Late Night with the Devil (2024)

[dead-ced-dead]

Taking this thread way off topic but, an Australian horr-western I like a lot is Red Hill from the 2010s. A mean spirited, lean (only 90 mins) subversion on the vengeance-comes-to-town western.

[neveragain]

Some more thoughts on Late Night -

I've seen lots of people, Mark Kermode among them, comparing the character of Jack Delroy to Alan Partridge... and they're nothing alike. Delroy is competent and professional. It's like critics don't have any other frame of reference for talk show host, despite the performance very much being based on the US hosts of the Letterman, Conan and Carson (who is referenced) ilk.

The performance of Delroy's sidekick Gus (Rhys Auteri) should be applauded, a lot of finely-wrought pathos in the Hank Kingsley mould.

My partner pointed out that the film becomes a nice guessing game of "who's the devil?" and I liked that aspect, especially as the plot ultimately seemed a bit muddled.

[Noodle Lizard]

I've seen lots of people, Mark Kermode among them, comparing the character of Jack Delroy to Alan Partridge... and they're nothing alike.

Having just watched his review, I'm not convinced he saw the same film I did.

[George White]

I thought it was fine for the most part. They didn't stick to the gimmick strongly enough and the build up was wonky, but there was one moment at the end -

Spoiler alert

where he walked back on stage after fleeing and his sidekick was there

[close]

- where I thought "oh shit, they're going there", and even though what followed definitely could have been weirder that was one decent moment more than a lot of recent horror.

Also nice to see an Australian horror film that isn't about being murdered in the outback

Check out last year's Talk To Me if you haven't already. It's also an Australian horror film which isn't pretending it's an American horror film.

I wish they'd kept it set in Australia, esp. as the big late night chat show host in 70s Australia, Don Lane was an American (who cameos in Razorback).

[13 schoolyards]

I think it needed the US setting to establish the ratings-related desperation behind the decision to go full Satanic for the Halloween episode. Nobody would believe a 70s talk show host in Australia was trying to claw their way to the top of anything

[Captain Crunch]

Yes it's all a daft laugh but the creepy 'girl' looks about 22.  Ruined. 

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

The Larry Satanders Show

I didn't find it all that scary and the TV broadcast conceit falls apart under the slightest scrutiny, but this was pretty darned entertaining.

An extra point for including Michael Ironside.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Was impressed by the execution of this, especially doing a decent enough job of soft 70's video effects without going overboard and using ott vhs filters, or digital blocking, maybe could've used some vidicon 'comet trails' on the pans but otherwise very accurate. The film itself was well put together, sadly I didn't really find it that captivating though. Should've been right up my street.

[Urinal Cake]

I think it needed the US setting to establish the ratings-related desperation behind the decision to go full Satanic for the Halloween episode. Nobody would believe a 70s talk show host in Australia was trying to claw their way to the top of anything

Feels like something a 2000s era 60 minutes would do (remember the monkey walking humans) would entertain.

[George White]

It reminds me of the stuff @spam dredges out like that Fox News - Signs from God – Science Tests Faith thingy.

[Clownbaby]

And what's going on with David Dastmalchian? Even before the film came out, a lot of the hype was all "Get ready for David Dastmalchian!", and half the comments and reviews I've read are very excited about "Double D" and what an underrated gem he is. I've seen him turn up in lots of things, but I've never been particularly excited about it, and I'm surprised the average person would even know him by name. When did we go all-in on The Malchman?

Hmmm, I've noticed this a well - I noticed in a couple of the YouTube comment sections of the trailers for this film, the odd person suggesting that all these oddly sycophantic DD comments might be bots, maybe to big up the film and Dastmalchian, dunno. He's got a growing fan base from little roles in DC/Marvel so maybe the gushing comes from that, but I still get an odd vibe from this fairly sudden outpouring of love. I'm all for people geeking out about lesser known actors they like and being happy for them getting bigger roles, but all these gushing comments don't quite ring true for me.

