Late Night With the Devil Limited Edition 4K Review

5 stars

What would you do for ratings?

Late Night with the Devil is a 2024 found footage horror film, written and directed by Australian brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes (Scare Campaign, 100 Bloody Acres).

Following its successful run in UK cinemas, this eagerly awaited horror is available in the UK on Limited Edition 4K Box set as well as Standard Edition Blu-ray from 28th October 2024, courtesy of Second Sight Films.

“A desperate Jack plans an episode he hopes will turn his fortunes around. What you are about to see is the recently discovered master tape of what went out to air that night.”

It’s 1970’s America and fear and distrust are sweeping the nation, as the news reports of violence and satanic rituals are beamed into living rooms across the country. To counter this, a new show is launched, UBC’s Night Owls, hosted by Chicago radio announcer Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian – Oppenheimer, Dune). Light hearted and fun, this late night show captures the “hearts and minds of midnight America” and Jack is given a five year deal.

With his beautiful wife, stage actress Madeleine Piper (Georgina Haig – Where We Disappear) by his side, the only question over his character is his involvement with “The Grove”, a sinister men only group in the Redwoods of California. Despite the popularity of the show, he never quite matches up to his rival Carson in the ratings, even when terminally ill Madeleine makes an appearance shortly before her tragic death.

Just a month after her death, Jack is back on air, but now he seems hell bent on courting controversy. With ratings plummeting, he comes up with an idea for a Halloween special. He features Christou (Faysaal Bazzi – The Merger, Peter Rabbit), a psychic who is obviously a charlatan, as well as magician and hypnotist turned sceptic Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss – Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears) who has made it his business to expose phonies and offers a reward for anyone who can prove they are genuine.

The centrepiece of the show is young girl Lilly (Ingrid Torelli – Force of Nature: The Dry 2), a former cult member, believed to be possessed, who was rescued and is now under the care of Dr. June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon – Streamline, Undertow). Egged on by stage manager Leo (Josh Quong Tart – Around the Block) and against the advice of assistant Gus (Rhys Auteri), Jack wants them to summon a demon live on air. What could possibly go wrong?

“You needn’t worry about your T.V. show. I think you’re going to be very famous soon.”

Late Night With the Devil a very enjoyable watch,  compelling from start to finish. It has the perfect seventies late night talk show vibe going, from the clothes and hair, to the attitudes, to the filming style as well as an amazingly authentic set. It’s so well done that it’s easy to forget you’re watching a film.

It evokes all kinds of nostalgia for the T.V. shows of yesteryear (in a horrifying kind of way), while at the same time offering a new and interesting take on the found footage genre. Being an outtake of a show with proper cameras eliminates most of the annoying head wobble we’ve come to associate with a Found Footage film.

The acting is superb, with David Dastmalchian putting in a committed and very believable performance which really holds the whole thing together. The effects are also really good and while it isn’t gore splattered it does have its moments, leaving you genuinely unsettled by the time the credits roll. If you’re after mindless jumpscares and cliched horror then this is not the film for you, it’s brilliantly written, intelligent and requires a little thought to really appreciate it.

Absolutely fantastic, packed with special features and bonus content, this is well worth adding to your collection and just in time for Halloween too.

“This is great news. Ladies and Gentlemen, please stay tuned for a live television first, as we attempt to commune with the devil. But not before a word from our sponsors.”

Late Night With the Devil will available on Limited Edition 4K UHD Box set and Standard Edition Blu-ray from 28th October 2024.

Special Features

• Dual format edition including both UHD and Blu-ray with main feature and bonus features on both discs
• UHD presented in HDR with Dolby Vision
• New audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson
• Bringing Their ‘A’ Game: an interview with Directors’ Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes
• Mind if I Smoke?: an interview with Actor Ian Bliss
• We’re Gonna Make a Horror Movie: an interview with Actor Ingrid Torelli
• Extremely Lucky: an interview with Actor Rhys Auteri
• Cult Hits: Zoë Rose Smith on Late Night with the Devil
• Behind the Scenes with the Devil
• The Making of the Night Owls Music
• South by Southwest 2023 Q&A with David Dastmalchian, Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes

Limited Edition Contents

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Haley Turnbull
• 120-page book with Behind-the-Scenes images and new essays by Kat Hughes, James Rose, Rebecca Sayce, Graham Skipper, Julieann Stipidis and Emma Westwood
• 6 collectors’ art cards