LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL
October 31, 1977. Johnny Carson''s rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show ‘Night Owls’ that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. A year after the tragic death of Jack’s wife, ratings have plummeted. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other, unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America.
Writer-director duo Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes craft a narrative that unfolds nearly in real time, as the taping of ‘Night Owls'' unexpectedly transforms from amusing to bizarre to deliciously sinister. In his first lead role, David Dastmalchian (THE SUICIDE SQUAD) brings a magnetic charisma as well as layers of gravitas to the role of Jack. At its core LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL is a tale about the inextricable links between fame and cult of personality, modern technology and the supernatural… with plenty of insidious thrills along the way. It’s “what if” fulfillment of countless TV programs in the late ‘70s and ‘80s that rode Satanic Panic hysteria (remember that so-called exorcism caught-on-tape episode of 20/20 or the regular appearances of the Church of Satan’s Anton LaVey on Jerry Springer or Morton Downey, Jr.? ).