Late Night with the Devil, the latest scary movie on Shudder, has a different twist. It mixes typical demon possession themes with a TV studio setting.
The story focuses on Jack Delroy, a famous TV host of Night Owls with Jack Delroy. He brings in guests linked to paranormal stuff to attract more viewers.
While the movie might not fully reach its potential, it’s still a creepy and interesting watch.
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What Is This Movie Is All About?
In the 1970s, the United States was going through a tough time, with political and social issues. People were afraid, and there was a lot of talk about the Devil and the supernatural.
This period was known as the Satanic Panic. But in the middle of all this chaos, TV shows, especially late-night talk shows, were becoming more and more popular.
One such show was “The Night Owls with Jack Delroy,” hosted by our main character, Jack Delroy.
The show covered everything from comedy to serious discussions. It quickly gained fame and even got Jack nominated for an Emmy.
Jack signed a big contract with the network UBC. He was seen as someone who could entertain people and distract them from their worries.
The movie “Late Night with the Devil” uses a documentary style and is set in this turbulent time of the 1970s. It starts by introducing us to the world of television back then.
The increase in cults and groups claiming to worship the Devil added to the fear and belief in the supernatural. But despite this, TV shows were booming, and Jack’s show was a hit.
Jack Delroy, the host of Late Night with the Devil, faced personal and professional challenges.
His wife, Madeleine, battled lung cancer despite not smoking, garnering public attention due to Jack’s public persona and their appearances together.
Tragically, Madeleine succumbed to the illness, leaving Jack devastated. Despite the grief, Jack returned to his show in 1977 after taking time off.
Struggling with declining viewership and pressure from producers and sponsors, Jack sought ways to boost ratings.
During Sweeps Week, he devised a plan for a Halloween special episode centered around the supernatural.
However, the episode took an unexpected turn, as depicted in old tapes discovered at the UBC studio.
So, the movie paints a picture of a time when people were scared but also seeking entertainment, and Jack was there to give it to them.
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How Did Christou’s Psychic Act Begin?
In the episode “Late Night With The Devil,” the highly awaited segment on the occult kicks off with a psychic named Christou stepping onto the stage.
Christou, like many other psychics, aims to wow the audience by revealing details about them that he shouldn’t know.
He starts by mentioning a name he claims to receive from the spirit world, asking if anyone in the crowd has a connection to it.
A man in the audience stands up and taunts Christou, but Jack Delroy, the host, doesn’t pay much attention; he knows it’s all part of the performance.
The show, “Late Night With The Devil,” doesn’t focus solely on the paranormal, so it doesn’t dive directly into it.
Instead, it presents the occurrences in a manner that could be interpreted as coincidences or exposes fake psychics getting caught in their act.
Jack’s face shows discomfort as Christou goes beyond just impressing a mother and daughter with his psychic act. He calls out the name “Minnie,” but no one in the studio reacts.
Christou’s initial impressive performance takes a serious turn when he approaches a mother and daughter, revealing a shocking name related to their deceased family member.
This name happens to be that of the son and brother of the woman, who had passed away at a young age.
Claiming to deliver a message from the deceased, Christou attracts the crowd with his supposed supernatural abilities.
Despite reaching a peak in his act, he continues by calling out another name, “Minnie,” with no response from the audience.
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Secrets of “Late Night with The Devil”
In the episode, after Christou sits down to keep participating, Carmichael, a magician and skeptic, steps onto the stage. He’s famous for debunking supernatural stuff.
Carmichael’s investigation reveals that some of Christou’s actions were fake. The names Christou mentioned were already decided, and the two women he talked to about their loved ones were questioned earlier.
Turns out, before entering the studio, every audience member filled out a form mentioning if they lost loved ones and details about them.
So, Christou already knew the dead man’s name and his relationship with family members, making his performance just an act.
Jack naturally hides the news of Christou’s death from the audience and the other guests. But he, too, is surprised by the strange occurrence.
The demon in Late Night with the Devil is incredibly powerful. So, it had taken control over Christou, making him fall sick and having to be rushed to the hospital.
However, Christou calls out Minnie’s name. His strange behavior after that moment is indeed tied to the supernatural.
Christou was receiving messages and orders from the other demonic presence. It was already present in the studio at the time, even though it had not been up on the stage yet.
The name Minnie was the private nickname of Jack’s late wife Madeleine.
