Starring David Dastmalchian, Ingrid Torelli, Ian Bliss

Written and Directed by Colin & Cameron Cairnes

IFC Films, in cinemas

In a last bid to boost his ratings, a failing 1970s late night chat show host books the ultimate guest.

There’s no doubt that the Cairnes brothers ‘found footage’ satirical horror is familiar territory. Afficionados of the Inside Number 9 episodes Dead Line and 3 by 3 – both located in a TV production setting – will know exactly where this is going, and it would be easy to dismiss Late Night with the Devil as an over-extended Twilight Zone, but I think that would be unfair.

It certainly does have B-Movie sensibilities, but that is partly due to its form – skillfully simulating wobbly 1970s 4×3 video recording – not to mention the tackiness of the design, but again that’s true to its setting on a low budget late night talk show.

For all this, it’s a fun ride, lovingly rendered, cleverly suggesting that the pre-digital late twentieth century has now become a kind of shadowy gothic in its own right. The cast are having a great time with David Dastmalchian’s Jack Delroy reminiscent of Jerry Lewis’s turn as a vacuous chat show host in Martin Scorsese’s King of Comedy. Similarly, Ingrid Torelli is giving off strong Linda Blair vibes as the possessed teenager Lilly.

Verdict: Any horror literate viewer will be ahead of this movie every step of the way, but it’s hugely enjoyable nonetheless, and even manages to be a little bit scary in places. 7/10

Martin Jameson

www.ninjamarmoset.com