Aussie brothers' new horror movie is devilishly good fun

Aussie brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes made an impressive horror debut writing and directing 100 Bloody Acres (2012).

Their newest film is also a worthy entry in the recent quality line-up of Australian-made horror movies. It makes effective - if occasionally credulity-stretching - use of the well-worn "found footage" concept but there's more to it than that. If you remember 1970s TV, there's nostalgia value and if you don't, you'll get an introduction. Either way, if you're a horror fan, check it out.

A lengthy documentary-style prologue, narrated by Michael Ironside (Starship Troopers), sets up the story. Former Chicago radio host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) became the host of the popular 1970s late-night talk show Night Owls. With success came perks including visits to The Grove, a mysterious place where the rich and powerful congregated. Unlike many showbiz types, Jack remained loyal to his beloved wife Madeleine (Georgina Haig).

But the good times don't last. By late 1977, Jack is struggling both personally (Madeleine died the year before) and professionally - after a hiatus following his bereavement, Night Owls has plummeted in the ratings, quite apart from being trounced by real-life behemoth The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson.

On October 31, 1977 - Halloween - Jack goes all out with the theme in a bid for ratings. The night's line-up features Christou (Fayssal Bazzi), a self-proclaimed psychic, Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss), a magician and outspoken debunker of supernatural claims, parapsychologist Dr June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon) and the slightly creepy young Lilly (Ingrid Torelli), who survived the mass suicide of a cult that worshipped the demon Abraxas and who is the subject of June's research.

The mix promises fireworks and things begin not unexpectedly - some banter between Jack and his sidekick Gus (Rhys Auteri), Christou doing audience readings, Carmichael condescendingly pointing out the tricks psychics use in demonstrating their "powers". But when June reluctantly agrees to a demonstration of Lilly's possession by a demon the girl calls Mr Wriggles, the night gets weirder and weirder and even Haig finds it hard to explain it all away.

Late Night with the Devil was filmed in the Docklands Studios in Melbourne and the fine cast is Australian playing American, apart from Ironside and Dastmalchian (one of those faces familiar from many TV shows and movies, including Oppenheimer).

The film's aspect ratio moves between the old 1.33:1 "square" ratio for the TV studio scenes and a wider format. The script, cinematography and production design do an excellent job of evoking the look and feel of a 1970s talk show, right down to the many shades of brown on the set.

Some of the footage doesn't feel like what might have been shot at the time, especially the extensive "backstage" material, but the story and characters are sufficiently involving that it doesn't matter much. A few AI-generated interstitials gave rise to some criticism.

There are a few early clues as to what lies ahead if you pay attention and some allusions to other horror movies (notably The Exorcist).

The Carmichael Haig character is obviously based on the late sceptic James Randi, whose sizeable cash price for proven supernatural ability was never claimed. Randi's criticism of psychic Doris Stokes led Don Lane to walk off his own Australian show in real or confected anger.

On a personal note, not only does Jack hail from the same Chicago suburb where my grandparents lived, but a supernatural being shares the name of an old music store in my home town. Spooky!