By: H.B.G.
Angel Heart Poster artwork by Renato Casaro (detail).
Note: ‘Angel Heart’ is a difficult film to discuss without giving away key points of the story and spoiling the plot. This is a film to be relished, so we will simply laud the film here, give our Occult Purport, and hopefully not divulge too much. It’s darkly delicious.
Amongst our many favorite Satanic or Occult themed Horror Films ‘Angel Heart’ (1987), which was released 31 years ago this month, still stands among the best. It’s excellent cast and production and it’s sinister, occult-noir atmosphere – deftly blended with a haunting soundtrack – separates this masterpiece of Diabolical Cinema from the many ham-handed attempts at the Diabolical Horror subgenre. The production is pure movie magic of the highest calibre in our opinion. With a Faustian premise set in 1955’s New York City, and a story that takes us to steamy New Orleans, Angel Heart unsettles us from the very start and then proceeds to take us on a journey into the heart of one man’s personal Darkness and, finally, the discovery of an impending evil carrying a one way ticket to Hell.
The film was adapted from William Hjortsberg’s novel Falling Angel. Hjortsberg also wrote the screenplay for Legend (1985), in which Tim Curry so adeptly brought Darkness to life…
Tim Curry as Darkness in Legend, 1985.
Like our beloved ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968), there are no overt supernatural occurrences taking place in the story (at least, not perhaps until the very end – and even that is subtle and may be up for interpretation), placing the narrative firmly in reality and from the point of view of an unsuspecting protagonist. Our protagonist is one Harold Angel (wink), a gumshoe detective hired by a Mr Louis Cyphere (wink, wink) – an unusual client with some unsettled business. Harold Angel is sent on a manhunt for ‘Johnny Favorite,’ a famous crooner who’s gone missing since the War (WWII). As our Harry Angel falls deeper into a Black Magic Mystery peopled by corruptible characters of dubious interests and backgrounds, we find ourselves intrigued by the suspicious strands of destiny and danger which draw ever tighter around our detective.
When Harry met Louis. Curious to know whose portrait that is above De Niro.
Occult Purport
One traditional French title for this Key is: Force majeure,
Every significant relationship our detective discovers about the missing singer – be it physician, lover, or friend – is tainted with unwholesome or diabolical elements, linking the baneful Johnny Favorite and everyone involved with him to Evil Forces.
This strongly reminds us of The Devil XV Arcana in the Tarot. Johnny Favorite and each of his accomplices are bound to Evil. The chains that bind the demons to the black half-cube (unbalanced energy) pedestal of The Devil are of their own making. They choose to remain at the feet of The Devil (notice how loose the chains are about the demon’s necks in the Tarot card shown – they could choose to leave The Devil if they were not so enjoying being held under His power). Every “evil” act perpetrated – whether out of addiction (Dr. Fowler), Fear, Greed, Anger, Lust, Vanity or Pride – inflicts another karmic link in the chains binding these characters to Johnny Favorite (and towards an inevitable and sticky end). Johnny Favorite binds himself to Evil and does what he does out of his own self interests without giving any thought to how it effects those around him (who are likewise bound by their choices to involve themselves with such an unsavory character), or for when it comes time for his own eventual atonement.
Interesting to note here is that a traditional French title for The Devil Tarot key is Force majeure, meaning “superior force”, also known as cas fortuit (French) or casus fortuitus (Latin) “chance occurrence, unavoidable accident”, which is a common clause in contracts that essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as a war, strike, riot, crime, or an event described by the legal term act of God (hurricane, flood, earthquake, volcanic eruption, etc.), prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract.
Above: Two Devil cards from two different Etteilla style French Tarot decks explicitly state Force Majeure. Silly Mr Etteilla felt the need to renumber this key 14 (among other changes made by the demented wigmaker).
In practice, most force majeure clauses do not excuse a party’s non-performance entirely, but only suspend it for the duration of the force majeure. Hmmm…
Charlotte Rampling as Madame Krusemark spreads the Tarot in a promo shot.
Read our article: The Details In the Devil – Tarot
Did you know???
When Louis (Robert De Niro) blows salt from his egg onto the restaurant table, Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) takes a pinch and throws it over his left shoulder. The superstition is that by doing so you blind the devil (or your evil angel). The Left being the “sinister” side where the demon sits.
And… The law firm Winesap and Mackintosh are two types of apples, traditional agents of the Devil tempting mankind. (Even though the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is not identified as an apple in any Bible translation.)
Mickey Rourke as Harold Angel with Charlotte Rampling as Margaret Krusemark. Angel Heart, 1987.
Edward Kelley (the fake name used by Mr Krusemark when he bailed Johnny Favorite out of the “nut-hatch” in upstate New York) is also the name of a famous sixteenth century English alchemist and magician (1555-1597/8).
Robert De Niro as the deliciously diabolical Mr Cyphere reminds us of a sober and well-dressed satyr who’s just had a manicure.
The poem about Evangeline and her lover, to which everyone refers, is “Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie” (Link: Evangeline) by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Lisa Bonet is bewitching in Angel Heart.
The line “How terrible is wisdom when it brings no profit to the wise” is drawn from Sophocles‘ “Oedipus The King”. The quote is appropriate as the “final horrific revelation” trope in the story of Oedipus somewhat parallels that in Angel Heart.
Have one in memory of Toots Sweet…
Two Sisters Cocktail Recipe: Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 ounces Dolin Blanc Vermouth
- 1 1/2 ounces Dolin Rouge Vermouth
- 1/4 ounce Tenneyson Absinthe Royale
- Garnish: orange twist
Add the vermouths and absinthe into a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir until cold, 15 to 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist and serve straight up.
Not to be confused with the Twin Sisters cocktail! Thank you Iris for the correction!
Twin Sisters Cocktail: Ingredients: 1/2 oz Light Rum; 1/2 oz Spiced Rum; 1 dash Coca Cola; 1 dash Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice. Shake with ice and strain into shot glass.
Sinister Blessings of the limp left hand.
The original skeleton Key: The Hand of Glory.
Satanic Cinema Sommelier; Our Favorite Devilish Films
An Interview with Ernest Harada: Celebrating 50 years of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’
Devil In The Details 
Interesting trivia, for Angel Heart, but your drink recipe is all wrong. It should be a Two Sisters Cocktail not a Twon Sisters Cocktail.
A Two Sisters Cocktail is made with vermouth and absinthe and is named for The Court of the Twin Sisters Restaurant in New Orleans.
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/courting-twos-sisters-cocktail-from-midnight-cowboy-in-austin-recipe.html
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Thank you so much for pointing it out to us! We enjoyed a mimosa brunch at the the Courtyard of the Two Sisters in ‘Nawlins many, many moons ago. Our sleepy at the keyboard mistake will be corrected.
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