Angel Heart (1987)

Director:

Alan Parker

Writers:

Alan Parker (screenplay)
William Hjortsberg (novel)

Release Date:

6 March 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

It will scare you to your very soul.

Plot:

Harry Angel has a new case, to find a man called Johnny Favourite. Except things aren't quite that simple...

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Voodoo | Blood Spatter | Stockings | Countryside

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Mickey Rourke	...	Harry Angel
Robert De Niro	...	Louis Cyphre
Lisa Bonet	...	Epiphany Proudfoot
Charlotte Rampling	...	Margaret Krusemark
Stocker Fontelieu	...	Ethan Krusemark
Brownie McGhee	...	Toots Sweet
Michael Higgins	...	Dr. Albert Fowler
Elizabeth Whitcraft	...	Connie
Eliott Keener	...	Det. Sterne
Charles Gordone	...	Spider Simpson
Dann Florek	...	Herman Winesap
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Nurse
George Buck	...	Izzy
Judith Drake	...	Izzy's Wife
Gerald Orange	...	Pastor John (as Gerald L. Orange)
Peggy Severe	...	Mammy Carter - Herb Store Proprietor
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Det. Deimos
Dave Petitjean	...	Baptism Preacher (as David Petitjean)
Rick Washburn	...	Cajun Heavy #1
Neil Newlon	...	Cajun Heavy #2
Oakley Dalton	...	Big Jacket
Yvonne Bywaters	...	Margaret's Maid
Loys T. Bergeron	...	Mike
Joshua Frank	...	Toothless
Karmen Harris	...	Harlem Mourner
Nicole Burdette	...	Ellie
Kendall Lupe	...	Oyster Cajun #1
Percy Martin	...	Oyster Cajun #2
Viola Dunbar	...	Concierge
Murray Bandel	...	Bartender
Jarrett Narcisse	...	Epiphany's Child
Ernest Watson	...	Oyster Bar Saxophonist
Rickie Monie	...	Oyster Bar Pianist
Sugar Blue	...	Toots Sweet Band - Harmonica
Pinetop Perkins	...	Toots Sweet Band - Piano
Deacon John Moore	...	Toots Sweet Band - Lead Guitar
Richard Payne	...	Toots Sweet Band - Double Bass
W. Alonzo Stewart	...	Toots Sweet Band - Drums
Lillian Boutte	...	Toots Sweet Band - Vocalist
Joel Adam	...	Tap Dancer
Darrell Beasley	...	Tap Dancer (as Darrel Beasley)
Stephen Beasley	...	Tap Dancer
Jerome Reddick	...	Tap Dancer
Louis Freddie Kohlman	...	Voodoo Drums
Stephen Kenyatta Simon	...	Voodoo Drums
Curtis Pierre	...	Voodoo Drums
Kufaru Aaron Mouton	...	Voodoo Drums
Roselyn Lionheart	...	Voodoo Musician
Marilyn Banks	...	Voodoo Dancer
Lula Elzy	...	Voodoo Dancer
Francesca J. Ridge	...	Voodoo Dancer
Hope Clarke	...	Voodoo Dancer
Oscar Best	...	Voodoo Dancer
Sarita Allen	...	Voodoo Dancer
Noel Jones	...	Voodoo Dancer
Valerie Jackson	...	Voodoo Dancer (as Varerie Jackson)
Greer Goff	...	Voodoo Dancer
Arlena Rolant	...	Voodoo Dancer
Karen Davis	...	Voodoo Dancer
Shirleta Jones	...	Voodoo Dancer
Mark L. Taylor	...	Voodoo Dancer (as Mark Taylor)

Directed by
Alan Parker

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William Hjortsberg		novel "Falling Angel"
Alan Parker		screenplay

Produced by
Robert Dattila	....	associate producer
Mario Kassar	....	executive producer
Elliott Kastner	....	producer
Alan Marshall	....	producer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	executive producer (as Andrew Vajna)

Original Music by
Trevor Jones

Cinematography by
Michael Seresin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gerry Hambling

