A live late night talk show goes terribly wrong on Halloween 1977. 

Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) nearly had it all. His late night talk show ‘Night Owls’ had once fought toe to toe with Johnny Carson but the double whammy of his ratings falling and the tragic death of his wife have left him on the ropes. In an effort to turn things around he invites a slew of paranormal related guests to his Halloween show. Christou, (Fayssal Bazzi) a psychic who claims to be able to speak to the dead. Carmichael Haig, (Ian Bliss) a professional supernatural debunker. And Para-psychology expert June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon) and her allegedly possessed subject Lilly (Ingrid Torelli). Jack is about to get more than he bargained for in his pursuit of fame. 

Late Night With The Devil represents itself as a found footage feature and opens with a documentary style overview of the 1970’s and Jack’s history and pursuit of the coveted title of talk show king. It then plays out as a full length episode of the live tv show with the advert break conversations included. The period feel is perfect. The combination of costume, make up, customs (people smoke freely), aspect ratios and image quality all tie together to make this absolutely believable as a recording of a tv show from 1977. In fact the only facet of it that breaks the immersion somewhat is why and how there is footage that follows the protagonists during the advert breaks. If those scenes were somehow encapsulated within the existing camera layout then it would be a perfect representation. As it stands it is just a very minor gripe. Whilst it’s only other controversy is that its creators have recently admitted to using AI generated art as a starting point for some of the talk shows inter-title cards. 

What happens on the show itself is captivating viewing. David Dastmalchian is an actor you will likely recognise but not be able to place. He has played small roles in huge films such as The Dark Knight, Dune, Oppenheimer, Ant Man and the Wasp and The Suicide Squad. Here he is front and centre as a wholesome talk show host. But there are undertones of something darker and he is perfect at reflecting that uncertainty. His other guests and co-workers are equally good. Ian Bliss is hilariously annoying as the know-it-all debunker who gets one scene where he really gets to shine. Ingrid Torelli is incredibly unsettling as the young girl who may be possessed. And Laura Gordon is wonderful as another character who like the main character may be more interested in fame than she is in her role as protector. 

The film slowly builds the tension and ratchets up the concerns about what exactly Jack has unleashed before delivering a brilliant ending filled with some fun, if low budget effects. Although they felt absolutely in line with its 1977 setting and I thoroughly enjoyed them. 

Late Night With The Devil is a superb film and well worth seeking out on its limited cinema release.