Angel Heart - Ascensore per l'inferno

"Angel Heart" is a true standout film among director Alan Parkers' filmography: a seedy, depressing, disturbing, provocative, and mesmerizing mystery with all the creepy imagery one could hope for. It begins on a very ominous note and remains gripping all the way through its serpentine story. Mickey Rourke, in one of his very best performances, stars as Harry Angel, low rent NYC private eye hired by mysterious Louis Cyphre (Robert De Niro, who's fantastic) to locate a vanished crooner named Johnny Favourite. His search leads him from NYC to New Orleans, and with the story (based on the novel "Falling Angel" by William Hjortsberg) taking place in the mid-1950s, that merely adds to the overpowering atmosphere. Along the way, the dead bodies start piling up, and Harry finds things just getting more and more gloomy as his search moves inexorably towards its devastating conclusion. I think that a key to this films' success is that it *can* work even for the viewer who knows the major revelations beforehand, or guesses at them early on. It's the gravitas that Parker and his fine cast brings to the proceedings that make it so compulsively watchable. Also appearing are Charlotte Rampling, beautiful as ever, in the role of black magic practitioner Margaret, and the stunning Lisa Bonet, who's memorable in the role of young mother Epiphany. Familiar faces in smaller roles include Pruitt Taylor Vince, as a detective (he acted again for Parker in "Mississippi Burning"), Kathleen Wilhoite, as a nurse, Michael Higgins as a drug-addicted doctor, musician Brownie McGhee as Toots Sweet, and Dann Florek ('Law & Order: SVU') as an attorney. As this story plays out, one just knows that whatever Harry finds out, it won't be pleasant, and the dark tone extends to the memorable sex scene, which is erotic and creepy in equal measure. The music score by Trevor Jones is suitably eerie and there's a serving of blues music that is irresistible, adding to the overall experience. In the end there's a strong message about the nature of living a lie, and the final confrontation between two characters is brilliantly subtle, depending on acting rather than spectacle or much in the way of cheese. This represents a solid effort from all concerned. Eight out of 10.

Such an impressive movie, if like me you're a fan of noir, or neo noir, then you will absolutely love this movie.

The first thing you will be struck by is the appearance of the film, it is a visual masterpiece, the attention to detail is flawless, you could actually turn the colour off, and imagine this being made in 1955.

Secondly, the atmosphere, smoke filled rooms, the clothes, music, accents, just awesome to behold, they got the tone spot on.

It's a great story, it takes a few moments for you to know what's happening, and get the direction, but you will.

Finally the acting, Rourke is at his absolute best, one of the best films I've seen him in, he is tremendous, it's so nice to see him in his handsome pre surgery years. De Niro, what can you say, he's just incredible.

Captivating, 9/10.

This is a very sordid film. I usually don't go for that sort of thing, but there are a lot of other good things about this movie that made me add this to my collection.

There is very good cinematography and camera-work in here, made even better by the special edition DVD transfer. I liked the old film-noir type atmosphere in the story, which is an interesting one overall.

There are no really good-guy characters in this film. Mickey Rourke plays the star of the movie: private eye "Harry Angel." He's somewhat of a low-life but so is everyone else. Lisa Bonet looks spectacular and has a steamy sex scene in here. Robert De Niro gets big billing but he doesn't have that many lines in this film.

The ending of this movie has a very unique twist to it, but it's certainly not a satisfying ending. It is one I should go back over after the next viewing and check for credibility. That's all I can say without using spoilers.

Overall, a sleazy but very intriguing story, with great atmosphere, that I enjoy watching every five years or so. Some would call this movie a modern-day "film noir."

I'm not in the least surprised that other reviewers either love this or hate it to bits - I also bet that it's the younger users to whom the nature of the visual narrative of the film - the way it's all told to us, the viewer - may seem a bit dated. And to a point, they're right - "Angel Heart" is totally an eighties film, a film of the decade in which the movie world was discovering a new visual language in video and playfully indulged in experimenting with its new toy. It was literally speaking to a generation straight out of MTV classrooms and workshops and is in that sense very similar to stuff like "Betty Blue". And true enough, there is a lot to remark on what can today be seen as a slightly poseur-ish "one too many revolving fans, angularly lit staircases and heartbeat sounds in the soundtrack" kind of thing. However, "Angel Heart" does carry a tremendous amount of energy thanks to its imagery, which will stick to the viewer's mind in exactly the same way a sweaty shirt sticks to the body in sticky weather. Besides, the impeccably drawn cast led by Rourke does a truly remarkable job - that's beyond question - the sets are great, production design and cinematography are very evocative, the soundtrack is memorable and the story is one of the crucial ones. I personally love it.

Give it a go by all means.

I do not go much for that Parker kind of stuff("Midnight express" ,albeit technically breathtaking was a little racist,"Shoot the moon" was a big bore,and you've got to be into Pink Floyd to appreciate such a work as "the wall")"Angel Heart " is a different matter,because it deals with the horror and fantasy genre.Against all odds,for someone who had never tackled this difficult genre,Parker succeeded magnificently.The screenplay is first-rate,with a strong story,with an ending you'll never guess (and I will not reveal it of course!)Including drugs,voodoo,sabbath ,intense love scenes,featuring a wonderful cast:Rourke,who had never been better (and never would)and a frighteningly deadpan DeNiro cast as Louis Cipher,this movie takes us along in a meandering,labyrinthine investigation in which private detective Rourke will find so dreadful things he won't escape unharmed. The supporting cast is excellent:Charlotte Rampling stays only a few minutes on the screen ,and yet,we remember her and her tea.The same goes for the junkie doctor.I'd tone it for one thing:the elevator scene might have been borrowed from an old French movie,"Huis clos",directed by Jacqueline Audry,from Jean-Paul Sartre's play(1956).