Casting by
Risa Bramon Garcia		(as Risa Bramon)
Billy Hopkins

Production Design by
Brian Morris

Art Direction by
Armin Ganz
Kristi Zea

Set Decoration by
Robert J. Franco
Leslie A. Pope		(as Leslie Pope)

Costume Design by
Aude Bronson-Howard

Makeup Department
Victor DeNicola	....	hair stylist (as Victor De Nicola)
David Forrest	....	key makeup artist
Robert Laden	....	special makeup artist
Paul LeBlanc	....	hair designer
Carla White	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Simon Bosanquet	....	production supervisor
Dan Mark	....	executive in charge of production
Michael Nozik	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah M. Brim	....	second assistant director
Michael Dister	....	dga trainee
Ric Kidney	....	first assistant director
Nina Kostroff-Noble	....	second assistant director (as Nina Kostroff)

Art Department
Maher Ahmad	....	assistant art director: New York
Tommy Allen	....	property master (as Tom Allen)
Anthony Baldasare	....	set dresser
Michael L. Benson	....	set dresser (as Michal Benson)
Charles Cecil	....	key set builder
Warren Clymer	....	draftsman: New Orleans
Jeremy Conway	....	assistant art director: New Orleans
Thomas Costabile	....	key set builder
Dan Davis	....	draftsman: New York (as Daniel R. Davis)
Roger Dietz	....	scenic artist
Anthony Dunne	....	construction coordinator: New Orleans (as Tony Dunne)
John M. Dwyer	....	lead set dresser (as John Dwyer)
Ann Edgeworth	....	assistant props
Martha Fishkin	....	set dresser
Robert J. Franco	....	set decorator: New York
Margery Z. Gabrielson	....	signwriter (as Margery Gabrielson)
Sandy Hamilton	....	assistant props
John A. Kelly	....	scenic artist (as John Kelly)
Joseph Petruccio Sr.	....	construction coordinator: New York (as Joe Petruccio Sr.)
Leslie A. Pope	....	set decorator: New Orleans (as Leslie Pope)
John Ransom	....	key set builder
Scott Rosenstock	....	lead set dresser
Richard A. Ventre	....	scenic artist (as Richard Ventre)
Daniel Boxer	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Bruce Lee Gross	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Frank Hendrick	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Ken Nelson	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Elaine O'Donnell	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Thomas Hudson Reeve	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Keith Wall	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eddy Joseph	....	sound editor
Jean-Pierre Lelong	....	foley artist
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Robert Litt)
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Danny Michael	....	sound recordist
Marc-Jon Sullivan	....	boom operator (as Marc Jon Sullivan)
William Trent	....	sound effects editor
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jean-Marc Lentretien	....	sound mix technician: additional (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Russell Berg	....	special effects assistant
J.C. Brotherhood	....	special effects supervisor
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses

Visual Effects by
David Smith	....	optical cameraman: Camera Effects Ltd (uncredited)

