YMMV / Angel Heart (1987)

• Adaptation Displacement: The novel Falling Angel isn't half as well known as this film.
• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • It's unclear whether or not Louis Cyphre knew Harry was Johnny, or was waiting to find out once Harry confirmed his identity. The film strongly implies Louis knew and was waiting for Harry to find out for himself.
  • Harry's rather creepy interest in women much younger than himself - two of whom were actually underage girls - suggests that he might not be the nice guy he first appears. Or maybe that's just Johnny leaking through.
• Angst? What Angst?: Ethan is fairly subdued about the death of his daughter. It might be justified in that he was aware that evil forces could claim her at any moment — especially Johnny. It makes even more sense that Ethan is afraid of Johnny Favorite, and treats him with kid gloves since the guy was so evil he ate a human heart to summon Satan.
• Awesome Music: As to be expected from Alan Parker. Lots of 40s-era New Orleans jazz and an excellent score by Trevor Jones.
• Best Known for the Fanservice: Most people remember this as "the movie where that kid from The Cosby Show gets naked". It's unfortunate since the film is an excellent horror/mystery with great performances by everyone involved, including Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro. Ironically, the scene itself is Fan Disservice, quickly diving into Bloody Horror, plus a later reveal that they're father and daughter.
• Captain Obvious Reveal: Honestly, if you're not expecting Louis Cyphre to at the very least be a bad guy of some sort, you haven't really been watching the movie very closely. Or at all.
• Complete Monster:
  • Mephistopheles, in the guise of Louis Cyphre, makes contracts with mortals in order to take their souls to Hell or devour them. When Johnny Favorite attempts to escape his contract, Cyphre hires private eye Harry Angel to "find" Johnny by tracking clues to his real identity, then arranges for everyone Johnny knew and worked with to be gruesomely murdered, including Johnny's innocent daughter Epiphany and Cyphre's attorney Mr. Winesap, the latter just for a joke. When Harry realizes who he is, Cyphre admits that he revels in all the death occurring to humanity and claims another soul.
  • Johnny Favorite is a Satanic cultist who sold his soul to the Devil for fame. Wishing to renege on the deal and escape the Devil, Johnny murdered a soldier named Harry Angel and stole his soul, but the "Harry" identity took over Johnny's mind thanks to amnesia suffered during World War II. Twelve years later, Johnny resurfaces with some help from the Devil and murders all his associates in gruesome ways for almost no reason at all, even raping and murdering his innocent daughter Epiphany. When discovered and told he would burn in Hell, Johnny simply agrees with the cop, proving to be "as close to pure evil as [Evangeline Proudfoot] ever wanted to get".
• Crosses the Line Twice: When Harry and Cyphre meet in the church, Harry swears several times, but Cyphre of all people! admonishes him, saying "We're in a church!" Judging by his bemused grin, it's hinted he enjoyed it, however.
• Fridge Brilliance:
  • Johnny cutting out Margaret's heart was actually his way of telling her father "I'm Back", since that is what he did to Harry in front of both of them.
  • The scene where Louis offers Harry an egg. Because in hindsight, you realize that Satan just offered Johnny his soul back, and he turned it down. Doubles as Fridge Horror when you realize that the Devil is gleefully consuming souls.
  • Related, Harry has "a thing" about chickens. You know, the animals that lay eggs that represent the soul.
  • Cyphre finally gives incontrovertible evidence that he's who he says he is by sprouting yellow eyes, because he knows Harry will keep denying he's Johnny til the sun burns out.
• Harsher in Hindsight: Bill Cosby having Lisa Bonet tossed from The Cosby Show for violating Contractual Purity by appearing topless in this movie in light of his own rape court cases. Not to mention that this means both works have Lisa playing a character whose father is secretly a rapist.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Louis munching down on an egg means he wants to swallow your soul!
• One-Scene Wonder: Ethan Krusemark, the final piece of the puzzle. He's Affably Evil, and there's a Narm Charm about when he starts singing Johnny and Satan's praises.
  Ethan: (gleefully) I introduced Johnny Favorite to my daughter. I watched him conjure up Lucifer in my home! He was deeper in it than me!... Lord Satan rose from the depths! It was magnificent!
• Retroactive Recognition: Pruitt Taylor Vince appears in an early film role as Detective Deimos.
• The Woobie: The original Harold Angel. Poor guy. Even Louis Cyphre states that he pities him.

---