| Angel | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Robert Vincent O'Neill |
| Produced by | Donald P. Borchers |
| Written by | Joseph Michael Cala Robert Vincent O'Neill |
| Starring | Donna Wilkes Cliff Gorman Rory Calhoun John Diehl Susan Tyrell Dick Shawn |
| Music by | Craig Safan |
| Cinematography | Andrew Davis |
| Editing by | Charles Bornstein |
| Distributed by | New World Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 11 January 1984 |
| Running time | 94 min |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3 million |
| Followed by | Avenging Angel |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Angel is a 1984 film directed by Robert Vincent O'Neill, and written by Robert Vincent O'Neill with Joseph Michael Cala. It was released by New World Pictures.
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Plot
15 year old Molly Stuart (Donna Wilkes) is an Honours student at an expensive private Hollywood high school. Nobody suspects that the model pupil is secretly a prostitute named "Angel" at night, who works on Hollywood Boulevard after being abandoned by her parents. Her substitute family includes a transvestite, Mae (Dick Shawn), a celebrity gun-slinging cowboy Kit Carson (Rory Calhoun) and her foul-mouthed lesbian landlord, Solly (Susan Tyrell). For a while, she manages to support herself and keep her secret, but her two separate lives are shattered when some of Molly's school mates discover her working the streets one weekend, causing Molly to become a social outcast. Meanwhile, two of her prostitute friends become victims of a necrophile serial killer. As the only eyewitness Angel becomes a target herself. The investigating detective, Lieutenant Andrews (Cliff Gorman) is soon assigned to the case and takes Angel under his wing. Together they try to stop the insane killer from destroying what's left of Angel's life. Taglines:
- High School Honor Student by Day. Hollywood Hooker by Night.
- Her two worlds are about to collide. It's her choice. Her chance. Her life.
Sequels
The movie became an 1980's cult classic, and was popular enough to spawn three sequels, each with a different starring actress. Sequels comprised of Avenging Angel (1985), starring Betsy Russell, Angel III: The Final Chapter (1988), starring Mitzi Kapture, and Angel 4: Undercover (1993), starring Darlene Vogel.
Behind The Scenes
Lead actress Donna Wilkes was actually 25 years old, when she played the role of 15 year old Molly Stuart in this film. She prepared for the role by talking to real-life street prostitutes on Hollywood Boulevard, and spent time with the Hollywood Police Department, and in various halfway houses for underage children living on the streets of Los Angeles. Composer Craig Safan wrote the score to this film in less than a week. The film premiered at the Pacific Hollywood Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. A fact sheet inside the theatre confirms this. The theatre also features in the climax of the film , where a gun-toting Angel opens fire on the killer, terrifying patrons outside. The motel in the film is the El Royale Motel at 11117 Venture Boulevard, North Hollywood. It has scarely changed since this film was shot in 1983. In fact, most of the film was shot at real locations on and around Hollywood Boulevard.
DVD release
In 2003, Anchor Bay Entertainment released the Region 1 DVD box set of all three Angel films entitled The Angel Collection.[1]
Trivia
- Lead actress Donna Wilkes was actually 25 years old when she played the role of 15 year old Molly Stuart in this film. She prepared for the film by talking to real life prostitutes on Hollywood Boulevard, as well as spending time with the Hollywood Police Department and in several half-way houses and hostels for underage children living on the streets of Hollywood.
- Composer Craig Safan wrote the score to Angel in under a week.
- When Angel is dropped off in front of the Mann's Chinese Theatre, the movie marquee reveals that Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is playing.
- Premiered at the Pacific Hollywood Theatre located at 6433 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. A fact sheet located within the theatre displays this fact in print.
- In any distant shots where Angel is running, she is wearing thick, chunky high heels, as opposed to the stilettos she is wearing in closer, alternate shots when merely walking or standing.
- The movie highlights the song Something Sweet written by Pamela Neal, Bernard Dunaux, Matt Preble and Bebe Cross; and performed by the group The Allies.
- The motel used in the film is the El Royale Motel, located at: 11117 Ventura Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91604-3134. In fact, most of the film was shot on location, on and around Hollywood Boulevard.
References
External links
- Angel at the Internet Movie Database
- Angel - fan site with an emphasis on the filming locations.