I've noticed on Dastmalchian's Instagram he gets a lot of gushing comments under his posts as well. A real uptick in them. Not to be cynical, but I wonder if it's his manager, or maybe himself, indulging in a bit of comment-farm promotion? He wouldn't be the first.

A lot of the comments can be split into two takes - one is the "we are not worthy!" "I'm so proud of David getting bigger roles, he is THE actor of our generation!" comments, and the other seems to be the sheer amount of people who wax lyrical about what a "great guy" he is, like they all seem to know him. Something isn't right.

[Noodle Lizard]

Thank goodness it's not just me. I wondered if I'd perhaps missed some sort of seminal role of his, but that doesn't appear to be the case checking through his filmography. I mean he's fine, but no more remarkable than other actor of that status who turns up in things.

I'd imagine most of these "fuckin' D-MALCH!" commenters haven't seen the lesser-known film Relaxer, which is the first at all prominent role I saw of his (in which he was also fine), and I don't remember anyone losing their shit over his main cast roles in The Last Voyage of the Demeter or whatever. Strange business.

[Clownbaby]

Thank goodness it's not just me. I wondered if I'd perhaps missed some sort of seminal role of his, but that doesn't appear to be the case checking through his filmography. I mean he's fine, but no more remarkable than other actor of that status who turns up in things.

I'd imagine most of these "fuckin' D-MALCH!" commenters haven't seen the lesser-known film Relaxer, which is the first at all prominent role I saw of his (in which he was also fine), and I don't remember anyone losing their shit over his main cast roles in The Last Voyage of the Demeter or whatever. Strange business.

I think a bit of it might be, as well, that he puts himself out there a lot in interviews/social media, and people have latched onto his "redemption arc" of recovering from heroin addiction (good for him, obviously) and playing odd, misfit roles like Polka Dot Man and that. Thing is, I'm sure I remember reading a Reddit comment a little while ago where someone was alleging that she used to be married to him, and that he was not such a "great guy". The comment didn't get any response from anyone though. Wonder if there was anything to it... Seems like it got lost in all the praise.

He's been on my radar for a while purely because I like that kind of actor, who has a memorable face and and pops up in surprising places, but the GUSHING lately, the GUSHING. (apart from that one Reddit commenter) Everyone's gone full Richard E Grant.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

That Dastmalchian is some kind of something. Boy, this Dastmalchian is all anybody's ever talking about. So sick and tired of hearing about how brilliant that Dastmalchian is. Overrated.

[Keebleman]

This was OK.  The premise is good but it felt too much like a first draft. Christou should have been around for longer, getting increasingly weirded out and, bit-by-bit, discovering more about what is happening.

Spoiler alert

And I was puzzled by the idea of Jack having sacrificed his wife so he could be #1.  But he wasn't #1, that was the motivating factor behind the whole thing.  Though I suppose Satan wouldn't be too worried about customers angry because he didn't follow through on his promises.  After all, what are they going to do?  Give him a bad review on Yelp?

[close]

And I agree that the girl playing Lily was too old.  The character is meant to be a child and this was a young woman.  Having her bounce up and down and giggle reminded me of Clive James criticising the casting of an adult to play the 13 year old Natasha in the BBC's version of War and Peace in the 70s: "skipping on to the set like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm."

Far more exciting was the place where I watched it: the Texas Theatre in Dallas.  Not only is it a splendidly restored 1930s cinema of a type I remember going to as a kid but which is now extremely rare - even the acoustics had a bass-heavy echo that took me back to childhood - but it was the place where Lee Harvey Oswald tried to hide after shooting Officer Tippit. (Oh, and the President.)  The cinema, like the rest of Dallas, has accepted that it may as well acknowledge the notoriety, but it ha a certain testiness about it.  To the question which seat was Oswald's, the reply is that he actually sat in two different ones, but as he hadn't paid for a ticket neither of them was his.

