Late Night with The Devil Review - A Spellbinding Good Time, A Must See

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Category: Haute This Issue
Published on Monday, 25 March 2024 10:25
Written by Janet Walker

Late Night with The Devil, from IFC Midnight, presents a spellbinding horror flick that takes viewers on a trip through the annals of 1970s late-night television and the shocking lost Halloween episode that remained guarded until now.

The film begins with the backstory of the episode you are about to see. The 1960s and 1970s, a time of unrest and revolution in the streets of America, and color television, a relatively new medium was piping it into homes across the country, and world, nightly.

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Told in a documentary format, the introduction continues, and viewers are reliving the moments with Jack Delroy, a would be king of late-night talk show, inked a deal with UBC television, and was syndicated. We also learn about the rumors of The Grove, a clandestine group of men, who counted among their ranks, politicians, senators, and movers and shakers, and of course, Jack Delroy, played by David Dastmalchian.

The film then moves into the lost Halloween episode and explains that the tape of that ominous show has just surfaced along with previously unseen backstage footage. We understand Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated late night 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 that he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America. 

And then we are live, Halloween night, October 31, 1977, for the special sweeps' week episode of "Night Owls." And what a show they had planned! As it was a Halloween episode and a late-night talk-show we begin with the show's MC, Gus, played Rhys Auteri, who along with the rhythm section bring out the star of the show, Jack Delroy!

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The studio audience goes wild, and Jack begins his stand-up routine. As it is still the 1970s, Jimmy Carter is president and we hear jokes about his brother, Billy, who was the staple of every late-night joke writer.

All of tonight's guests have some relation to the Occult, we meet Christo, played by Fayssal Bazzi, who claims the dead speak to him, and Carmichael Haig, played by Ian Bliss, who is a master magician, and became obsessed with proving performers like Christo were simply charlatans.

As the two verbally spar aggressively, Christo leaves the set and before he can exit, he becomes deathly sick. This is the first indication that something is very wrong on the set of "Night Owls."

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Delroy and his producer, Leo Fiske, played by Josh Quong Tart, believe tonight, Jack's first night back after a year, coupled with his next guest, the author of "Conversations with the Devil," Dr. June Ross-Mitchell, played by Laura Gordon, and the subject of the book, Lilly, played by Ingrid Torelli, are the combination that will prove to be the ratings win! And even possibly, for one night dethrone the King of Late Night TV, Johnny Carson!

What follows is the shocking conclusion to the lost Halloween episode of "Night Owls," that unleashed evil into the homes of faithful Jack Delroy viewers.

Hypnotizing, Late Night with The Devil is a ratings winner! A spellbinding good time! You won't be able to take your eyes off the screen.

An unexpected and surprisingly well told creative story that not only adds a wistful sense of nostalgia, not of course for a simpler time, just a retrospect trip down memory lane. On the horror/occult/demonic possession rating scale, Late Night with the Devil is mild and these scenes are presented as over the top so to be viewed as bizarre and outrageous.

Last Night with The Devil is currently playing in theaters in select cities. Check your local listings. See it.

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Country: Australia.

Language: English.

Runtime: 87minutes.

Director: Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes. 

Producer:  Derek Dauchy, Roy Lee, Steven Schieder, Matt Govoni, John Malloy, Adam White.

Executive Producer: Ben Ross, Rami Yasin, David Dastmalchian, Joel Anderson, Julie Ryan. 

Writer: Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes.

Cast: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Ingrid Torelli, Fayssal Bazzi, Rhys Auteri.

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