Once upon a time, Jack Dilroy (David Dastmalchian) was a successful TV presenter. Not from the major leagues, but almost. The star’s rise into the sky was interrupted by the sudden death of his wife Madeleine (Georgina Haig). Jack was never able to recover from the loss, the fire in his eyes disappeared, and with it the ratings. In pursuit of restoring the popularity of Dilroy’s evening show, producers made the program more and more provocative. The final point in the game on the lower feelings of the viewer was the invitation on the eve of Halloween to Lilly Diabo (Ingrid Torelli), the only survivor of the recently thundered mass suicide on satanic grounds. Neither she herself nor the paranormal researcher watching her (Laura Gordon) could confidently say before the transfer whether she was possessed by the devil or not. But after recording the fatal broadcast, no one had any doubts.
David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy in a still from the movie Midnight with the Devil
The first thing that catches your eye from the very beginning is the stunning stylization of 1970s American television. It doesn’t matter whether it really was like that or not, what’s important is that you instantly want to believe in it. Without mentioning either Charlie Manson or the Vietnam War, directors Colin and Cameron Cairns literally immerse the viewer in an atmosphere of social psychosis with just a couple of news inserts. And one of the most obvious (but futile) ways of escape from news horror for the average person is Dilroy’s entertaining evening talk show, on one of the episodes of which the authors of “Midnight with the Devil” focus.
Laura Gordon as June Ross-Mitch in a still from the film Midnight with the Devil
Fortunately, the picture is not limited to one episode of the show; this is not such a radical experiment. Through flashbacks and television chronicles, the backstory of the main character is developed, with many inclusions from behind the scenes, of course, inaccessible to the average TV viewer. Some may blame the authors for their tendency to compromise – and indeed, the stylization is not comprehensive; “Midnight with the Devil” does not resemble a full-fledged “found footage”. But as a spectacle, the picture only benefits from such concessions. Although, as an exercise in directorial sophistication, it certainly fails.
Still from the film “Midnight with the Devil”
However, the main treasure of “Midnight with the Devil” is not the spirit of the time captured by the authors, but the leading actor David Dastmalchian. Having appeared in an incredible number of the most popular films of recent years, from Marvel superheroes to Oppenheimer, the actor has always remained in the background, if not in the background. “Midnight” is his benefit performance, his revenge for all the years of being in the shadows. What many vaguely suspected, but had no way to verify, finally received confirmation: Dastmalchyan is a wonderful actor. The good-natured irony of the TV presenter, the grief of his husband saying goodbye to his wife forever, the despair of the average man faced with the unknown – he makes the audience experience the full range of emotions that can only take place in horror.
Another big plus of the film is the ending. Not stretched out for a second, explaining all the essentials, but at the same time leaving space for imagination, and most importantly – visually impressive. Of all the abundance of horror films of recent years, only Richard Stanley’s The Color from Other Worlds could boast of something like this, and it was released almost four years ago.
Of course, Midnight with the Devil doesn’t break new genre ground. Some are ready to sell their soul themselves, some have it abruptly torn out by force, some part with it so slowly and smoothly that they do not even notice their own mutilation. Perhaps this is the only negative of the film – a slight flair of moralizing in the message, which does not fit at all with the general mood of what is being broadcast on the screen. But that’s all, other than that it’s an ideal b-movie, a must-watch after midnight and while lying under the covers. This way the effect of the presence of the devil on your TV will be maximum.
Text:
Vladimir Burdygin
