Oh, The Horror! #48: Angel Heart

A masterfully done film, one of my absolute favorites. Starring Mickey Rourke as Harry Angel, Robert De Niro as Louis Cyphre, and Lisa Bonet as Epiphany, a Vodou mambo, from start to finish you're hooked into this hard boiled noir inspired horror film. Alan Parker does a wonderful job crafting a film of complete and utter mystery, tension, and suspense. You're constantly at the edge of your mind wondering just where this film is going to go and the climax totally lives up. The tone given from beginning to end is creepy, enchanting, and pulls you in. From the music to the colors and the strong performances, you truly believe what you're watching. Is there a supernatural element to this movie? Is it all just in our heads or is the film tricking the viewer? You should see for yourself.

Harry Angel is a private detective hired by Louis Cyphre to look for a man who seem to have vanished off the face of the Earth, the man named Johnny Favorite. Harry searches high and low from NYC to New Orleans searching for Favorite. But things start to get highly tense when the the people Harry questions start to drop off like flies through disturbing ways. The cops start to pursue Harry along with other questionable people. He also meets Epiphany, a beautiful young Vodou priestess who's connected somehow, further entangling Harry into this strange web and world of Vodou.

I give this film full praises throughout from direction to overall production and acting. A lot of the tense moments are only pushed further by the fantastically strong performance of Mickey Rouke. I have to say from the different films I've seen played by Rouke, his turn as Harry Angel is by far my favorite, especially by the end of the film when everything gets revealed. De Niro clearly has a lot of fun in this weird role as Angel's client and Bonet is fine as a Vodou priestess. I'm impressed greatly in the scene where Bonet shows off her Vodou dancing skills along with a huge group of Vodou practitioners and Bonet really falls into character, making a sacrifice to whoever she's dancing to (why don't we find out she she is dancing to?). I also really adore the sex scene between Bonet and Rourke. A truly enticingly horrifying and mind-bogglingly scene, fantastically well shot with quick jump cuts and highly intense with blood dripping from the rain and pouring on the lovers. Definitely one of the very best "love" scenes I've seen in a movie that compliments well with the suspenseful tone of this masterpiece of a film. A highly recommend piece of art. If you haven't seen this do so. It's a wonderful film to add to your collection, whether you're a horror fan or not.

Also noted, I want to mention the special features from the DVD. There's a wonderful documentary going into details of the religion and practice of the Vodou religion in contrast to Hollywood Voodoo that's been pushed forth in movies. I loved this documentary and hope people check it out and don't have a close-mind of the belief and actually take into account just how much Hollywood and the media as tainted people's minds on the Vodou faith.

Oh, The Horror! #3: Norma Desmond (In Sunset Blvd)

"I am big! It's the pictures that got small!" belts Norma Desmond, portrayed by the late great Gloria Swanson in 1950's Sunset Boulevard. Okay, so this movie isn't a horror movie, but for the people who's seen this movie can all agree that Norma Desmond, the aging actress who's in denial of her faded spotlight is just downright creepy. Now, for the people who hasn't seen this movie: what the frag is wrong with you?! Go and buy it right now! This is a classic that should be on everyone's DVD collection!

William Holden stars in this movie as Joe Gillis, a struggling screenwriter in Hollywood. His car is about to be towed due to missing his payments and struggles to get the cash for it. He tries to hide the car inside of a garage after a car chase from those pesky folks who won't leave him alone for his car and meets the woman who owns that great big mansion where he parked it. The actress is non-other than the great Norma Desmond, a big time actress from the silent film era. Or "used to be" big shot. But don't tell her that! She's a star, it's just that the pictures got too small! Before Gillis can leave, he is forced to read Desmond's screenplay of Salome, a story of a young princess who Desmond has envision with her in the starring role. Reluctant at first, Gillis sees the opportunity to finally get some money as Desmond begins to spoil him with many things, including her growing desire for him. Her love and desire for him begins to becoming very disturbing as the cold-hearted actress becomes even more creepy given her already scary mindset of now being a fallen actress. This is certainly a movie that has held up through the ways and is still a blast to see, especially seeing the characters go through a spiral, maybe a way of warning me, an aspiring director/actor, about the Hollywood biz. Sheesh.

But anyways, if you haven't seen this movie, go pick it up now and enjoy the it from beginning to the very last line that's become a classic in cinema, "... All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."