Image: Disclosure/IFC Films
Mixing horror, humor and hints of social criticism, Late Night With the Devil (Late at Night with the Devil) achieved an unusual feat in its debut in the United States. According to Variety, the film had a box office gross of US$666,666 last Sunday (24)a very appropriate number for a story that talks about demonic possessions.
The feature film directed and edited by Cameron and Colin Cairners grossed a total of US$2.8 million in its opening weekend. As a result, it had the best initial performance of any production in the history of IFC Films, a division of AMD Networks Films. Much of this is a result of the fact that it has a 97% critical approval rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes.
The number 666 is famous for being in the book of Revelation in the Christian Bible, normally being related to the end of times and the arrival of the “Beast”. It has become quite popular in pop culture in general, being used as an element in several horror films and in songs, with emphasis on the song and album “Number of the Beast” by Iron Maiden.
Late Night with the Devil shows demonic broadcast
While the film’s $666,666 gross seems suspicious, the Variety guarantees that it is real and it is not a mere marketing ploy. The “coincidence” becomes more interesting when we take into consideration that the film shows a common talk show that ends up becoming the stage for a demonic broadcast.
Late Night with the Devil has not yet debuted in BrazilSource: Disclosure/IFC Films
Starring David Dastmalchina (Dune), the feature film shows a decadent presenter who prepares a special program for Halloween. Among his guests is the only survivor of a mass suicide committed inside a satanic church. As is typical of the genre, this has far darker consequences than anyone could have imagined.
The success of Late Night with the Devil can be explained by the fact that it uses its setting and scripts to comment on today’s society. In a world in which everyone is involved in entertainment, demons end up being just another element for the programming of a late night talk show.
Filmed for less than US$2 million, the production has already recovered its costs and should motivate IFC Films to invest in similar projects in the future. So far, there is no forecast for its official debut in Brazil.
