ANGEL HEART

1987

Before the Film

The film was made in 1987 and stars Mickey Rourke and Lisa Bonet.

Bonet had been appearing on the Bill Cosby show and had a kind of pure image. It was specifically because of this image that she was cast here.

Rourke was not auditioned for the role but walked around New York with director/screenplay writer Alan Parker. The two developed great rapport and Parker cast Rourke without a test.

De Niro was appearing on Broadway at the time and the filming of his scenes had to take place around his performance schedule on the stage.

Like the other films, this film deals with pacts with the Devil, although there is a “twist” to the way it is handled.

The film takes place largely in two cities (New York and New Orleans) and two times and has scenes in two different time periods, although neither is the one in which the film was made – 1955 and 1943.

How are the cities kept “distinct” in the film? Is there ever any confusion about which city the characters are in at the moment?

Although all Devil films to some degree are forced to deal with the supernatural, there is a greater stress on religion in this film than in many others, although the religion involved in not necessarily Christian.

Watch especially for religious events and settings and comments about religion.

The film’s structure is not linear. How is it organized?

What is the “authority” for the images? That is where do they come from?

The sound in the film is very important. Watch for clues in the sound track

Choreography for Voodoo ceremonies is by Louis Falco, a dancer who choreographed Fame and had a dance company. He was interested in Caribbean dance.

After the film

What kind of personality does the Devil have?

The films religions iconography sets the stage for what happens – churches in Harlem, ministers without real conviction, contrast with “voodoo” rituals and supernaturalism of believers who take religion seriously. Is the film a warning to take the Christian God seriously?

Where does Harry meet the Devil (church). The Devil is respectful of “God’s house”

Harry is an atheist

Mention of Brooklyn as a place of low culture(?)

Why has the Devil chosen Harry Angel for this job?

Wants him to remember his deal with the Devil.
The film deals with Angel’s slow returning memory of the deal and his amnesiac attempts to repress what happened. What things remind him of his past?

Sounds:

Rhythmic and musical patterns
Heart beats on the sound track – are they non diagetic or not? Does Harry hear them?
Harry knows the song and plays it on the piano at Margaret Kruzemark’s.
Rhythmic patterns: (heartbeat) tap dancing
The non diagetic music for the film uses Johnny Favorite’s song which appears both in and out of the diagesis.

There are also indications of precognition:
Elevator going down
What can you say about religion in the film? Is Christianity "demonized" in some way? People inChristian Church are hoodwinked by false priests etc. Voodoo practitions take religion seriously. What does Epiphany's comment about killing chickens and the crucifixion indicate?