StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

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

SanteeFats A fifteen year old high school student with great grades is also a hooker at night on Sunset Blvd. The fact that she is played by a 25 year old woman is besides the point, I guess. There is a nut case out killing whores and so she is on the list of course. The creep kills one of her fellow pros. So there is fear on the streets. Dick Shawn plays a transvestite who also works the streets, loves Angel like a sister, and ends up getting killed by said psycho. This sets Angel off and she gets a gun and goes looking for the killer. He attacks her, she gets rescued and starts stalking him. Running him down she takes a couple of shots at him but he ends up getting gunned down by a street performer played pretty well by of all people Rory Calhoun.

gizmomogwai Watching this movie reminded me a lot of the 1960 British film Peeping Tom. Specifically, the negative reviews it was said to have received initially- "The sickest and filthiest film I remember seeing." Also about a serial killer- who before and during the opening credits kills a prostitute- Peeping Tom is actually a classic, a dark, naked look at a voyeuristic and violent society.Angel, coming out in 1984, reverses that formula, telling the story from the point of view of a prostitute, in this case a 15-year-old girl who by day goes to a private school, innocent and an honours student. Social circumstances led her into prostitution, and she's unhappy about it, making her a potentially sympathetic character. Sounds like an intriguing film with lots of potential- Taxi Driver (1976) is a great film in which Jodie Foster plays an even younger hooker.Alas, Angel is a better fit for the reviews Peeping Tom got. It has the look and feel of a cheap exploitation piece- featuring excruciating acting from people often looking much older than the part they're playing. (The nerd who asks Angel out, notably, looks suspiciously like a man in a wig and big glasses.) They awkwardly stumble over dialogue that ranges from good to mediocre to bad ("The law sucks!") The screenplay sports other holes- do they really not check suspects for weapons in police lineups? At one point, the cowboy character is shot and on his back, then he springs up to pump the bad guy full of lead, and walks away as if the injuries didn't really hurt him.Yes, a cowboy. That's another thing about this movie, the cheap costumes that come close to funny (the man in drag is just bad). What saves this from being a three-star movie in my books is some good nudity- full frontal, with the most comfortably naked girls in a high school shower since Carrie (1976).

TOMASBBloodhound Director Robert Vincent O'Neill takes us into the sleazy side of Hollywood Blvd once again, as he was also the writer of Vice Squad two years prior to this effort. The film is the story of a 15 yr old girl who is an honor student by day, and a hooker known as Angel by night. Her parents have long since split leaving her with having to trick for the money to attend her exclusive prep school. She seems more at ease with the street characters than she does in school, and she cannot hide her secret forever from the guidance counselor curious about why she has no time for after school activities. And danger lurks around every corner on the streets as a maniacal murderer is stalking young hookers and dismembering them. Will Angel be his next victim? I come to review this film with mixed emotions. Yes, I suppose it could have been much worse. But boy this thing had the potential to be much, much better. The film has many interesting characters, especially the villain who I'll get to in a moment. But the film is not paced well, and too much seems to happen in the first twenty minutes or so. Then, it settles into a melodrama about Angel and how her parents left her. And how the cop investigating the murders kind of becomes like a father figure for her. I'd have preferred this film either stick to its sleazy roots like Vice Squad did the entire time, or just make this more of a drama with a more consistently serious tone. There are some scenes of random locker room nudity that just don't belong here at all (though they are nice to look at) and they belong more in a film like Private School. I just felt the film was a re-write away from hitting all the right notes.There are some fantastic scenes and characters, however. The killer is more than memorable. He never speaks a word until the final frame, and what he says not only describes what he's feeling, but its almost like a truism that describes the life of anyone on these streets. He's played by veteran character actor John Diehl, who you may recognize but not be able to name. I always recall him as the "Cruiser" from Stripes whose incredible ignorance provides a few good laughs. Here he looks the part, and then some. He's one scary dude. Rory Calhoun as an old Western movie hand and Dick Shawn as a hilarious drag queen steal every scene they are in. Donna Wilkes looks the part as Angel, but she cannot sell her lines when she speaks them. I'm convinced the art director for Britner Spears's video Baby One More Time got her look from Wilkes in this movie. No question about it. Cliff Gorman is pretty good as the detective in charge of the murders, but he maybe gets too much screen time. Like in Vice Squad, O'Neill seems not to trust his female lead and has to have a cop be at the center of attention in many scenes.The final ten minutes are a wonderful payoff. Having seen one too many of her friends murdered, Angel grabs her landlady's .44 magnum and walks the streets looking for this sicko killer. And his panicked reaction proves that he's not used to women who fight back. What an oddly arousing sight to see this little lady carrying that huge pistol down the street firing it at this guy! 6 of 10 stars.The Hound.

Jason Anderson While not being a Hollywood triumph, Angel is a wonderful film. Showing life on the streets is a large premise of the film, it takes care to preserve some humor as well. Not in the sense that it is a funny movie, as it is not; but it shows life as... well, life.As most people who watch movies can relate, the enjoyment of a movie is not as a critic would describe. If you can feel the emotions of the characters, you can love them. If you can relate to the characters, you can befriend them. If you can care about the characters, the writers did their job, and you are now hooked. While Angel will not likely be a model in film school as one of the great classics, nor as an example of how to make a great movie, it is a highly entertaining film. You can feel the characters, even though they are not deeply constructed. The exception being Angel herself, whom you can see the wear and tear she goes through as an honor student and a prostitute.I firmly believe that there is a message to be heard here, a storyline full of life, fun and adventure. Granted, it is not the best kept together, it does do the trick of conveying the message of the story across. The film allows you to care for the star, feel for the star, and cry with the star. A compassionate film that has supporting cast as abstract as could be, a little far fetched, maybe... but who really knows what kind of characters are really out there on the streets. But their conveyances of who they are allows you to realize their sense of why they are there. They are scared, they need the money, or they love it. Each supporting role as different as the others, but allows you to see the richness of the film in its entirety.I thoroughly enjoyed this film numerous times, and am sure that you will too. Regardless of critical un-acclaim, most filmgoers can still see the enjoyment in a movie. Give every movie a chance. Especially Angel, as it is one of the finer forms of the un-acclaimed heroes in rental today