This connection makes it all the more apparent that he did have the ability to be a medium.
But the effect is such that the man dies on the way after having coughed up blood from his mouth dangerously.
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Is Carmichael’s Belief Genuine?
Carmichael the Conjurer, the second guest on Jack’s episode, has a completely different view. He firmly believes in human science and creativity, ignoring anything supernatural.
He boasts about his team, which aims to expose fake paranormal activities. Throughout the film, he questions everything, trying to prove it’s all fake.
Even when Christou behaves strangely, Carmichael doubts his mental and physical health. He’s shocked to hear about Christou’s death later.
When Lilly gets possessed, Carmichael refuses to believe it, calling it a trick of the mind and camera.
When Carmichael was asked to prove his claims, he successfully demonstrated his hypnosis powers. He hypnotized Jack’s assistant, Gus, as well as others on stage and audience members.
Using his tricks, he controlled Gus and what everyone saw. He convinced Gus that worms were crawling out of his skin, causing him to harm himself, while making the audience believe they were witnessing a gory scene.
Interestingly, even the viewers of the film experienced the same events, feeling as if they were hypnotized by Carmichael’s abilities. However, it all turned out to be just imagination when Gus broke the hypnosis and the footage was reviewed.
Late Night with the Devil seems more focused on entertaining its audience rather than always making sense.
Moments like these make it clear that the film enjoys bringing back the bizarre claims made by psychics and others in the 1970s.
Many of these claims were featured on TV shows too. Despite Carmichael’s abilities not being logically explainable, the film aims to attract us with its entertainment value.
Each guest on the show is a performer who uses tricks to make a living from the paranormal.
Carmichael, the host, plays the role of the skeptic. He confidently boasts about his skepticism and even carries a $500,000 check, claiming he’ll give it to anyone who can prove the existence of the supernatural.
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Rescues and Demonic Hauntings
Lilly, a teenager with a dark past, emerges as a guest on Jack’s show, changing the tone from fake scams to the supernatural.
She was saved from a dangerous cult called the First Church of Abraxis, led by Szandor D’Abo, known for horrifying rituals and illegal acts like human sacrifices.
The cult’s downfall came when the law intervened, leading to a mass suicide, but Lilly, about eight years old at the time, was rescued.
This revelation solidifies “Late Night with the Devil” as a supernatural film, confirming the existence of ghosts and demons.
June Ross-Mitchell, a parapsychologist, took in Lilly after her rescue, treating her like a daughter. To promote her book about Lilly’s condition, June brought her to Jack’s show.
Despite lacking proof of supernatural abilities, June might seem like an impersonator. However, Lilly is genuinely haunted by a demonic spirit named Mr. Wiggles.
This spirit causes dramatic changes in Lilly’s appearance and even makes her levitate.
Eventually, Mr. Wiggles manifests in its strongest form, revealing the face of the Devil and revealing devastating power, except for sparing Jack’s life.
Ending of “Late Night with the Devil”
The ending of “Late Night with the Devil” revealed a shocking truth, despite the film being confusing at times.
The story ties together with a hallucination experienced by the main character, a TV presenter named Jack. It turns out Jack was part of a secret men’s club called the Grove, which included powerful figures like industrialists, politicians, and businessmen.
What Jack didn’t know was that the Grove was a Satan-worshiping cult, closely linked with another cult led by D’Abo.
Jack’s ambition drove him to compete with the legendary TV host Johnny Carson. Feeling desperate when he couldn’t match Carson’s success, Jack turned to dark means.
He participated in a Satanic ritual with the Grove, where he encountered a demon named Mr. Wiggles.
This demon, speaking through a woman named Lilly, revealed that it had met Jack in the forest where the Grove met.
In exchange for success, Jack made a deal with the Devil, sacrificing his wife, Madeleine, who tragically died of lung cancer soon after.
Jack’s attempts to use his wife’s illness to boost his show failed, and Madeleine’s ghost haunts him during the Halloween episode.
Jack realizes he’s been played by the Devil. In a hallucination, he relives the moment he killed Madeleine to end her suffering. Meanwhile, in reality, Jack fatally stabs Lilly on stage, possibly under demonic influence.
The police rush to the TV studio, likely to arrest Jack for Lilly’s murder. It seems the evil forces behind the Grove want to distance themselves from the scandal, leaving Jack to take the fall.
