Late Night with the Devil

The film opens with a voice-over depicting the chaotic and violent era of the early 1970s. During this tumultuous time, late-night viewers found solace in the unconventional talk show “Night Owls,” hosted by Jack Delroy. Unlike the more traditional Johnny Carson, “Night Owls” featured a series of bizarre guests. Jack’s journey was continuously bolstered by the unwavering support of his wife, Madeleine, who succumbed to lung cancer in 1976, resulting in a noticeable decline in the show’s appeal. By Halloween night 1977, Jack is determined to breathe new life into his program with a special episode, which the narrator ominously notes will be the last known recording of the show, offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes.

This particular episode delves into the realm of the supernatural, as Jack promises an evening filled with eerie guests. The first of these is a self-proclaimed psychic named Christou, who attempts to wow the audience with his abilities through cold readings. He strives to make a connection with a deceased woman in the audience, initially misidentifying her and her husband but later engaging a mother and daughter on the topic of a relative’s suicide, which they confirm. Suddenly, Christou is disrupted by a strange noise while searching for information about the name “Minnie,” leading to an abrupt commercial break.

Off-camera, Jack confides in his producer, Leo Fiske, revealing that “Minnie” was a secret pet name for Madeleine, known only to them. This revelation increases Leo’s anxiety regarding the direction of the show, while Christou appears visibly unsettled. Upon the show’s resumption, Carmichael The Conjurer, a former magician and skeptic, steps in as the next guest to challenge Christou’s alleged psychic abilities, intent on exposing them as mere tricks. Jack supports Christou by sharing the significance of “Minnie,” and the discussion intensifies until Christou unexpectedly vomits black bile, necessitating an emergency break as he’s taken away, leaving the crew stunned.

Afterward, June Ross-Mitchell, a parapsychologist, and Lilly, a young girl who survived a cult’s mass suicide, appear on the set. Lilly introduces an entity she calls “Mr. Wriggles,” claiming to have the ability to communicate with it. Despite Carmichael’s skepticism, Jack decides to move forward with a seance led by June after a brief intermission. Meanwhile, Jack learns of Christou’s untimely death but tells Leo to keep it out of the public eye.

The seance takes a dark turn as “Mr. Wriggles” manifests through Lilly, changing her voice and demeanor to something demonic. The entity confronts Jack, insinuating a past relationship with June and alluding to a previous encounter “by the tall trees.” As Lilly levitates, the studio experiences a sudden surge in electrical activity, prompting June to sever the connection and abruptly end the seance.

Following the commercial break, Carmichael challenges Jack to display his deceptive skills. He requests assistance from Jack’s co-star, Gus McConnell, using a pocket watch for hypnosis. Gus dramatically acts as though he is infested with worms, creating a gruesome illusion as he appears to extract them from his own body. However, Carmichael snaps him out of it, confirming that Gus was simply under a hypnotic suggestion.

Unconvinced, Jack re-evaluates the seance footage and becomes convinced that the supernatural occurrences involving Lilly were authentic. A shocking still frame reveals the ghostly visage of his wife Madeleine beside him. As Lilly undergoes her terrifying transformation, chaos erupts on set; Gus suffers a severe neck injury, Carmichael meets a fiery demise, and June and Leo face a tragic fate. The panicked audience flees in terror.

Haunted by visions of past shows, Jack confronts the grim reality of his ties to the same satanic sect that Lilly fled. It’s implied that Madeleine’s cancer was a sinister trade-off for Jack’s success, despite her never having smoked. In a heart-wrenching final sequence, Jack is with Madeleine as she suffers, begging for an end to her pain. Spotting a dagger nearby, he fulfills her wish, tragically ending her suffering with a fatal blow.

In a moment of confusion, Jack realizes with horror that he has inadvertently killed Lilly instead. He is left amidst the wreckage of his set, with the wailing of approaching police sirens filling the air, as he stands frozen in shock, endlessly whispering to himself, > “Dreamers stay awake…”

Last Updated: November 22, 2024 at 19:14