Stunts
Andy Duppin	....	stunts
Joy Hooper	....	stunts
Harry Madsen	....	stunt coordinator
Felix Mauras	....	stunts
Bufort McClerkins	....	stunts
Perry Nichols	....	stunts
Franklin Scott	....	stunts (as Franklyn Scott)
Roy Thomas	....	stunts
Shirley Walker	....	stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunts
Bill Read	....	dog attack stunt double: Mickey Rourke (uncredited)
Webster Whinery	....	stunt double: Mickey Rourke (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert M. Andres	....	grip (as Robert Andres)
Peter Bloor	....	supervising electrician
James Donahue	....	best boy (as Jim Donahue)
Michael Fedack	....	grip
Haddon Hufford	....	dolly grip
Michael Hunold	....	electrician
Larry Huston	....	second assistant camera
Robert Ippolito	....	grip
Pamela Katz	....	assistant camera
George Kontaxis	....	unit still photographer
Michael Levine	....	camera operator
Dennis J. Lootens	....	electrician (as D.J. Lootens)
Todd MacNicholl	....	grip
Larry McConkey	....	Steadicam operator
Kevin Murphy	....	electrician
Eamonn O'Keeffe	....	first assistant camera
Michael Papadapolous	....	electrician
George Pattison	....	key grip
Charles Quinlivan	....	grip
Mike Roberts	....	camera operator (as Michael Roberts)
Connie Sawyer	....	electrician
Jamie Silverstein	....	electrician
Susan Starr	....	assistant camera
Allen Stillman	....	electrician (as Alan Stillman)
Michael Trim	....	chief electrician
Paul Wachter	....	grip
Rodney Bauer	....	grip (uncredited)
Edward A. Gutentag	....	camera trainee (uncredited)
Mike 'Chewie' Pappas	....	electrician (uncredited)
Chris Rosen	....	electrician (uncredited)
Owen Stephens	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Isabelle Kramer	....	extras casting
Rick Landry	....	extras casting
Heidi Levitt	....	casting assistant
Lisa Peterson	....	casting assistant
Stephanie Samuel	....	casting assistant
Cynthia Ellis	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elin Bjorkman	....	wardrobe supervisor
Danajean Cicerchi	....	assistant costume designer (as Dana-Jean Cicerchi)
Barbara Hause	....	wardrobe supervisor
Alvin Perry	....	assistant costume designer
Heidi Shulman	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Clive Barrett	....	assistant editor
Jocelyne Cita	....	assistant editor
Glenn Cunningham	....	assistant editor
Leonard Green	....	assistant editor
Uri Katoni	....	assistant editor
Dorre Koeser	....	assistant editor
Bob Noland	....	color timer (as Bob Nolan)
Ginny Parillo	....	negative cutter (as Virginia Parillo)
Alexander Parker	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Catherine Bott	....	musician: Soprano solo
Paul Hulme	....	music engineer
Courtney Pine	....	musician: saxophones

Transportation Department
Joseph Fanning	....	transportation captain: New York
Alvin Milliken	....	transportation coordinator: New Orleans
Al Sens	....	transportation captain: New Orleans
Bobby Marsh	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Alicia Bernard	....	office: London
Julie A. Bloom	....	production assistant: New York (as Julie Bloom)
Chris Chandler	....	production assistant: New York
Wayne Clapion	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Janice Clark	....	assistant auditor
Isabelle de Geofroy	....	assistant auditor
David Dempsey	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Christian Faber	....	production assistant: New York
Louis Falco	....	choreographer
Jonathan Filley	....	location manager: New York
Peter Govey	....	film titles
Jill Greenberg	....	production assistant: New York
Dick Gros	....	location auditor
Nancy Hult Ganis	....	unit publicist (as Nancy Hult)
Mark Hutto	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Jeanne Joe	....	assistant to executive producer
Ingrid Johanson	....	production office coordinator
Maureen Kleinman	....	production assistant: New York
Linda Lawrence	....	assistant to executive producer
Jay Lempart	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Charles M. Lum	....	production assistant: New York
Maria Marini	....	assistant auditor
David Massar	....	production assistant: New York
Steve McAuliff	....	animal trainer (as Steve McAulif)
David Ross McCarty	....	location coordinator: New Orleans
Dennis Milliken	....	dispatcher: New Orleans
Felix Olivier	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Ron Phipps	....	financial controller
Dale Pierce-Johnson	....	assistant coordinator (as Dale Pierce Johnson)
Erin Quinn	....	assistant auditor
Corky Randall	....	horse wrangler
Grant Reid	....	production assistant: New York
Mary Richards	....	unit coordinator
Dana Robin	....	production assistant: New York
Gilly Ruben	....	assistant: Mr. Parker
Mark Sarver	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Brad Schnurr	....	craft service
Woody Sempliner	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Mary Shelton	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Guy Snodgrass	....	craft service
Robin Squibb	....	script supervisor
Leeann Stonebreaker	....	production assistant: New Orleans (as Leann Stonebreaker)
Clayton Townsend	....	location manager: New Orleans
Ceci Vajna	....	assistant to executive producer
Anna Wright	....	unit publicist (as Anne Wright)
Evelyn Fitzgerald	....	craft service: New York (uncredited)
Sharon Kahn	....	assistant unit publicist (uncredited)
Lonnie Ramati	....	production business affairs (uncredited)
Robert Shaw	....	assistant: Elliott Kastner (uncredited)
Art Smith Jr.	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Tim Tyler	....	location assistant: New York (uncredited)
Rick Washburn	....	weapons coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Carolco International N.V.
• Winkast Film Productions
• Union

