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Friday, April 22, 2005
Harold Angel
Angel Heart as a movie was a long time in coming. Evolved from a best selling book "Fallen Angel" by William Horjortsberg, it went through many re-writes, and almost as many possible producers. Later the locations, where the action actually took place, were changed, from New York to Louisiana, and the screen-writer that finally pulled it all together, Alan Parker, had the perfect idea as to exactly how it should be played out. Luckily for us, this long journey from book, through various screenwriters, to film, gave time for Mickey Rourke and Robert DeNiro to be chosen to play the lead characters, Harold Angel, and Louis Cypher. Which made the movie what it is, a true masterpiece, and an unforgettable film.
Robert DeNiro, being chosen to play the enigmatic and thoroughly creepy character Louis Cypher, was one of the best choices ever made in the cinematic realm for a movie of this genre. Also, the action sequences in Angel Heart actually "grew". It could easily be compared to the beginning of a love affair. It had hints of a heartbeat stirring continuously, which proceeds through the storyline and builds up momentum. With the film building forbidden passion between the two characters, it almost makes for a painful "waiting-period" before the deep-kissing, moon-eyed looks ritual, and some heightened foreplay erupts. The heart-thudding anxiety at long last, crescendos into the deliciously cascading release of the explosive ending! Scary, and yet thoroughly pleasurable, stuff indeed. Hey, with both Mickey and Robert to look at, and watch, who could help but feel it?
The subject matter was quite unusual. Witchcraft, devil worship, occult practices, these subjects are not your everyday fare, in most movies. There was a huge possibility for this film to be reduced to nothing more than a mish-mash of comedic portrayals. Yet, due to the sincere and far above average, talent of actors who played each of the main characters , this film was so totally believable, it was nearly a documentary into the very dark world of the arcane. These feelings come, because of the subtlety with which the cast and also the director, approached the core story developement, of what was truly going on throughout the movie.
A very sinister and mysterious client, Louis Cypher hires an obscure private detective, Harold Angel, to find a missing person, named Johnny Favorite for him. Ah, the play on words here is a delicious combination of later revealed clues. Harry Angel is all the while lead like "a sheep to the slaughter", by Cypher. DeNiro let me say, was perfect in this role, so suave yet so slimy, at the same time. Though he didn't elicit any feelings of terror from those he encountered, he was still so powerfully EVIL, it emanated from his very gaze. Although I totally knew he was only an actor playing a part, when the camera rested upon his face, it made me gasp.
Mickey Rourke was totally gorgeous, and breathtaking as the confident, and cocky private eye, and yet in some ways, remarkably "childlike", especially in his repeated inability to correctly pronounce the simple name, "Cypher". Rourke was also funny and very appealing in his aversion to the chickens, which seemed to always be loitering where-ever he found himself. His attitude of horror was perfect when he realized who and what he really was.
I saw no acting there, only being. The first time I saw Angel Heart, I had no idea who was responsible for the deaths of the people that had known Johnny Favorite. I didn't know who was bumping them off as Harry got in touch with them. The actuality was much more intriguing, and horrific, in a sense that it could possibly actually happen. Well you never know. This movie doesn't get "old" in time. The other actors added to the overall appreciation of the movie. Lisa Bonet, was so appealing, innocent looking, while still being highly sensual, in her role as the young voodoo priestess/single mother, with some interesting and mysterious connections to Harry.
Charlotte Rampling fits the character of the socialite, deeply involved in the occult, Margaret Krusemark, like a satin glove. To be honest, I don't see how any other actors, in any of the roles here-in, would have made AngelHeart any more enjoyable. So, since 1987, I continue to watch it again, and again.
This character synopsis was written by Pamela Daniels feedback is greatly appreciated.
Visit this site: http://www.geocities.com/mickeyrourkeonline
~~~~~~~~~~Pamela~~~~~~~~~~~
Harold Angel
Angel Heart as a movie was a long time in coming. Evolved from a best selling book "Fallen Angel" by William Horjortsberg, it went through many re-writes, and almost as many possible producers. Later the locations, where the action actually took place, were changed, from New York to Louisiana, and the screen-writer that finally pulled it all together, Alan Parker, had the perfect idea as to exactly how it should be played out. Luckily for us, this long journey from book, through various screenwriters, to film, gave time for Mickey Rourke and Robert DeNiro to be chosen to play the lead characters, Harold Angel, and Louis Cypher. Which made the movie what it is, a true masterpiece, and an unforgettable film.
Robert DeNiro, being chosen to play the enigmatic and thoroughly creepy character Louis Cypher, was one of the best choices ever made in the cinematic realm for a movie of this genre. Also, the action sequences in Angel Heart actually "grew". It could easily be compared to the beginning of a love affair. It had hints of a heartbeat stirring continuously, which proceeds through the storyline and builds up momentum. With the film building forbidden passion between the two characters, it almost makes for a painful "waiting-period" before the deep-kissing, moon-eyed looks ritual, and some heightened foreplay erupts. The heart-thudding anxiety at long last, crescendos into the deliciously cascading release of the explosive ending! Scary, and yet thoroughly pleasurable, stuff indeed. Hey, with both Mickey and Robert to look at, and watch, who could help but feel it?
The subject matter was quite unusual. Witchcraft, devil worship, occult practices, these subjects are not your everyday fare, in most movies. There was a huge possibility for this film to be reduced to nothing more than a mish-mash of comedic portrayals. Yet, due to the sincere and far above average, talent of actors who played each of the main characters , this film was so totally believable, it was nearly a documentary into the very dark world of the arcane. These feelings come, because of the subtlety with which the cast and also the director, approached the core story developement, of what was truly going on throughout the movie.
A very sinister and mysterious client, Louis Cypher hires an obscure private detective, Harold Angel, to find a missing person, named Johnny Favorite for him. Ah, the play on words here is a delicious combination of later revealed clues. Harry Angel is all the while lead like "a sheep to the slaughter", by Cypher. DeNiro let me say, was perfect in this role, so suave yet so slimy, at the same time. Though he didn't elicit any feelings of terror from those he encountered, he was still so powerfully EVIL, it emanated from his very gaze. Although I totally knew he was only an actor playing a part, when the camera rested upon his face, it made me gasp.
Mickey Rourke was totally gorgeous, and breathtaking as the confident, and cocky private eye, and yet in some ways, remarkably "childlike", especially in his repeated inability to correctly pronounce the simple name, "Cypher". Rourke was also funny and very appealing in his aversion to the chickens, which seemed to always be loitering where-ever he found himself. His attitude of horror was perfect when he realized who and what he really was.
I saw no acting there, only being. The first time I saw Angel Heart, I had no idea who was responsible for the deaths of the people that had known Johnny Favorite. I didn't know who was bumping them off as Harry got in touch with them. The actuality was much more intriguing, and horrific, in a sense that it could possibly actually happen. Well you never know. This movie doesn't get "old" in time. The other actors added to the overall appreciation of the movie. Lisa Bonet, was so appealing, innocent looking, while still being highly sensual, in her role as the young voodoo priestess/single mother, with some interesting and mysterious connections to Harry.
Charlotte Rampling fits the character of the socialite, deeply involved in the occult, Margaret Krusemark, like a satin glove. To be honest, I don't see how any other actors, in any of the roles here-in, would have made AngelHeart any more enjoyable. So, since 1987, I continue to watch it again, and again.
This character synopsis was written by Pamela Daniels feedback is greatly appreciated.
Visit this site: http://www.geocities.com/mickeyrourkeonline
