Fallen (1998)

Homicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style.

Director:

Gregory Hoblit

Writer:

Nicholas Kazan

Stars:

Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Denzel Washington	...	John Hobbes
John Goodman	...	Jonesy
Donald Sutherland	...	Lt. Stanton
Embeth Davidtz	...	Gretta Milano
James Gandolfini	...	Lou
Elias Koteas	...	Edgar Reese
Gabriel Casseus	...	Art
Michael J. Pagan	...	Sam
Robert Joy	...	Charles
Frank Medrano	...	Charles' Killer
Ronn Munro	...	Mini Golf Owner
Cynthia Hayden	...	Society Woman
Ray Xifo	...	Society Man
Tony Michael Donnelly	...	Toby
Tara Carnes	...	Teenage Girl

Storyline

Det. John Hobbes is convinced that when killer Edgar Reese is executed, all of his troubles are over. But when people he knows and people on the street start to sing the same tune that Reese sang in the gas chamber, and those same people taunt him, he is told that maybe the cursed fallen angel Azazel is behind it all. Azazel is cursed to roam the Earth without a form, and he can switch bodies by any contact, making him hard to track. When Hobbes is forced to kill a man possessed by Azazel, he must clear his name while protecting his family and others from the evil, vengeful Azazel.

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Plot Keywords:

azazel | serial killer | fallen angel | demon | demonic possession | 

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Taglines:

Don't trust a soul.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Syriac Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

Release Date:

16 January 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Poseídos

Filming Locations:

Holmesburg Prison - 8215 Torresdale Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,401,566, 16 January 1998, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$25,188,006, 22 March 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Turner Pictures (I), Atlas Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of two supernatural thrillers involving thirty year old murders from Gregory Hoblit. First is this film, and second is Frequency (2000).

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Goofs

After shooting a man on the street, Hobbes walks over to the man lying in the street. The dead man is shown with a gun still in his hand, but when Hobbes reaches only the man's feet (nowhere near his hand), Hobbes is seen kicking the gun away.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Azazel: I wanna tell you about the time I almost died...

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Connections

Referenced in Big Wolf on Campus: The Pleasantville Strangler (1999)

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Soundtracks

Superman
Written and Performed by Robert Wait
Published by Robert Wait Music

User Reviews

little recognised classic

Denzel Washington gives a strong performance in this surprisingly little known gem from director Gregory Hoblit. A classic detective thriller with a demonic edge, this film managers to keep the suspense running until the very end. With one of the most dramatic and scary personal chase sequences ever brought to the big or small screen, this film has it all, including a strong cast (Donald Sutherland and John Goodman in a surprisingly convincing non-comedy role as Hobbes partner to name but a few.)

Now reduced to a cheap video rental, if you have a spare evening, watch this film. Some great lines, truly chilling storyline, and believable characters played by a superb cast, all add up to make this a movie well worth a look.