Angel (1984)

Don't Believe the Hype

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

15 year-old Molly is the best in her class. Nobody suspects that the model pupil earns her money as lady of the night "Angel".The well organised separation of her two lives is shattered when two of her friends are murdered.She's the only eye witness and becomes a target. The investigating Detective helps her, not only to survive, but also to query why she does what she does....I really have no idea what I actually just saw, but after about thirty minutes, I couldn't stop myself from enjoying it.Everything about wreaks of exploitation, but it's not in your face. Never once do we see the titular character partake in any occupational traits, it's as if she spends the night with the worse cross-dresser in town, and a woman with amazing eyebrows, whilst avoiding a killer.Diehl is brilliant as the killer, and although he virtually utters no lines, he's quite a sinister presence.With films like this, there are huge unintentional laughs, and the best pedestrians on the street looking bemused, but that's what makes this film so much fun.It's bonkers, cheesy, way over the top, and short.Plus it's the best film ever to feature a Hare Krishna fight a transvestite.

Just one look at the poster for this film, which depicts its winsome star Donna Wilkes both as pig-tailed, 15-year-old high-school student Molly and hot-pants wearing Hollywood hooker Angel, and it is clear that the film has bags of sleazy potential: after all, isn't under-age prostitution always a winner? Factor in the film's vicious serial killer angle, the seedy locale, and a whole menagerie of LA weirdos, and this could easily have been an essential slice of hard-hitting 80s exploitation. Sadly, this is not quite the case...If one is to believe Angel's writer/director Robert Vincent O'Neill, Hollywood Boulevard circa 1984 was a gaudy wonderland where, even if one's dreams didn't come true, there was still friendship to be found among the kind-hearted hookers and lovable oddballs who walked the streets at night; psycho killer aside, everyone in the film is essentially a good soul despite their outwards appearance or dubious life choices. While O'Neill's rather rose-tinted view of Hollywood and his affection for his characters gives the film heart, it also seriously undermines its ability to act as a truly gritty shocker.Particularly notable is the reluctance to depict Angel actually plying her trade, as if doing so might make the viewer less sympathetic towards her plight; she spends most of her time chatting to friends, and the one time she actually picks up a john, the scene is cut short before any hanky panky can take place (in fact, virtually all the nudity in this film occurs in the girls locker room at Angel's high school, and none of it is from Wilkes!). O'Neill also kindly spares his viewers the pain of seeing any of the oh-so-undeserving murder victims dispatched in detail, meaning that the film is disappointingly light on gore.The good news is that, even though Angel frustratingly wimps out on the stronger stuff, thereby denying it legendary status, the film still offers plenty for it to warrant a viewing: John Diehl makes for a convincingly deranged killer; Susan Tyrrell, Dick Shawn, and Rory Calhoun give strong supporting performances; cinematographer Andrew Davis effectively captures Hollywood's seamy vibe; and last but not least, there's the undeniable appeal of Donna Wilkes who, whether in school uniform or slutty work attire, looks gorgeous throughout.

If anyone is at all unclear, this is an exploitation flick. As such, it goes where Hollywood tends not to dare, and there is bloody and gruesome(if somewhat vague) violence, as well as nudity(though relatively little). There is also plenty of strong language. It speaks to the lowest common denominator, it provokes, and, worth noting, it actually treats a taboo subject without really oversimplifying or downplaying it. I honestly haven't watched enough of the sub-genre to determine if that last bit is common practice, but I can imagine that it isn't. In fact, I have to wonder if this doesn't stand out from the rest of them, since I was frankly surprised that this had as much of a conscience as it did. We follow Molly, an honor student in high school, who is a prostitute at night. The contrast between these aspects of her situation is well-done, and while the concept does require a moderate amount of suspension of disbelief, both "worlds" are treated to a credible portrayal. This has a decent enough plot, and the progression is fine. The pacing is good, this doesn't lose your interest for the 90 minute running time. Humor is somewhat hit and miss. With that said, this never tries too hard to get a laugh. The character gallery is colorful and memorable, including a former double for the cowboy lead for Westerns and shares tales of the stars he met and worked with during his career and a charming and sweet man who makes a living from tips, for performing yo-yo tricks on the street. Acting varies, Wilkes does pretty well, and has you believing in the role. The music isn't bad. I would call this a thriller before an action movie, since there is so not that much of the latter. Don't get me wrong, however, what there is is entertaining enough. I recommend this to anyone who thinks they might enjoy it. 6/10

Teenage prostitute, Angel(Donna Wilkes), working the streets of Hollywood, becomes the target of a serial killer whose slicing and dicing her friends. Angel(..who must also contend with concealing the truth regarding how her mom and dad left her for their own endeavors) becomes a prominent figure in capturing the psychopath while detective Lt Andrews(Cliff Gorman)begins to investigate her.Despite provocative subject matter(..both the idea that a 15 year old hooking to pay for private school funding and apartment fee since she has no parents and a psycho necrophiliac who bangs the prostitutes after murdering them)director Robert Vincent O'Neill and writer Joseph Michael Cala remain cautious in how they tell the story of a teenager using her body as a tool to pay for what she needs. They don't fail to acknowledge the environment itself(..but, to be honest, ANGEL isn't as tough and gritty as VICE SQUAD dealing with similar themes)filling their film with lots of "street color", folks like Rory Calhoun's folksy cowboy Hollywood relic, Dick Shawn's pleasant, genial transvestite(..who is Angel's confident), and Susan Tyrrell's(..over-the-top) spiky-haired, really loud, cantankerous tenant(..who rents to Angel). Gorman isn't too shabby as Angel's developing friend, who wishes to help her get out of the current morass she finds herself. The film doesn't pass judgment on the characters, and the filmmakers take great strides in displaying care and sympathy for Angel's plight. Despite a lurid synopsis, it's obvious the filmmakers couldn't express explicit sexual details of a miner with her johns. Although, the film has nudity(..plenty of exposed breasts)and rampant profanity, this is far less risqué than you might think judging by it's setting and focus on a depressing life-style. The film also links her current night life with the other world(..normal school surroundings) she inhibits as her frequent defiance to bed the jerk jock comes back to haunt her when he and his goons drive the Boulevard looking for sexual kicks.It's up to each individual viewer whether or not you accept the idea that Angel could remain so adorable, clean, and innocent, surviving so well in such an environment where your body is used so regularly with all kinds of men. And, the fact that she could achieve high grades at her school, while keeping authoritative figures in the dark regarding her parents, is a bit of a stretch, but I guess it's possible. At times, ANGEL feels like an after-school special, particularly in how the score is used, but it has a gnarly climax as Angel chases after the killer(..disguised as a Hare Krishna!)packing a gun while Andrews and Calhoun's Kit Carson follow in pursuit to save her from herself. Again, the backdrop of Hollywood Boulevard is effectively used as the story unfolds. Diehl's killer is often an after-thought as the film often focuses more on Angel's drama.