This film is such a success because it perfectly captures the look and feel of a late 1970s late night talk show. That includes the performances, who except for the lead are all unknown and perfectly cast. The psychic, the magician debunker, the possessed girl all look like the real deal, and so does David Dastmalchian as the host of Night Owls. David is someone I’m very familiar with since he showed up as a decoy Joker in The Dark Knight. He’s a “that guy” whose always gets my attention when he appears on screen, and has made some good recommendations on podcasts for Horror gems. This part requires more from him than I knew he was capable of and he aces it.
A live broadcast that went off the rails is a great premise for constantly escalating tension, and the one main location helps to keep the budget low. This sent me looking for the other films by Cameron and Colin Cairnes, and there’s a 2016 film called Scare Campaign that’s also clever, fun and believable. Late Night With the Devil was my favorite Horror film of 2024, even better than the higher-ranked The Substance.
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