a recently rediscovered master tape” of the episode in question, a prologue gives us the necessary background on Delroy (David Dastmalchian). Having found success as a Chicago disc jockey he parlayed this into a hosting gig for a national, late-night talk show. And while his program, “Night Owls” is funny enough and he has an affable personality the audience responds to, Delroy consistently remains number two behind Johnny Carson for his entire career. His underdog status proves part of his appeal, especially after Madeleine (Georgina Haig), a former actress and the love of his life, dies of cancer four years into his marriage.
And while Delroy’s reputation is, for the most part, blemish-free, the fact that he belongs to a mysterious men’s group called The Grove seems odd. Rumors abound about this organization which meets for an annual retreat in the redwoods of California, their activities shrouded in secret. Talk of pagan rituals being conducted seem too ridiculous to be considered.
In an effort to differentiate his program from Carson’s, Delroy changes his format, focusing on more sensationalist fare. Yet, something is amiss on the evening of October 31st, 1977, when he plays host to a Christou (Fayssal Bazzi), a rather sketchy psychic, Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss), a debunker of all things paranormal, and parapsychologist June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon), the author of the book “Conversations with the Devil,” concerning a case of demonic possession. She has the subject of the book, the only survivor of a mass suicide of a satanic cult, 12-year-old Lily D’Abo (Ingrid Torelli), in tow. What could possibly go wrong?
The Cairnes replicate the look and feel of a 70’s talk show to a tee from the cheesy sets to the visually loud “More to Come” signs playing over commercial breaks. They also take their time setting up the hellraising hijinks that ensue, spending nearly an hour establishing the relationships between the guests as well as that between Delroy and his producer (Josh Quong Tart) who recognizes what’s unfolding and urges the host to create tension on the set, telling him during commercial breaks that his ratings are going through the roof. The shift in perspectives between the TV broadcast and what’s going on behind the curtain helps build the tension as well as the realism.
The cast is in unison whereas creating the same vibe is concerned, each taking the material seriously, their characters displaying a sincere sense of skepticism that gives way to horror as events unfold. The third act is not for the faint of heart, the Cairnes pulling out all the stops, not simply where the violence is concerned but in the way they utilize the found footage aesthetic. The awkward camera movements, hurried focus-pulling and erratic sound all contribute to assailing the viewer’s senses so that we feel just as off-kilter as those in Delroy’s audience.
If the film has a fault, it’s that it overstays its welcome. Married to playing the story out in real time, the Cairnes shackle themselves to the talk show format. As a result, there’s a sequence or two too many that nearly pushes the tension into tedium. Still, all is forgiven once the carnage begins to play out on the “Night Owls” set and Delroy pays for whatever Mephistophelian deal, he may have made for his success. To be sure, he finally gets the recognition he’s craved, but the price proves too high even for a number one rating in his time slot.
3 Stars
