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    Angel Heart
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    Angel Heart

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    "A detective hunts a ghost only to become the prey."

    March 6, 1987 113 English
    71%

    User Score

    142000 votes

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    Overview

    Harry Angel is a private investigator drowning in alcohol and plagued by blackouts. He accepts a job from a man calling himself Louis Cyphre, who claims to be Harry's father. The assignment involves tracking down Johnny Favorite, a rhythm-and-blues singer who vanished a decade ago after allegedly selling his soul to the devil. Cyphre promises that solving this case will restore Harry's lost memories.

    The investigation drags Harry from the cold streets of Brooklyn into the humid, superstitious atmosphere of New Orleans. There he meets Epiphany Proudfoot, a diner worker with strange knowledge of his past, and encounters a world of voodoo rituals and corrupt officials. The line between reality and hallucination blurs as Harry digs deeper into a conspiracy involving dark forces and a sinister church.

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    PlotSpoiler-free

    In 1955 Brooklyn, Harry Angel wakes up hungover in a cheap hotel room, struggling to recall his last night. A well-dressed stranger named Louis Cyphre arrives at his door, claiming to be Harry's long-lost father. Cyphre offers Harry a substantial sum of money to find Johnny Favorite, a famous blues singer who disappeared ten years earlier. The singer had reportedly signed a pact with the devil to gain fame, and Cyphre believes finding him will unlock Harry's own forgotten history. Harry agrees to the job despite his severe drinking problems and memory gaps.

    Harry travels south to New Orleans, where the air feels thick with humidity and secrets. He checks into a hotel and begins his search, quickly becoming entangled with Epiphany Proudfoot. She works at a local diner and seems to know more about Harry than she lets on. Their relationship develops amidst the city's jazz clubs and shadowy alleys. Harry also seeks out Toots Sweet, a blind musician whose songs appear to predict the events unfolding around him. These interactions suggest that the city itself is watching and guiding Harry toward a specific destination.

    The trail leads Harry through abandoned churches and secret societies. He visits a sanitarium where patients are subjected to cruel experiments, hinting at a larger network of power behind the missing singer. Harry starts experiencing vivid flashbacks and hallucinations that make it difficult to distinguish what is real. The police force in New Orleans appears complicit in covering up crimes, adding to the sense of paranoia. Every clue points back to Louis Cyphre, yet the detective cannot pinpoint exactly why Cyphre hired him or what the true purpose of the mission is.

    As Harry gets closer to the truth, his addiction worsens and his grip on reality slips further. He discovers that the people around him may be part of a malevolent design. The film builds tension through disturbing encounters and surreal imagery. The title Angel Heart takes on a visceral meaning as Harry realizes the investigation is not just about a missing person. The narrative suggests a supernatural element tied to the sale of souls. Harry follows a path of clues that leads him toward a final confrontation, though the full scope of the horror remains hidden until the very end.

    Ending ExplainedSpoilers

    Trailers

    Official Trailer

    Critical Reception

    Critical Consensus

    This neo-noir thriller blends supernatural horror with psychological suspense effectively. Critics praised the atmospheric direction and strong performances from Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro. While some found the plot convoluted, the shocking twist ending remains a defining moment in 1980s cinema.

    Top Cast

    Mickey Rourke

    Mickey Rourke

    Harry Angel / Johnny Favorite

    Robert De Niro

    Robert De Niro

    Louis Cyphre

    Lisa Bonet

    Lisa Bonet

    Epiphany Proudfoot

    Charlotte Rampling

    Charlotte Rampling

    Margaret Krusemark

    Brownie McGhee

    Brownie McGhee

    Toots Sweet

    Crew

    Director

    Alan Parker

    Writers

    William Hjortsberg, Alan Parker

    Composer

    Trevor Jones

    Cinematographer

    Michael Seresin

    Producers

    Alan Marshall, Elliott Kastner

    Awards

    Saturn Awards (1988)

    Best Horror Film: Nominated

    Golden Globe Awards (1988)

    Best Original Score: Nominated

    BAFTA Awards (1988)

    Best Cinematography: Nominated

    Keywords

    new york cityamnesiaheartsouthern usavoodoodetectivedrug addictionnew orleans, louisianainvestigationneurosissanatoriumsurrealismsatanistsale of soulpact with the deviltimes squaresatanflashbackmurdervisionsoul sellingpsychological thrillerchurchdrugsdevilincestprivate detectivemissing personmephistophelessatanic ritualbeelzebubdevil worshipneo-noirfaustian pactbeating heartnever agingceiling fan

    Sources

    Facts

    Lisa Bonet Age
    19 during filming
    Character Name Clue
    Louis Cyphre is an anagram of Lucifer
    Novel Author
    William Hjortsberg (published as William Lashner)
    Filming Location
    New Orleans, Louisiana
    Controversy
    Banned or cut in several countries due to satanic themes

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