Much to the chagrin of a certain portion of SciFiHistory.Net’s, I’m a professed fan of the found footage film.
Okay, okay, okay: let me explain myself for the hundredth time.
Yes, the found footage film is its own unique format within the Horror genre. (Honestly, it’s been used beyond Horror, but I think it’s still safe to conclude most folks consider it unique to this genre.) I’ve reviewed many a flick over the years that fall within such designation; and I’ve been – ahem – suitably taken to task for still considering such projects worthwhile by friends, family, and fans. My perspective has always been – and, likely, always will be – that the technique can be used to spin almost any conceivable yarn with a measure of freshness; but this can and will only be the case if the storytellers continue to push the boundaries of what is possible for the narrative as we find new perspectives and new technology that build upon the presentation. Doing ‘more of the same’ puts any device at risk of seeming tired and worn out, and I’ve always conceded that such trickery has its own limitations each and every time its tried.
So, take that, haters. I need only be true to myself.
One of the recent break-out sensations proclaimed by many to be a worthy addition to the ranks of found footage is 2023’s kinda/sorta viral sensation, Late Night With The Devil. Written and directed by the team of Cameron and Colin Cairnes, the Horror story casts late night syndicated variety show host Jack Delroy in the guise of a ‘man with a plan’ to resurrect his failing TV enterprise by way of some supernatural Sweeps Month event. Little did he know that Satan never willingly sits down to chat with host with a studio audience unless there were certain commitments made in advance … and, no, we’re not talking about great snacks available in the green room.
We’re talking about the selling of souls in exchange for success … about as dark a business deal as was ever conceived.
It’s apparent undoing took place on this fateful broadcast, all of it captured on video … but not without a word or two from our network sponsors!
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation's living rooms.”
Once again – for the uninitiated – I found myself having to play Devil’s advocate in dissecting a film about, apparently, a real Devil’s advocate: Late Night With The Devil most assuredly is not a found footage film.
Yes, yes, and yes: it’s a flick that occasionally uses the construct of found footage to weave its spell, and – in fairness – it does so reasonably effectively here and there. The premise is that the Halloween airing of ‘Night Owls With Jack Delroy’ went spectacularly off-the-rails into authentic Satanic debauchery – certainly the last in the program’s run in alleged television syndication – was captured with the faux broadcast airing as well as some herky-jerky black-and-white camera work behind-the-scenes filling in what took place during commercial breaks. But the project’s opening set-up – a brief documentary profiling Delroy’s professional career – and the last reel ‘surprise’ – that takes the audience into the mind of the host, breaking the fourth wall – clearly proves that this was all the deliberate production of the Cairnes at the helm.
Though it’s an impressive feat, it’s still far from found footage in far too many ways to argue.
Okay, okay, okay: let me explain myself for the hundredth time.
Yes, the found footage film is its own unique format within the Horror genre. (Honestly, it’s been used beyond Horror, but I think it’s still safe to conclude most folks consider it unique to this genre.) I’ve reviewed many a flick over the years that fall within such designation; and I’ve been – ahem – suitably taken to task for still considering such projects worthwhile by friends, family, and fans. My perspective has always been – and, likely, always will be – that the technique can be used to spin almost any conceivable yarn with a measure of freshness; but this can and will only be the case if the storytellers continue to push the boundaries of what is possible for the narrative as we find new perspectives and new technology that build upon the presentation. Doing ‘more of the same’ puts any device at risk of seeming tired and worn out, and I’ve always conceded that such trickery has its own limitations each and every time its tried.
So, take that, haters. I need only be true to myself.
One of the recent break-out sensations proclaimed by many to be a worthy addition to the ranks of found footage is 2023’s kinda/sorta viral sensation, Late Night With The Devil. Written and directed by the team of Cameron and Colin Cairnes, the Horror story casts late night syndicated variety show host Jack Delroy in the guise of a ‘man with a plan’ to resurrect his failing TV enterprise by way of some supernatural Sweeps Month event. Little did he know that Satan never willingly sits down to chat with host with a studio audience unless there were certain commitments made in advance … and, no, we’re not talking about great snacks available in the green room.
We’re talking about the selling of souls in exchange for success … about as dark a business deal as was ever conceived.
It’s apparent undoing took place on this fateful broadcast, all of it captured on video … but not without a word or two from our network sponsors!
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation's living rooms.”
Once again – for the uninitiated – I found myself having to play Devil’s advocate in dissecting a film about, apparently, a real Devil’s advocate: Late Night With The Devil most assuredly is not a found footage film.
