The Devil walks into a late night talk show... sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. Something this film most certainly is... NOT!
The devil is quite literally in the details, and in this retro 70s horror masterpiece, there's a metric ton of them, in a wide array of shapes and sizes, so by the end of your viewing, you can bet your bottom dollar, your soul has been sold.
"Late Night With The Devil" is just as horrifying as it is absurldy creative, ballsie, meta, insane, funny, disturbing, and gory, but what's more, is it's without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most original horror films I have had the pleasure of torturing myself with in recent years.
This surprise package is like a demonic russian nesting doll, constantly surprising with every layer you crack into. It's utterly bewitching, and endlessly surprising. It's the whole horror package, packed to the brim with winning elements, and leading the charge is the sensational performance from David Dastmalchian.
Captivating!! Commanding every second on screen as the late night talk host whose perfect night quickly veers into maddening terror. Whether it be through wit, nuance, or a palpable fear, he's constantly pulling viewers in, never losing our attention for a second. He's the host we never knew we wanted, and now the one we want to start a petition for, to take over from Kimmel. I mean, he could've been selling me a timeshare to an oceanfront property in Arizona, and I'd be signing the deed before the day is out. There's so many layers to his character, all of which he masterfully fleshes out. He's a falling star clutching at straws to save his career, which means for one, he's willing to do anything to get back the spotlight. He is scarred with unmanaged trauma, repressed emotions, and a couple of skeletons in the closet. He is a performer. He is weak and desperate. He's the perfect definition of an unreliable narrator, but somehow, you trust him instantly. Both the character and performance is going to go down as an all time horror great!
Its narratively amazing. Layered. Constantly building, escalating, getting more intense and thrilling every act, and it doesn't disappoint with its gonzo climax, let me f*cking tell you! The selection of characters, all play so well off of each other. They all serve thematical purpose to the evolving and misleading nature of the narrative, but none more so than Carmichael "Conspiracy Killer" Hunt. Equal parts hilarious, obnoxious, and darn right infuriating, he will make you doubt what is real, and what is not. He f*cking fooled me something rotten.
There were so many highlights it's hard to pin down just a couple, but I would never forgive myself if I didn't mention the moment young Lilly D'Abo takes CENTRE STAGE. Staring into your god damn soul and beyond, with the most intimidating and jarringly awkward sinister glare dead into the camera. The way she was so honed in on the cameras on set, until she was literally told to pretend like they're not there, got so deep under my skin, I was the one who broke eye contact with her first, and on multiple occasions may I add. Her whole presence is the stuff of shear f*cking nightmares. Once again, I honestly believe Ingrid Torelli's performance will most certainly be remembered as one of the modern horror greats, as will the character.
The whole 70s talk show set up is perfection. From the absolutely gorgoues 70s set design, costumes and props. The clever intercut behind the scenes footage during the commercials. It's essentially a found footage film, and it does remarkably well to stay in that sub-genre. The cinematography is stunning. There were ample shots that caught my eye, courtesy of the insanely talented work on the lighting set-ups, and the staging/framing of shots. Honestly, I have no complaints about this film, only the highest praise! Must See!
9.5/10
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