[Bad Ambassador]

the place where Lee Harvey Oswald tried to hide after shooting Officer Tippit.

"What, from Top Cat?", said my short-circuiting brain.

[13 schoolyards]

Spoiler alert

And I was puzzled by the idea of Jack having sacrificed his wife so he could be #1.  But he wasn't #1, that was the motivating factor behind the whole thing.  Though I suppose Satan wouldn't be too worried about customers angry because he didn't follow through on his promises.  After all, what are they going to do?  Give him a bad review on Yelp?

[close]

I thought the deal was more

Spoiler alert

that he'd promised his wife to the Devil for success in his career, rather than to be specifically the host of the number one talk show - and because Satan is notoriously a bit of a dick, he'd given our lead what he asked for but made sure it wasn't quite enough to make him happy.

The other possibility is that Satan did actually come through on his part of the "you'll be number one in the ratings" deal, but the top rating episode Satan delivered was the one we saw

[close]

[neveragain]

I thought the deal was more

Spoiler alert

that he'd promised his wife to the Devil for success in his career, rather than to be specifically the host of the number one talk show - and because Satan is notoriously a bit of a dick, he'd given our lead what he asked for but made sure it wasn't quite enough to make him happy.

The other possibility is that Satan did actually come through on his part of the "you'll be number one in the ratings" deal, but the top rating episode Satan delivered was the one we saw

[close]

I was confused about this too so thanks for that, clears it up a bit slightly. I still think there's something I'm missing in the link between the girl being Satanic and Jack Delroy's Faustian pact. Is there a link or is it just lots of stuff happening at once?

[dead-ced-dead]

That Dastmalchian is some kind of something. Boy, this Dastmalchian is all anybody's ever talking about. So sick and tired of hearing about how brilliant that Dastmalchian is. Overrated.

I listened to an interview with him, and the impression I get is he's very good at self promotion (not a bad thing, and it's something all people who work in media have to do) and knew that because he's a bit gothy, he could push himself into that horror/supporting actor/Brad Dourif knock-off/David Lynch weirdy type.

As I say, there's nothing wrong with this, he just perhaps knows how to network and promote himself more than some more talented actors do, and thus gets the opportunities. One example, when he was starting out and auditioning for students films (which all actors with a SAG card can do, but you have to pay a small fee to do so - weird) when no other roles were coming his way, he sent postcards to the casting directors working there thanking them for the opportunity (very Apprentice like). This lead him to being cast in the Twin Peaks reboot when the student casting director would later apprentice the casting director who works for Lynch. More actors SHOULD do things like this, but the way he talked about it, it seems that a lot don't.

I don't think he's bad at all. I like him, but he isn't as good as his reputation suggests.

[frajer]

^ I find all that stuff really interesting. I like him too, he's an interesting actor, and I really enjoyed his perpetually sweaty and doom-laden performance as Polka-Dot Man.

I first saw him (and only realised it was him in retrospect) when he had a bit part in The Dark Knight. He's one of the fake cops - who turns out to be a schizophrenic Arkham escapee planted in the crowd by the Joker - and winds up getting kidnapped and smacked around by Harvey Dent.

Apparently he went all-in to the point where he really worked himself up into a high emotional state and arguably went overboard for what amounted to two brief scenes, but Christopher Nolan appreciated the commitment and said he was going to recommend him to other filmmakers.

So um, there's that story. Haven't seen Late Night with the Devil yet. I'll get me coat.

[dead-ced-dead]

^ I find all that stuff really interesting. I like him too, he's an interesting actor, and I really enjoyed his perpetually sweaty and doom-laden performance as Polka-Dot Man.

I first saw him (and only realised it was him in retrospect) when he had a bit part in The Dark Knight. He's one of the fake cops - who turns out to be a schizophrenic Arkham escapee planted in the crowd by the Joker - and winds up getting kidnapped and smacked around by Harvey Dent.

