To my mind, Alan Parker has always been one of the least interesting filmmakers who ever lived. Unfortunately, he's had access to some of the most interesting plots/premises in the movies. 'Angel Heart' is probably the ultimate case in point. It's basic set-up - that a man sold his soul to the devil for fame and fortune, but then found a way to renege on the deal - is fascinating. In the hands of William Friedkin on form, or Roman Polanski, or even Jeff Lieberman, this could have been a great little film. Instead it's overlong, portentous and pretentious, and lacking in anything approaching real wit. It's also terminally rooted in the 80's with it's overt, lazy score, spurious sense of 'style' (lots of shots of ceiling fans and Ridley Scott lighting) and general lack of subtlety. Some things even Parker can't foul up, though. The De Niro scenes are highly enjoyable, Rourke is watchable and the guy playing 'Toots' is a hoot.
I haven't read the book, 'Fallen Angel' by William Hjortsberg, that this is based on, but I'm betting its pretty good. Shame that Parker, the man who made fiction out of the real life 'Midnight Express' and never got William Wharton's 'Birdy' off the ground, got his paws on it.
I haven't read the book, 'Fallen Angel' by William Hjortsberg, that this is based on, but I'm betting its pretty good. Shame that Parker, the man who made fiction out of the real life 'Midnight Express' and never got William Wharton's 'Birdy' off the ground, got his paws on it.