Late Night with the Devil (2023)
Wait, you mean Late Night TV wasn’t always the devil?
Presentation:
The film is presented as found footage horror of a live TV broadcast gone wrong. It takes place in 1977 on Halloween with demonic and supernatural horrors that don’t really have much oomph. It’s presented in 4:3 like a live broadcast of the past with convincing time period footage. The tone isn’t really ever scary and I frankly think it is on the same level if not lower than YouTube horror content (which is arguably actually pretty good). But if you aren’t familiar with such content as well as the competitive nature of Late Night television of Conan, Letterman, Carson, you could still enjoy this film. David Dastmalchian is a familiar small part actor, but this film kinda demonstrates why. This is unfairly mean, but his performance is flat and you are never convinced of his charisma, anguish, fear, paranoia, desperation, he simply lacks expression, which I suppose some may argue to be fittingly offbeat? The film starts out slow with 10 minutes of a drawn out backstory that when resurfaces for the emotional climax, feels forced and artificial. It’s definitely a unique premise, but that alone shouldn’t be enough to justify a weak story.
Conclusion:
I’m not sure if it was even intentional, but the biggest thing of value of the film is a potential metaphor of Late Night hosts in the entertainment industry selling their soul for ratings. Even so, it is executed only in passing. Even someone like I that has watched extensive behind the scenes of the industry, I didn’t find it to provide enough value for this film. The biggest sin is nothing in the broadcast felt like reality, which is crucial for the found footage genre. Flat, boring and not scary. It is never once creepy if you have any experience in the horror genre, but might be good as a YouTube short series. It is quite hard to believe, but the jokes of the live segment of this film are even unfunnier than modern Late Night TV, both equally fake. Watch the V/H/S series instead.
Recommendations
When atmosphere is the horror.