Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsInside No. 9: Deadline meets Ghostwatch
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024
What do you get when you take the behind-the-scenes of Deadline, combine it with the Reality Television of Ghostwatch, and throw in some 70s late night television for good measure? You get Late Night with the Devil!
Seriously though, it was Mr. Lobo's Twitch Chat, where I heard about this film, and decided on seeing it--coincidentally--during my Late Night TV watching.
First off, in some previous reviews here and on Facebook, many complained how (besides seeing many intro studio credits) the film begins. Essentially reminiscent of early PBS Documentaries, we get a brief glimpse of the 70s during it's disastrous moments, while a rise with cults and the supernatural have become popular with the populace and the media. Where we learn about Jack Dellroy and the mysterious UBC network, how a radio host winds up on a late night show host called Night Owls.
Yet, also learning how Jack is desperate for ratings, and keeps attempting to topple Johnny Carson of the Tonight Show, with little to no success. Even when tragedy hits with his wife, and he has her on the show. We learn also about a strange camp Jack attends to every summer, which the tabloids keep insisting a cult exists there.
Conversely, despite the documentary intro, when they finally get to the infamous Halloween broadcast, which the film treats briefly as found footage, the story immediately picks up. In fact, I give kudos how they produced this, because if you tune in here, you could actually believe there was a Late Night Television show called Night Owls.
From the intro, to the commercial cards, it does bring you back to the days of 70s Late Night Talk Shows. Also the Night Owls portion immediately gets into the supernatural occurrences without warning. Jack first introduces a famed psychic, Christou, for his Halloween Show in 1977.
As a means for Sweeps Week, Jack feels having a psychic will help with the ratings, as Christou is renowned for talking with the dead (shades of John Edward). Unfortunately, Christou winds up briefly missing the mark, establishing cold readings, until he hits the mark with two women in the audience. After informing them about their dead relation, things suddenly go into complete chaos.
Receiving an intense force identified as Millie, Christou demands someone receive it, resulting in the electrical system to short out and plunge everything into darkness. Jack wastes no time ordering them to go to a commercial, where we see our first MORE TO COME card. We suddenly switch to behind the scenes where Jack first thinks this was a stunt, as well as the producer, until some of the crew members claim it wasn't as they try to get things under control. Noticing Christou's health, they get him some water, and later resume the show.
Back on air, Jack introduces a former magician/hypnotist/faux psychic, Carmichael Hunt. To put in a nutshell, Hunt is our skeptic and debunker, and wastes little time insulting most of the guests, starting with Christou. The reason why Jack has him on the show is Hunt will give anyone a $200,000 check if they can prove to him something genuinely Paranormal. Ironically, despite Christou upchucking on Hunt, collapsing and having to be sent to the hospital, Hunt still rebukes the claim.
After another commercial break, Jack receives the disturbing news about Christou's demise. Yet, realizing the show must go on, Jack introduces his next guests, Parapsychologist Jill Ross-Mitchell, and her adopted daughter, Lilly D'Abo. Apparently we learn Lilly was rescued from a cult, where June has been trying to help her recover from her ordeal, but also admits Lilly can channel a spirit only known as Mr. Wriggles.
Here's where the events appear like Ghostwatch, during the interview, while Hunt keeps scoffing at Jill and Lilly, without warning, the Thermin, which Gus, Jack's co-host, was playing earlier, starts playing wildly. When Gus attempts to stop it, an intense force shocks him, while causing the glasses on the table to shatter. Annoyed by this display, Hunt unplugs the machine, claiming it was causing biofeedback through the PA System. Whereas, the audience and Jack know better, as the camera shows an electric pulse travel through the wires.
Backstage, we see a drama unfold with Jill and Jack, it seems Jill only consented to star on Night Owls to promote her upcoming book, and not to exhibit Lilly just for ratings. Whereas Gus warns Jack to stop the show, since it appears some of the crew want to leave the studio, where Jack heated tells him no one is leaving, and since the heads of the network are in the audience, he has to make this a great show.
As with Ghostwatch, we now have Jack wedged between the Parapsychologist and the Skeptic where things start going off-the-wall, and we learn some dark secrets pertaining to Jack and his show. Not to mention the extreme lengths he went through to get his own network syndicated show.
Rather than just give away the entire plot, I do suggest you watch this film, because despite some of the slow spots, it is extremely well-done. Reminding me a bit of analog horror, lost footage genre, I am greatly impressed on how the producers manage to recreate what a 1970s late night television show broadcast was and how they used a stage, orchestra and the commercial cards they used for the breaks and return.
Also enjoyed how it has a bit of a Cinema Insomnia feel, where Jack is a bit like Mr. Lobo. Whereas when things are not going according to plan, Jack attempts to keep everything under control, though sort of fails at it, as the broadcast is gradually falling apart.
Overall, this is one of those unique horror films, where it's generally not as so much the horrors themselves, but on a psychological horror, where it pulls the audience in. Wondering what will occur next on Night Owls, making the viewers ponder if what's occurring is real, or just great special effects, as we see Jack himself attempting to maintain control over something beyond his comprehension.
I've seen for the third time, and still enjoy this, because it's definitely a great film to watch, if you just want something to fill your late nights, which I recommend. Just don't make any deals with the devil when you do!