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Summary: Dark Psychological Mystery--Human Capacity for Evil
Review: This Haunting flick is a Bluesy Classic that never leaves your mind. Scenes remain permanently lodged in your data banks and influence your opinion of other noir films. How could anyone compare to DeNiro, in this role ? Rouke is very convincing as an archetypal "down and out detective" and brings a special feel to the character that only he could deliver. There are many cliche' scenarios in this film, but I can't recall anything that surpasses "Angel Heart's" version of "detective thriller, with a twist." I hate when people spoil a movie, so I'll refrain from revealing the plot, yet I encourage everyone to explore this Psychological Detective story for themselves. The characters are superb and Lisa Bonet got in a lot of hot water over the sexual scenes.... Confront your inner demons and explore the human capacity for evil.
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Summary: this movie rocks
Review: i cant forget this movie, so imaginative, so haunting...this is truly a modern day classic, and if u havent seen it, or havent seen it in a while, be sure to check it out! u wont regret it. alan parker is pure genius.
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Summary: search for personal hell
Review: Eventhough the performances of Mickey Rourke, Rober De Niro and Charlotte Rampling earned a lot of praise and are mostly talked about when this film is discussed, its greatest value is its ultimate noir quality. As Raymond Chandler once put it, every detective in a real good mystery is really in search of himself, simultaneously trying to evade his personal hell. Harry Angel, the detective in this film, is epitome of that kind of detective. I also liked the New Orleans-style blues.
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Summary: Very underrated thriller
Review: At the time of release, I was only about 12 years old, so even repeated viewings didn't fully satisfy my eagerness to understand this film. Years later, it still stands as one of the best psychological thrillers of all time, and contains one of Mickey Rourke's last really good roles before he washed himself up.It's on par with "Se7en" (with about a decade separating the two) in terms of atmosphere, and how successful the director is in creating it. Alan Parker ups the ante here and never sacrifices believability thanks in part to great character performances all across the board. Particularly De Niro, in a superb understated turn as Satan himself. Add to that one of the best film-centric scores of recent memory by saxophonist Courtney Pine, and with it, your halloween viewing should be complete. Even though most people will guess the ending before it happens, they still won't want to leave the film before that ending comes.
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Summary: Where's the NR version???
Review: I can't believe they went to all the trouble of transferring this to DVD and then didn't release the 'Not Rated' version! The R version is great, though, and I highly recommend it. It's fantastically filmed... very atmospheric.
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Summary: EXOTIC GOTHIC MASTERPIECE
Review: Alan Parker creates a classic film noir mystery that morphs into a gothic nightmare in slow and subtle ways. Rourke plays a private detective, Harry Angel, hired by a cryptic clent (De Niro) to track down someone whom he claims owes a debt to him. As Angel follow this person's trail through New Orleans his world starts to unravel around him. He starts to experience strange and frightening visions and finds himself involved in the local murder investigations of people whom he interviewed trying to track down his mark. Jazz... Voodoo... Atmosphere. Alan Parker is meticulous and deliberate about every aspect of this film's composition. Beautiful cinematography and a great cast round out this incredible thriller.
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Summary: exotic gothic masterpiece
Review: Alan Parker creates a classic film noir mystery that morphs into a gothic nightmare in slow and subtle ways. Rourke plays a private detective, Harry Angel, who has been hired by a cryptic client (De Niro) to find a missing person whom he claims has failed to repay a debt. As Rourke follows the trail through New Orleans things start to unravel around him. He experiences strange and frightening visions and gets involved in the local murder cases of people he interviewed while trying to track down his mark. Jazz... Voodoo... Atmosphere. Alan Parker is meticulous and deliberate about every aspect about this film. Beautiful cinematography and a great cast round off this brilliant thriller.
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Summary: The Faustian Deal...How many will take it?
Review: ...what price fame, glory, and that one great moment in time? (A hit record?) Subtexted to the story line is how rock n roll music was created... ..reminds me of what some of these young artists have done to get a record deal to "blow up", as it were. Just kidding, just kidding. Love Lisa Bonet as Epiphany, not cause of her being nekkid, but she was weird and mystical. Always love anything Orleans.
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Summary: Creepy Film Noir that will scare and delight you!
Review: This film is full of haunting imagery, stellar performances, superb dialouge, and pure terror. The theme teaches us that old cliche, we have met the monster and he is us. How can I convey the pure wonderfullness of this film, the New Orleans setting, the marvelous Rourke and DeNiro, the relentless pacing as the mystery is unravelled. Look for the meanings of the elevator, Times Square, blood being washed from the wall..... Symbolism abounds
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Summary: extraordinary work
Review: Though it may sound like hyperbole, this is one of the best films ever made--and one of the most complex in terms of its references to other films and texts. Though reviewers almost always miss the allusion, the film is a remake of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. At the conclusion, when Satan says to Johnny, "How unlucky is wisdom, Johnny, when it brings no profit to the wise," he is directly quoting Teiresias from the Sophocles play. (Whenever a detective with a foot problem goes looking for a stranger and finds instead himself, Oedipus is usually lurking in the background.) In addition the film contains playful references to the classic film Chinatown and to Diner, where Mickey Rourke first became a star. Also there are literary references to the Book of Genesis and to Poe's "Telltale Heart." But even ignoring the references to other texts, this is a marvelous thriller.
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