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Angel Heart
1987
In Alan Parker's ANGEL HEART, based on the novel FALLING ANGEL by William Hjortsberg, a New York City gumshoe is hired to find an aging blues singer. Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) follows clues from the ominous ghettos of Harlem to the witchy backwoods of Louisiana, where he takes up with Epiphany Proudfoot (Lisa Bonet), the .. Read more
| Starring | Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet, Charlotte Rampling |
|---|---|
| Director | Alan Parker |
| Genres | Thriller |
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Angel Heart
In Alan Parker's ANGEL HEART, based on the novel FALLING ANGEL by William Hjortsberg, a New York City gumshoe is hired to find an aging blues singer. Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) follows clues from the ominous ghettos of Harlem to the witchy backwoods of Louisiana, where he takes up with Epiphany Proudfoot (Lisa Bonet), the beautiful young daughter of a voodoo priestess, whom he believes will be able to shed light on the growing mystery surrounding the missing musician. As Angel closes in on the truth of the case, his contacts start turning up dead. He begins to suspect he might be next.
Parker (MISSISSIPPI BURNING) threads a commentary on the limitations of modern Western society into his sensual, suspenseful thriller. As the story unfolds, Angel relies less and less on his failing, overwhelmed rational mind (and handgun) and more on Epiphany's ancient mojo. Rourke captures the unraveling protagonist perfectly, and Bonet adds an erotic and mysterious edge with her performance. Robert De Niro is both funny and malevolent as Angel's mysterious client, Louis Cyphre. Shimmering with a beguiling mist of the macabre, ANGEL HEART provides an unexpectedly haunting dose of gothic noir.
| Starring | Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet, Charlotte Rampling |
|---|---|
| Director | Alan Parker |
| Studio | OPTIMUM |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 49 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 52 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Thriller |
| Language | English |
| Dubbed | French, German, Spanish |
| Subtitles | Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish |
| Released | DVD: 27 Dec 2000 Blu-ray: 17 Aug 2009 Production year: 1987 |
| Format | DVD |
Angel Heart (1987)
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Critics' reviews (4)
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In Alan Parker's unpleasant, tense thriller set in 1950s New Orleans, Mickey Rourke plays the New York private detective who's trying to locate a missing person for sinister client Robert De Niro. The trail leads towards voodoo rites and other “gumbo”-jumbo. Rourke's naked romp with Lisa Bonet, as blood drips from the ceiling, caused considerable controversy and received attention from the censors, though you might think the things that really need a good snip are De Niro's fingernails. The story is utter nonsense, dressed up by Parker with much visual hype, and with Rourke, De Niro and Charlotte Rampling contributing performances just the right side of self-parody.
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He does, literally, in pursuit of a missing person who's opted out of a pact with the devil. Thoroughly unpleasant in detail, this wallow in the private eye cult constantly takes the eye with its pictorial qualities, even at its most nauseating.
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Most helpful member's review
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16 out of 16 people found this review helpful
a hidden gem
This the only film directed by Alan Parker that I rate at all, which is funny cos in a recent documentary of his work they missed this one completely.
Its dark, post-war New Orleans setting is a wonderful backdrop for an American Gothic tale. Add to that sleazy old Mickey Rourke (remember him?) in his best role, Robert De Niro being all self-restrained menace and a plot which slowly works towards an ending which is as chilling as it is inevitable - a recipe for a classic. Not to forget Charlotte Rampling and Lisa Bonet ;-) How could I? -
Most recent members' review
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16 out of 16 people found this review helpful
a hidden gem
This the only film directed by Alan Parker that I rate at all, which is funny cos in a recent documentary of his work they missed this one completely.
Its dark, post-war New Orleans setting is a wonderful backdrop for an American Gothic tale. Add to that sleazy old Mickey Rourke (remember him?) in his best role, Robert De Niro being all self-restrained menace and a plot which slowly works towards an ending which is as chilling as it is inevitable - a recipe for a classic. Not to forget Charlotte Rampling and Lisa Bonet ;-) How could I? -
News and features
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Rourke added to Expendables
- 07 Jan 2009
Mickey Rourke has joined the cast of Sylvester Stallone's forthcoming action movie The Expendables. Several big names are already set to appear in the movie, with Forest Whitaker confirming earlier this week that he is to star as a CIA operative. Others already on board include Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham and Randy Couture. According to Variety, Rourke will play an arms dealer in the film, which centres on a group of mercenaries who are trying to free South American people from a... Read more
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Angel Heart - BLU-RAY Version
In Alan Parker's ANGEL HEART, based on the novel FALLING ANGEL by William Hjortsberg, a New York City gumshoe is hired to find an aging blues singer. Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) follows clues from the ominous ghettos of Harlem to the witchy backwoods of Louisiana, where he takes up with Epiphany ...
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Angel Heart
In Alan Parker's ANGEL HEART, based on the novel FALLING ANGEL by William Hjortsberg, a New York City gumshoe is hired to find an aging blues singer. Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) follows clues from the ominous ghettos of Harlem to the witchy backwoods of Louisiana, where he takes up with Epiphany ...
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