Yes, yes, and yes: it’s a flick that occasionally uses the construct of found footage to weave its spell, and – in fairness – it does so reasonably effectively here and there. The premise is that the Halloween airing of ‘Night Owls With Jack Delroy’ went spectacularly off-the-rails into authentic Satanic debauchery – certainly the last in the program’s run in alleged television syndication – was captured with the faux broadcast airing as well as some herky-jerky black-and-white camera work behind-the-scenes filling in what took place during commercial breaks. But the project’s opening set-up – a brief documentary profiling Delroy’s professional career – and the last reel ‘surprise’ – that takes the audience into the mind of the host, breaking the fourth wall – clearly proves that this was all the deliberate production of the Cairnes at the helm.
Though it’s an impressive feat, it’s still far from found footage in far too many ways to argue.
Now, that’s not a complaint. In fact, I’ve no problem saying that Late Night is a surprisingly astute Horror film, complete with a fabulous concept executed with winning performances and an accomplished script that ought to make storytellers jealous over how much was achieved with such reasonably controlled expense. My issue is entirely with those claiming that it’s an artistic reinvention of the found footage format as I think that’s a lot of smoke with very little fire, if you catch my drift.
Jack Delroy (played exquisitely by David Dastmalchian) finds himself stumbling in his professional career when his late-night variety program plunges in Nielsen ratings to lows usually precipitating cancellation. As I suspect is often the case when shows fall out of popularity, there’s no central suggestion behind the failure attributed in the script; and he’s never quite shown on a mission to recover such lost popularity so much as he is hell bent on securing a means for his corporate survival. In such dark circumstances, any of us would do damn near anything, but the true suggestions of just how far Delroy may have gone doesn’t get revealed until very late in the story … and, yes, it’s more than a bit of a shocker … except when it’s not, as is the case here.
Today’s Hollywood, folks, might not exactly be yesterday’s Hollywood.
Today’s Hollywood is one that’s been rocked by some very disturbing scandals – many of them sexual in nature – and the end result is that it’s caused several studios to craft both television and theatrical fare in pursuit of the slimmest audience margins. Not a day goes by – or, at least, not a week – wherein some glamorous nugget of depravity leaks out exposing some starlet or marquee name or heavyweight producer; and it’s honestly grown quite tiring for regular folks. But instead of producing mainstream tales that might secure the blessings of respectably wholesome moviegoers, Tinseltown has gone all-in on promoting fringe lifestyles of social deviants in ways suggesting that pedophilia, transgenderism, sexual ‘fluidity,’ and the like are a part of – ahem – everyday life. While that may be the case amongst the rich and powerful – arguably true with the preponderance of their scandals – it is most certainly not the case for the vast majority of consumers; thus, studios have endured diminishing returns – i.e. poor box office receipts – for quite some time. What did they expect when they ignored the mores of the mainstream in favor of promoting the dalliances of the minority?
So centering a Horror film on a TV talent who performed a ritual sacrifice of his cancer-stricken wife whilst his elite Hollywood brethren watched on as part of their secret society with the Devil? Are we to suspect that something like this has never happened? In today’s Hollywood? Or even yesterday’s? Why, this could be exactly the kind of behavior that took place in Bohemian Grove, a private gentlemen’s club in California that’s existed for decades, shrouded in secrecy, and hosts some of the biggest names in entertainment and beyond for the purposes of … well, we don’t know what exactly. But … could it be ritual Satanic sacrifice? Well … why not?
Now, I don’t say any of this to cast doubt on Late Night, which – as I’ve said – I find to be a particularly good, particularly effective, and particularly entertaining feature. As stories go, this one works despite the fact that the narrative is really all over the place – sometimes it’s a documentary, sometimes it’s a studio broadcast, sometimes it’s a behind-the-scenes expose of the entertainment industry, and sometimes it breaks the Fourth Wall in ways too wicked to count. Hats off to all involved, honestly, as the film achieves what I think all involved set out to do even though I’d still say it’s a jumbled mess of pieces that shouldn’t necessarily fit together easily yet do. That, my friends, is what talent can accomplish; and it deserves recognition.
But – in the end – the project felt more like a Saturday Night Live sketch that took on life greater than the sum of its parts, never quite happy being one thing so it instead threw in everything … including the kitchen sink. A dizzying experience … and, yes, it just might tickle your fancy.
Late Night With The Devil (2023) was produced by Future Pictures, IFC Films, Shudder, Image Nation, VicScreen, and a few other participating partners. (A full accounting – for those who like that sort of specificity – can be found on IMDB.com.) The film shows presently available for digital purchase or rental on a variety of streaming platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the provided sights-and-sounds were exceptional: there’s some post-production trickery necessary to tell the story as presented here, but none of it diminishes the achievement in any way. In fact, it times feels like a nice throwback to those days when stories were delivered a bit more simply, with less visual flash and flair. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed this via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Strongly recommended.
Like so many, I went in expecting Late Night With The Devil (2023) to be a found footage experience, and it most definitely is not. (No, that’s not a complaint.) While it uses the construct nominally, I honestly think the story could’ve worked entirely as a practical story, removing the found footage elements wholly and just sticking to conventional screen magic. The tale is strong enough to exist on its own merits, and its performance all work as the characters are defined by both the histories and the presentation. All of it climaxes probably as audiences suspected, but none of that lessens the impact. We always knew Hollywood was in cahoots with Satan, right? We just didn’t know they were on a first-name basis.
