Late Night with the Devil: The Shattered Illusion of Success
3 min read
Ingrid Torelli, David Dastmalchian, and Laura Gordon in Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes’ LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL. Courtesy of IFC Films and Shudder. An IFC Films and Shudder release.
In Late Night with the Devil, the Illusion of Success is Shattered on Live TV
Late Night with the Devil was a surprise hit on the festival circuit in 2023, and audiences are obsessed with the fun and fantastically dark ‘70s found footage flick. Classifying the film as “found footage” has caused debate, with some arguing it falls under the “mockumentary” genre – but I’m comfortable with calling it the former since the movie features “never before seen behind-the-scenes footage” from the faux1977 Halloween broadcast.
Mild spoilers ahead…
Found footage can almost be considered a dirty phrase in the film world. Since the success of The Blair Witch Project in 1999 we have been inundated with low-to-mid budget offerings, with many leaving a lot to be desired. There are exceptions to this rule (take 2007’s REC, a Spanish film I consider to be one of the greatest found footage flicks ever) but for the most part, found footage is the fast fashion of the film world. A lot of flash, little substance, and it falls apart the second you attempt an examination beyond a superficial level.
The popularity of the genre is unsurprising in that it adds a little something extra to the tried-and-true horror formula. It’s a voyeuristic urge we all possess being indulged in a safe, harmless way. As an audience we know that if the film were real, we wouldn’t be watching unless something was about to go terribly, horribly wrong. What sets Late Night with the Devil apart is that the entire ordeal was meant to be seen on television and in front of a live audience. It went down in glorious ‘70s color for the entire country to witness.
Another glaring difference between this film and others is its bold attempt at placing a mirror in front of entertainment bigwigs. It’s no secret many in the industry who have hit the proverbial lottery of success have made big sacrifices to get there, though most tend to shy away from giving details. Late Night with the Devil is not subtle in its nod to longstanding Hollywood conspiracies – with its shocking finale resembling stories of Illuminati sacrifices and the occult. And while the reality is probably something far less scandalous, the overarching theme remains the same: with great success comes a great deal of sacrifice.
The film works well in two ways: On the surface it’s a fun time, and people looking for an entertaining popcorn flick are getting just that. On the flip side, those longing for some more substance to their horror films can be satisfied with how Late Night with the Devil serves as a metaphor for what can be lost on the way to the top of the entertainment world. Whether or not it’s worth it is up for us to decide.
Photos: Courtesy of IFC Films and Shudder. An IFC Films and Shudder release.
