“Late Night With The Devil”, the hit horror-comedy film directed by Australian brothers, Cameron and Colin Cairnes, has ignited controversy after users on the popular movie app, Letterboxd, accused the film of incorporating AI-generated art. Critics praised the film when it premiered at SXSW 2023.
Set in the 1970s, the plot revolves around a talk show host who decides to keep the cameras rolling amidst a horrifying broadcast. However, the film’s acclaim has been drowned out by critiques leveled by Letterboxd user ‘basedgizmo’. The user comments that AI-generated elements, specifically in cutaways and network messages, disrupted the immersive experience of the film set in the ’70s. The review rapidly received nearly 5,000 likes, triggering an outpouring of similar viewpoints. Another user questioned the implications of becoming comfortable with AI in films, forecasting a bleak future.
Responding to the accusations in a statement to Variety, Cameron and Colin Cairnes confirmed that the film utilized AI art, but only minimally and in an experimental capacity. They clarified that AI was employed for three still images which were edited further to serve as brief interstitials in the film. The brothers stated their gratitude for their dedicated team’s efforts in creating the period aesthetic of the film and expressed their enthusiasm for the audience to view it.
However, the debates on Letterboxd did not stay confined to the platform. The discourse spread to other online spaces as more spectators and artists began commenting on the film. Sarah Summer Ray, a Voiceover actress and illustrator, highlighted that she could recreate one of the AI-generated artworks used in the movie, implying the redundancy of AI in this context.
Ellis Adam, a well-known visual artist, publicly showed his refund for the movie, reacting to the AI art controversy. The movie’s decision to use AI art has led to a group of creatives deciding to boycott the film, fearing an over-reliance on AI at the expense of human creativity.
This controversy comes amidst burgeoning debates about the use of AI in Hollywood productions. Recently, TV shows like “Loki Season 2” and “Fallout” faced backlash for employing AI-generated content in their promotional materials. The implications of the increasing use of AI in film and TV continue to be questioned and critiqued.
Despite this controversy, “Late Night With The Devil” is set to release in Australian cinemas on April 11, 2024.
