Blu-ray Review: LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL Is 1970s TV Hell
Get ready for some late-night horror as Australian filmmakers Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes deliver the 1970s set fright pic, Late Night With The Devil. This is a pseudo-found footage film framed around a live television broadcast in which David Dastmalchian’s chat show host unwittingly unleashes a demon during a Halloween special.
The majority of Late Night With The Devil is supposed to be from the existing broadcast tapes of the ‘live’ broadcast, while the between-ad break moments are purportedly from behind-the-scenes documentary footage. It uses the chat show format of the fictitious Night Owls with Jack Delroy to its advantage by weaving a variety of guests in and out through different segments. This keeps the energy levels high, and the live TV format means the pacing is fast as another ad break is just around the corner.
Holding Late Night With The Devil together is David Dastmalchian’s, Jack Delroy. We’ve seen in recent years that a massive gulf exists between how television presenters appear on screen and how they conduct themselves off it, and Dastmalchian’s Delroy obviously has layers beneath the plastic sheen of his chat show host persona. This is hinted at during the in-depth prologue, but Dastmalchian’s performance adds an extra level. He’s been a supporting player for years, but the film really gives Dastmalchian a lead role he can sink his teeth into.
It’s often easy to let standards slide on a production design level with any sort of found footage film, but the Cairnes brothers have made sure that Late Night With The Devil has strong aesthetics – and the studio setting and costuming really get across the look and texture of the 1970s.
Everything about Late Night With The Devil works – and the film’s only flaw is that you know how it’s all going to play out. Over the years there have been many ghostly goings on during a live TV broadcast – from Ghostwatch and even the recent Haunted Ulster Live. It would have been nice if there were a few additional surprises littered throughout. Having said that, it’s about the journey and not the destination and Late Night With The Devil works because all elements come together as a whole.
Special Features
The Blu-ray release of Late Night With The Devil comes loaded with a comprehensive array of extras. You get an impressive commentary from writers and critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson, an in-depth chat with Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes, and conversations with actors Ian Bliss, Rhys Auteri and Ingrid Torelli.
This package also features an essay from Zoë Rose Smith and wonky Q&A with David Dastmalchian, Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes from South by Southwest as well as some behind-the-scenes footage.