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• AMLF (1987) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia-Cannon-Warner (1987) (UK) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Jugendfilm-Verleih (1987) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1987) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Toho-Towa (1987) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Guild Home Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• Alliance Atlantis Video (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Artisan Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Avid Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (DVD) (Middle East)
• IDA films (2009) (Spain) (video)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Impuls Home Entertainment (2001) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Live Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Live Video (1998) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Camera Effects  opticals
• Goldwyn Sound Facility  re-recorded at
• New Orleans Film Commission, The  film commission

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | Canada | UK

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (re-rating 2001) | Norway:18 | Singapore:R21 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:X (original rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-16 (1992) | Finland:K-18 (1987) | Canada:18A | Portugal:M/18 | Brazil:18 | USA:R (Certificate #28544) (Cut) | USA:X | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Albany, New York, USA

Company:

Carolco International N.V.

Trivia:

Louis Cyphre is shown wearing a mood ring, colored brown, which represents "restlessness".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Harry direct dials a seven-digit phone number from a payphone. This wouldn't have been possible in the 1950s.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Louis Cyphre:Johnny. Johnny. Johnny.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Machinist (2004)

Soundtrack:

Sunny Land

Grade: A

I was stunned at what this film did to me. An absolutely brilliant display of psychological horror. Alan Parker made the scariest film of the eighties, maybe the scariest film of the second half of the century with this picture. The hell with "Psycho", "Angel Heart" is where it's at if you want horror.

I don't know how Parker hasn't become the Hitchcock of his generation after this film. I know some of his other work - "Evita" and Mississippi Burning" are two films of his that I happen to think are pretty good. But they're nothing like this. What Parker does so well here, what he seems to get better than any other director I've noticed since this film was made, is how atmosphere makes a movie. He has a real sense of place and time that's a key component to making the terror of this movie real.

Aside from Parker's talents, there are three performances without which the movie just wouldn't work.

Robert de Niro gives the second best performance of his career here, right next to "Raging Bull", and even that's pretty close. I'm not even normally a huge fan of de Niro's - I mean, don't get me wrong, he's a legend, but I find most of the time that I'm less impressed with him than most people are. Not here. In this movie, de Niro makes the simple act of eating an egg into a treatise on mortal dread. He should have received the Oscar for this performance, no question about it.

Lisa Bonet - what happened to her? Every couple of years I'll see her in something like this or "High Fidelity", and she's got all this charisma - she really is a superb actress. What she does here is really interesting because you can see that it's very underdone, a lot of subtlety. Which is a strange way to go if you're playing a voodoo priestess. But she's very vulnerable here. I think it's a shame she didn't become the star she could have. I'd love to see more work from her.

Mickey Rourke is another resident of the "Where are they now?" file. I've heard more from him recently though. He's been making a comeback of sorts. He's actually the primary reason I rented this movie, because I saw him in Sean Penn's "The Pledge" and wanted to see more of his stuff. He's the third performance that makes this movie complete, and he's the one who really has the hardest job, who has to strap it to his back and get it across the finish line. His is also the most important job, because he needs to instill the terror in you. It's through his eyes that you witness these bizarre events, and it's his reaction that makes it all the more terrifying.

Again, brilliant. Can't say enough about it. The last thirty seconds or so kind of sucks (those of you who've seen it know what I'm referring to), but I can just turn it off before that. Oddly, it doesn't ruin what's come before.