A darker shade of Noire.
| To say this movie was controversial is putting it mildly, a few too-many seconds of Mickey Rourke’s thrusting posterior earned it an X rating – but a little editing wizardry knocked it down to an R before its theatrical run. Not that it benefited at the box office. Still, Alan Parker’s Angel Heart is a gorgeous waking nightmare that deserves more love than it’s ever received, it’s a saxy, sultry and sweaty slice of neo-noir that drips off the screen. The movie’s notoriety did manage to tank Lisa Bonet’s career for a while. If I remember my tabloid headlines, on learning about her less-than-wholesome scenes, Cosby booted Lisa off the show and sent her packing to Hillman college. She spent the first season on A Different World (along with Marisa Tomei) before moving on. The original video releases included the R-rated theatrical cut and an “Unedited” version that restored those ten seconds of risqué content – which was novel at the time. Regardless of the version, the movie looks damn good on the shelf next to 9th Gate, The Serpent and the Rainbow or Mister Frost. |