Review of Angel Heart (1987) by Paco R — 13 Jun 2008

Before Se7en and The Sixth Sense, take a dark memory lane with Angel Heart. Adapted from William Hjortsberg novel "Falling Angel", it is essentially a mix of hard-boiled and horror.

From the seedy alleys/clubs of Harlem and New Orleans to deep Lousiana, dir Alan Parker drips grimy menace at the right turns. Robert DeNiro - even if his part is a cameo - you can feel somthing not right everytime he appears. Lisa Bonet was both smouldering though vulnerable as a young voodoo priestess. And last but not least, the awesome Mickey Rourke in the lead who (in Roger Ebert's words) filled the centre of the film like a violently unmade bed.

Repeating viewings will not diminish the enjoyment of the movie. Even if you may have figured out its twist ending.

But you may not look at old creaky elevators the same way.

If there's any morals in this film it would be: if you don't who you truly are, you're damned.