Before getting into our feature presentation, I wanted to talk about my favorite thing about seeing horror movies in theaters, and that is watching the trailers for all horror franchises to come! As opposed to seeing a blockbuster flick like Kong x Godzilla in which the previews are usually a mixed bag of features. These trailers are specifically catered to horror fans alike, and for that I applaud you, the great lords of cinema. You know your way into my delicate little black heart.
So here are my horror movie anticipations for 2024, and unbeknownst to me until seeing them both in the trailers are In A Violent Nature. A tribute, if you will, to the slasher fans that long for the days of Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers. Nothing more than a psychopath on the path of destruction. There’s no meaning or backstory behind his killings. Just a behemoth of man slashing everything in his path. The trailer is truly captivating with it’s cinematic shots and thrilling tension. This film is also published by Shrudder. The same publishing team behind Late Night with the Devil. Which is slowly becoming a powerhouse of a publishing company much like A23 films.
The second came as a delightful surprise as well. This film is called Arcadian. Starring Nicolas Cage and Jaeden Martell who starred in It: Chapter One. Which happens to be the reason why I fell in love with horror films to begin with. From what I gathered in this trailer. This movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, in which Paul and his sons out of desperation, must survive against these ferocious creatures that come out at night. It kind of gives me “An American Werewolf in London” meets “I Am Legend” but with the ferociousness and thrill that is World War Z. A perfect trifecta that is a true form to Universal’s monster-verse films that gave birth to the horror genre so long ago. It’s probably my most anticipated Nicolas Cage film… if I ever had one.
If you happen to be seeing this review when it comes out. Go and support this indie film, as it is important for the genre of indie horror films, and if you like original stories, this is where you will find them. With small independent film directors such as the Cairnes brothers. A movie for horror fans to rejoice!
And now ladies and gentlemen, Our Feature Presentation!
Devil in the Details
Late Night with the Devil
Movie Review
A period film that primarily takes place in a studio set in the 70s. We meet our talk show host of the iconic Night Owl talkshow, Jack Delroy, a now down on his luck man after losing his wife to cancer and after a year of mysteriously vanishing from the spotlight. He makes his grand return to late night. But fails to capture the audience and is constantly overshadowed by none other than Johnny Carson. Delroy, afraid of losing his slot as a talk show host, begins to deceive his audience with drama and controversy in hopes of getting people to watch. On the night that what may become his last showing. He decides in a last-ditch effort to interview Lilly (Ingrid Torelli,) a young girl who is possessed by a demon entity after becoming the sole survivor of a devil worshipping cult. What could possibly go wrong?
As mentioned before, this film is directed from a very particular perspective that I don’t believe has ever been done before in the lost art of found footage films. Watching the film in a 4: 3 ratio ads’ on to the spectacle of what’s to come. It gives it this feeling that you are seeing it from the perspective of a televised viewing right from your living room. It’s a welcoming and refreshing idea to come from Hollywood since possibly the Paranormal and Blair Witch phenomenon respectively. Every shot in the film is precisely what it would like to watch a show like Late Nite. The audience, band, and sidekick Gus (Rhys Auteri) are your points of reference on how to feel about the events that are unwinding. Gus’ being my favorite of the audience members as you can feel his fright and doubts about the madness that is unraveling.
Tonight’s late night is a special Halloween treat, and like a late-night show, of course you are entertained by an opening act, and mid-act, just before reaching the crescendo, which is the Author June Ross-Mitchell, and her subject Lilly. But first, we are introduced to Christou, a psychic with powers that include speaking to the dead. As he plays a typical trope of fraud magicians, and that is of course, the I’m getting a Peter, a Pete, a Peterson, and so on. He is clearly a phony that happens to get lucky by fooling a mother and daughter live on TV. Thinking he fooled everyone on set. The audience get’s it’s first glimpse of the devil by possessing Christou before going into commercials. Christou convinces a skeptical Delroy when the name Minnie is said, as this was a private name he had for his wife. But our mid-act, Carmichael the Conjure, a skeptic who so happens to remind me a lot of the real James Randi, a quick Google search should be sufficient if you want to know who that is, believes that Christou is nothing more than a common fraud magician praying on the weaknesses of the audience. Christou is summoned by the demon once more causing him to erupt in pain and project a black vial before being sent to the hospital.
The movie does a great job in showing us the devil in the details with short and sweet horror elements sprinkled around the set. From the eerie audience members who feel very lifeless at times. To the more grotesque body-gore scenes that I will not spoil for obvious reasons. But the parasitosis scene alone had me on the edge of my seat and my stomach turning upside down. Definitely never had this particular wonder in my horror tropes bingo card. I’ll be having nightmares for weeks because of this specific scene. It was well made with practical effects. But the only time I was taken out of the film had to be the short burst power outage scene which had the effects of a YouTuber in today’s standards. Not a jab at the editors. I’m sure they did the best they could with their budget.
In the third act, we are finally get our introduction to the main feature. Author June Ross-Mitchell and her subject Lilly and Mr. Wriggles. An appropriate name for the demon that Lilly claims wiggles his way in and out of her brain. Lilly is a young girl and the sole survivor from a Satanic church that commited mass suicide during a raid with the police in live television. So, it was a no brainer for Delroy to have her on the show. So, during the interview with Lilly, Jack convinces June to conjure Mr. Wriggles live on air, and against her wishes, she agrees to do so. Because it turns out that she is smitten over Jack, as they are having a secret affair since the death of his wife Minnie. During the commercials we find out Christou died on his way to the hospital which thus begins to spread like wildflower. So, naturally Gus and cast begin to worry that this whole thing is getting out of control. But Jack, now a mad man convinced in this miracle that is about to spark the fire in his dying career. Delroy keeps the show going, continuing down the downward spiral path of hell when he invites Mr. Wriggles for an interview.
Kudos to the makeup department on Lilly’s transition from innocent to demonic. The elevating chair was the icing on this messed up cake.
During the interview with Mr. Wriggles, the mystery alluding the audience on Delroy’s perception begins to rot as Jack’s secret affairs begin to unravel live on air as it is revealed that Jack participated in the cult like rituals with higher ups in the business, and it so happens that he is indirectly involved with Lilly’s satanic cult. It’s the old ‘name your price for your soul’ story we all have heard as a child at least once or twice. It’s a classic story of cautionary tales on everything has a price. This was Jack Delroy’s price. The inevitable life of being a celebrity on a cog wheel. The constant reach of the carrot. But never quite reaching the levels of fame he anticipated, and only being doomed to repeat his failures time and time again.
Stephen King himself, called this film “absolutely brilliant,” and the film would reportedly go on to gross a coincidental $666,666 on its first week in theaters. Overall, this film went under the radar, as most independent films do with me. But it was nothing short of illustrious. A film that I highly praise and recommend to the average horror fanatic and movie goer. One that I will personally be picking up on Blu-Ray.
The movie has plenty of hidden messages that I kept seeing throughout the film. From the occult like owls, to the illuminati hand gestures. All of which I am sure have plenty of meaning, and I would love to one go into further detail on this film. Perhaps, in a future viewing. But for now, the show must go on!
