The year is 1977 and cable television is in the infancy stage, with late-night programming becoming all the rage. Jack Delroy is the prince of after-hours television, but still lives in the shadow of the king, Johnny Carson. As Delroy’s numbers begin to slip, he turns his attention to the Satanic Panic that plagues a fractured United States of America in a desperate attempt to grab the crown. Such is the premise for Late Night with the Devil. Australian siblings, Colin and Cameron Cairnes, attempt to bring the Horror-Nation a fresh take on demonic possession, a time before science and technology debunk the supernatural. Will this duo create another demonic classic or will this period piece get buried in the sands of time?
Night Owls, an after-hours variety show, is on the downtick. Shortly after losing his muse, host Jack Delroy is looking for an edge to put his program back on top. The production team goes all out for a Halloween night special. A popular magician turned skeptic, a psychic, and the coup d’ état, a doctor and her adopted teenager who just happened to be possessed, are the evening’s entertainment. Slowly, the show invigorates and disappoints the audience, until the teenager takes the stage. Jack and his staff, mystified by the night’s events and excited by the viewership numbers, must decide if this sideshow is just a terrific freakshow or if the events are taking a supernaturally sinister turn.
Late Night with the Devil, much like the lead of the film, attempts to be great, but much like anyone who attempted to challenge the great Johnny Carson, it will be admirably followed, and quickly forgotten. The Australian writers/directors present a solid piece that suffers from the allure of the plot. Entirely too much time is spent on the pre-show before the audience gets to the start of the show. All of the performances are solid, with Ian Bliss standing out as the skeptic. Ingrid Torelli is robbed of an immortal performance with her severe lack of screen time, but she does carry each of her turns with a terrific terrifying performance. While the last several minutes of the film make the view worthwhile, one will wonder why the plot must suffer through a poorly crafted introduction phase. Late Night with the Devil is definitely a decent attempt to bring horror fans a new take on old lore. In the end, this bigger production is inferior to the independent plot version of this take, The Cleansing Hour.
Scream Score: 7/10