In the interests of fairness, I’m beholden to no one for my review of Late Night With The Devil (2023) as I rented it via my subscription to Amazon Prime Video.
-- EZ
Jack Delroy (played exquisitely by David Dastmalchian) finds himself stumbling in his professional career when his late-night variety program plunges in Nielsen ratings to lows usually precipitating cancellation. As I suspect is often the case when shows fall out of popularity, there’s no central suggestion behind the failure attributed in the script; and he’s never quite shown on a mission to recover such lost popularity so much as he is hell bent on securing a means for his corporate survival. In such dark circumstances, any of us would do damn near anything, but the true suggestions of just how far Delroy may have gone doesn’t get revealed until very late in the story … and, yes, it’s more than a bit of a shocker … except when it’s not, as is the case here.
Today’s Hollywood, folks, might not exactly be yesterday’s Hollywood.
Today’s Hollywood is one that’s been rocked by some very disturbing scandals – many of them sexual in nature – and the end result is that it’s caused several studios to craft both television and theatrical fare in pursuit of the slimmest audience margins. Not a day goes by – or, at least, not a week – wherein some glamorous nugget of depravity leaks out exposing some starlet or marquee name or heavyweight producer; and it’s honestly grown quite tiring for regular folks. But instead of producing mainstream tales that might secure the blessings of respectably wholesome moviegoers, Tinseltown has gone all-in on promoting fringe lifestyles of social deviants in ways suggesting that pedophilia, transgenderism, sexual ‘fluidity,’ and the like are a part of – ahem – everyday life. While that may be the case amongst the rich and powerful – arguably true with the preponderance of their scandals – it is most certainly not the case for the vast majority of consumers; thus, studios have endured diminishing returns – i.e. poor box office receipts – for quite some time. What did they expect when they ignored the mores of the mainstream in favor of promoting the dalliances of the minority?
So centering a Horror film on a TV talent who performed a ritual sacrifice of his cancer-stricken wife whilst his elite Hollywood brethren watched on as part of their secret society with the Devil? Are we to suspect that something like this has never happened? In today’s Hollywood? Or even yesterday’s? Why, this could be exactly the kind of behavior that took place in Bohemian Grove, a private gentlemen’s club in California that’s existed for decades, shrouded in secrecy, and hosts some of the biggest names in entertainment and beyond for the purposes of … well, we don’t know what exactly. But … could it be ritual Satanic sacrifice? Well … why not?
Now, I don’t say any of this to cast doubt on Late Night, which – as I’ve said – I find to be a particularly good, particularly effective, and particularly entertaining feature. As stories go, this one works despite the fact that the narrative is really all over the place – sometimes it’s a documentary, sometimes it’s a studio broadcast, sometimes it’s a behind-the-scenes expose of the entertainment industry, and sometimes it breaks the Fourth Wall in ways too wicked to count. Hats off to all involved, honestly, as the film achieves what I think all involved set out to do even though I’d still say it’s a jumbled mess of pieces that shouldn’t necessarily fit together easily yet do. That, my friends, is what talent can accomplish; and it deserves recognition.
But – in the end – the project felt more like a Saturday Night Live sketch that took on life greater than the sum of its parts, never quite happy being one thing so it instead threw in everything … including the kitchen sink. A dizzying experience … and, yes, it just might tickle your fancy.
Late Night With The Devil (2023) was produced by Future Pictures, IFC Films, Shudder, Image Nation, VicScreen, and a few other participating partners. (A full accounting – for those who like that sort of specificity – can be found on IMDB.com.) The film shows presently available for digital purchase or rental on a variety of streaming platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the provided sights-and-sounds were exceptional: there’s some post-production trickery necessary to tell the story as presented here, but none of it diminishes the achievement in any way. In fact, it times feels like a nice throwback to those days when stories were delivered a bit more simply, with less visual flash and flair. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed this via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Strongly recommended.
Like so many, I went in expecting Late Night With The Devil (2023) to be a found footage experience, and it most definitely is not. (No, that’s not a complaint.) While it uses the construct nominally, I honestly think the story could’ve worked entirely as a practical story, removing the found footage elements wholly and just sticking to conventional screen magic. The tale is strong enough to exist on its own merits, and its performance all work as the characters are defined by both the histories and the presentation. All of it climaxes probably as audiences suspected, but none of that lessens the impact. We always knew Hollywood was in cahoots with Satan, right? We just didn’t know they were on a first-name basis.
In the interests of fairness, I’m beholden to no one for my review of Late Night With The Devil (2023) as I rented it via my subscription to Amazon Prime Video.
-- EZ
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