Apparently he went all-in to the point where he really worked himself up into a high emotional state and arguably went overboard for what amounted to two brief scenes, but Christopher Nolan appreciated the commitment and said he was going to recommend him to other filmmakers.

So um, there's that story. Haven't seen Late Night with the Devil yet. I'll get me coat.

That is interesting. I think that's a more succinct example of what I mean. Some actors go method and while their performance might be great, end up alienating anyone who can help them progress. On the other side is actors who come in, do the job, get paid and go home. Professional, but perhaps not memorable.

Dastmalchian seems to have a knack of knowing who can help him, how they can help him and threading the needle between professionalism and method-hell.

He used to be a drug addict and lost years of his life to that and got his start late. I feel that knowing how to network is often common in actors who get a break in their early-mid 30s. Sharlto Copley is kind of a less prolific example of this.

[Noodle Lizard]

All of that is perfectly believable. A lot of aspiring actors do the same sort of thing - it's an entire subculture complete with its own gurus and playbooks, not at all dissimilar to business/entrepreneur grindsetty circles - but I think it often comes off as annoying and alienating rather than doing any good. For every instance of a Double D going berserk on set to really lose himself in a 30-second role and winning the heart of the director in the process, there'll be thousands more instances like that episode of Always Sunny where they get background roles in a M Night Shyamalan movie.

He's clearly tenacious and knows how to "put himself out there". What it doesn't quite account for is the ostensibly average cinemagoers getting all dressed up in their Sunday best and taking their families to see the new David Dastmalchian feature, like they've been doing in droves if the internet response is anything to go by.

[Clownbaby]

knew that because he's a bit gothy, he could push himself into that horror/supporting actor/Brad Dourif knock-off/David Lynch weirdy type.

That'll be it. Add onto that, as well, his enthusiasm about comic books and you've got a perfect recipe for a rootable actor who's on the radar of both big directors and people who love a character actor. I can imagine people have seen him in something, looked him up, and seen that "he's a nerdy goth, just like me! He's not like other actors!" Seems like he's mates with, or friendly with, everyone.

Mind you, as much as I love a goth, some of his Instagram posts seem oddly, cloyingly goth-wholesome, like brand-pushing. Thing is, I can't quite put my finger on why I get this vibe.

[George White]

The character is meant to be a child and this was a young woman.  Having her bounce up and down and giggle reminded me of Clive James criticising the casting of an adult to play the 13 year old Natasha in the BBC's version of War and Peace in the 70s: "skipping on to the set like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm."

The actress was AFAIK 17 during the making. But maybe it's an Aussie thing. See 12 year old Kitty in the Sullivans being played by a 23 year old, doing exactly what Clibe Javes describes of Morag Hood in War and Peace.

[Keebleman]

The only successful adult-as-child performance I can think of is 23 year old Sissy Spacek in Badlands, but even that doesn't really count cos her character is 15 or 16.

Wait: Sally Thomsett in The Railway Children. That's an even better example.

[Minami Minegishi]

If you like pithy short films I thought he was rather good in this:

[Magnum Valentino]

Shit this innit

Like how Stranger Things just takes other things its target audience isn't presumed to have seen and mixes them all up.

Every element just done better elsewhere and the lead isn't fit to carry a film. He's a bit player with a weird face and he's good at that but not this. Shit effects too! I'm old!

[Ham Bap]

Thought this was just alright.
Feels like a long episode of Inside Number 9 (Hi Reece).

I shall never watch it again.

[Poobum]

Really disliked the dream sequence bit, a very "here's all the subtext if you missed it."

Spoiler alert

The sceptic and the "child" feel too movie cliche. I would have preferred if the ending was another "all in his head" sequence so it ends up that he's seemingly stabbed a normal girl in front of everyone. I dunno.

[close]

Interesting concept that they just don't land. Needed more subtlety, more doubt of reality.