Sunday 1 July 2012

Angel Heart: Blood, Sweat and Swamps … !

23·12, 1-7-2012.

You know, I REALLY have to admit, there’s time I run out of stars, I really do … !

Anyone that’s been reading the Old Peculiar for a while, now, will realise I’ve been rating movies, now from zero stars (☆☆☆☆) — which is where I’m bluntly tell you not to waste you money — all the way up to four stars.   ★★★★, or Go buy or rent this film, now!

And while I don’t hand out zero (☆☆☆☆) that often — I try and find something good about a film, however bad — I usually try to make sure when I hand out a high rating, I hand it out to a film that deserves it.

Then, frankly … ?

Then, frankly, there’s the films you SERIOUSLY want to rave about … !

Four stars (★★★★) somehow, doesn’t seem enough … !

What I’m trying to say, here … ?

Is that simply, you’ll have to take the timestamp of a given Movie Night post into account: the nearer the start of the post to the end of a film I’ve given a good rating to … ?

Frankly, the better.

And, boy, I’ve just seen a film that qualifies as a Late Night Starter, let’s put it THAT way … !

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The reason I’m burbling like this … ?

Is that I’m thinking I’ve just seen a film that qualifies as a Late Night Raver.

The Alan Parker directed, 1987 film starring Mickey Rourke that is … 


And if, like me, you’ve not seen it before now … ?   I’d urge you to change that … !   iTunes rentals are there for a reason … !

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Set in 1955, Angel Heart sees Mickey Rourke as Harry Angel, a down-at-heels private investigator who’s hired by a mysterious client — Louis Cyphre, Robert De Niro, possibly the most menacing version of the Devil I’ve seen — to find a missing singer called Johnnie Favourite: a singer, it seems who owes Mr Cyphre, after reneging on a contract.

The case goes badly from the start: as Harry finds himself chasing all sorts of leads: initially, starting in New York, and then all the way down to New Orleans, the sweaty beating heart of Louisiana.

It gets worse, though … 

Because, of course, the bodies start piling up.

And the local police start to suspect Harry is Suspect Number 1 … 

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Now, I was saying about giving handing out high ratings … ?

You betcha!

Angel Heart is a lush, entrancing movie, and one I’m willing to bet looks as good now as it did on it’s initial release.

What’s more … ?

What’s more, it manages one hell of a noir plot-line, great little performances from it’s cast … 

AND has both Brownie McGhee and Pinetop Perkins putting in appearances.

What more do you want … ?

Go get, folks!
Angel Heart
★★★★

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