Angel Heart (1987)
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A private investigator's search for a missing singer leads him into a dark web of occult secrets and supernatural danger.
The story
In 1955 New York City, private investigator Harry Angel is hired by a mysterious man named Louis Cyphre to locate a missing crooner known as Johnny Favorite. The investigation leads Harry to a series of unsettling discoveries regarding the singer's past and his current whereabouts. The trail eventually takes him to New Orleans, where the atmosphere grows increasingly heavy with mystery. As Harry delves deeper into the singer's history, he finds himself entangled in a web of violence and strange occurrences, forced to confront the unsettling reality of the case as the line between reality and the supernatural begins to blur.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1955 New York City, private investigator Harry Angel is hired by Louis Cyphre to find a missing crooner, Johnny Favorite. After discovering that the singer's records were falsified, Harry travels to New Orleans to investigate further. He encounters several people linked to the singer, including his former bandmate Toots Sweet and his former lover's daughter, Epiphany. Following a series of murders, Harry confronts a powerful local man, Ethan Krusemark, who reveals that Favorite was an occultist who sold his soul to Satan. It is revealed that the man Harry was searching for—and the man he has become—is actually the same person. The film culminates in a confrontation with Cyphre, who reveals himself as a demonic entity. Harry realizes his own role in the violence and the truth of his identity as the man who traded his soul for fame, ultimately ending in a descent into hell.
- First release year
- 1987
- Runtime (minutes)
- 113
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Alan Parker
- Writers
- Alan Parker · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Mickey Rourke · Harry Angel; Robert De Niro · Louis Cyphre; Lisa Bonet · Epiphany Proudfoot; Charlotte Rampling · Margaret Krusemark
- Genres
- neo-noir; psychological horror
- Themes
- identity; occultism; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- disturbing; brutal; hypnotic; noir
- Premise and plot tags
- investigation; supernatural; mystery
- Content notes
- sexual content
- Reception
- The film received a mixed reaction, praised for its performances, production design, and score, but criticized for its convoluted screenwriting. It underperformed at the box office but is considered influential.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 82% · review count: 34
- Awards and nominations
- Jupiter Award · Best International Actor · win; Young Artist Award · Best Young Female Superstar in Motion Pictures · win; Saturn Award · nomination · nomination
- Production trivia
- The character Louis Cyphre's name is a homophone for Lucifer.; The film was influenced by the novel's allusions to voodoo and the occult.; The film was a major influence on Christopher Nolan's Memento.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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