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Set in Harlem and New Orleans in 1955, this supernatural thriller stirred a brief controversy when released in 1987 because some scenes featuring Lisa Bonet (then a popular cast member of The Cosby Show) were considered too sexually explicit to be rated R. The edited material was restored for the unrated video release, and the movie now makes a fitting double bill with Fallen, with its similar plot about a sullen detective (Mickey Rourke) who is hired to find a missing person by a shady client with pointy fingernails named Louis Cyphre (Lucifer, get it?), played with subtle menace by Robert De Niro. Rourke's investigation leads him into an underworld of voodoo and forbidden desires, and as the mystery unfolds director Alan Parker fills every scene with conspicuous style and atmospheric excess, compelling critic Pauline Kael to observe that, "Parker simply doesn't have the gift of making evil seductive, and he edits like a flasher." And yet, this movie does cast a spell of its own (Roger Ebert's review was considerably more charitable), and the performances of Rourke, De Niro, Bonet, and Charlotte Rampling are well suited to the ominous mood. --Jeff Shannon
DVD features
Fans of this underrated occult-noir gem will be extremely satisfied with Lions Gate's special edition of Angel Heart. It is a great combination of a clean presentation, documentaries, detailed commentaries, and new/original promotional material. The key elements to Angel Heart's effectiveness are its dark, rich visuals and haunting soundscapes. Previous releases look and sounded OK, but this newly remastered DVD is nothing short of outstanding. The new anamorphic widescreen (1.85) presentation and 5.1 Dolby Digital sound successfully radiate Angel Heart's beautiful and unsettlingly aura of evil and passion. Director Alan Parker's interesting commentary is the same as on previous releases. What is new for this edition is scene-specific commentary by Mickey Rourke (runtime: 15 minutes). Though a full commentary would have been great, Rourke's limited anecdotes are a welcome addition. One of the more surprising and satisfying extras is a new, and very rare, 20-minute interview with Rourke about his experiences working with Parker and the shooting of Angel Heart. And for those looking to learn more about dancing with the Loas, there are five new documentaries about the Voodoo religion (total runtime: 60 minutes), including two extended dance sequences. This is the edition Angel Heart aficionados have been waiting for, and no souls had to be sold to get it. --Rob Bracco
DVD features
Fans of this underrated occult-noir gem will be extremely satisfied with Lions Gate's special edition of Angel Heart. It is a great combination of a clean presentation, documentaries, detailed commentaries, and new/original promotional material. The key elements to Angel Heart's effectiveness are its dark, rich visuals and haunting soundscapes. Previous releases look and sounded OK, but this newly remastered DVD is nothing short of outstanding. The new anamorphic widescreen (1.85) presentation and 5.1 Dolby Digital sound successfully radiate Angel Heart's beautiful and unsettlingly aura of evil and passion. Director Alan Parker's interesting commentary is the same as on previous releases. What is new for this edition is scene-specific commentary by Mickey Rourke (runtime: 15 minutes). Though a full commentary would have been great, Rourke's limited anecdotes are a welcome addition. One of the more surprising and satisfying extras is a new, and very rare, 20-minute interview with Rourke about his experiences working with Parker and the shooting of Angel Heart. And for those looking to learn more about dancing with the Loas, there are five new documentaries about the Voodoo religion (total runtime: 60 minutes), including two extended dance sequences. This is the edition Angel Heart aficionados have been waiting for, and no souls had to be sold to get it. --Rob Bracco