Films such as WNUF Halloween Special or Ghostwatch are a super small subgenre within horror. They tell a story as if they are live, television events unfolding in real time, often set in much previous eras. Late Night with the Devil is the most recent entry in this underused style. Set during Halloween night 1977, we are shown a lost episode of a late night talk show.
Jack Delroy’s long-running show is failing, and has one last chance to save it. What better way than to invite a psychic, a skeptic, and the victim of a demonic possession? Naturally, shit hits the fan. The film employs found footage, interviews, and the “lost” episode to tell its story. David Dastmalchian absolutely owns the screen, and is highly charismatic and gives a brilliant performance as the talk show host. The entire movie is just an extremely enjoyable ride, filled with a solid cast. Comedic in the right moments and scary in others, LNWTD gives you a perfect mix of everything you need from this faux-documentary style, without ever crossing into “silly” territory.
Late Night with the Devil screened as part of the 2023 Telluride Horror Show and will be released theatrically before finding its digital home on Shudder.