20,000 vinyl LPs 308: Angel Heart ~ Mickey Rourke & Robert De Niro

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Angel Heart movie poster
 

 

Today, September 16, is the birthday of Mickey Rourke, an actor who seemed to specialize in weird film roles but his weirdest role has to be as Harry Angel in Angel Heart, a 1987 American neo-noir psychological horror film which was an adaptation of the William Hjortsberg 1978 novel Falling Angel.     

 

 

 

William Hjortsberg ~ Falling Angel book cover   

 

 

Written and directed by Alan Parker, the film stars Rourke in the lead role, with Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet and Charlotte Rampling. Angel Heart is not for the timid, it is graphic, grim, grisly and gruesome but it is brilliant and profound.       

De Niro himself is no stranger to bizarre roles as witness the paranoid Taxi Driver in 1976 and the self-destructive and obsessive boxer, Jake LaMotta (link below), in the 1980 film Raging Bull.     
 

 

Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta

Raging Bull - 1980 
photographers unknown

 

 

Robert De Niro appears as Louis Cyphre (read: Lucifer, the devil incarnate). He is suave, impeccably dressed, sinister, dangerous and completely evil.                 

Robert De Niro as Louis Cyphre 

film still

American folk music and Piedmont blues singer and guitarist, Brownie McGhee, appears in the film as Toots Sweet. After Angel uses force to try to extract details of Favorite's last known whereabouts, Toots refers him back to Margaret Krusemark (Charlotte Rampling). The following morning, police detectives inform Harry that Toots has been murdered.           

 

 

Trevor Jones ~ Angel Heart

vinyl LP front cover 

 cover photo by Terry O'Neil 

photo of album cover by Styrous®

William Hjortsberg also wrote the screenplay for the 1985 Ridley Scott film, Legend, which starred Tom Cruise and Tim Curry. Now, there's a bizarre teaming!     

Trevor Jones ~ Angel Heart

vinyl LP back cover 

 cover photo by Terry O'Neil 

photo of album cover by Styrous®

 

Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford were originally considered for the role of Harry Angel. Parker began meeting with actors for the lead role of Harry Angel. After meeting Rourke and walking the streets of New York through the night with him, Rourke declared that Parker should stop looking for other actors, the role was his. Impressed by Rourke’s confidence, Parker made him his Angel.         

Trevor Jones ~ Angel Heart

vinyl LP back cover detail

detail photo of album cover by Styrous®

Harry Angel (Rourke), a New York City private investigator, is hired to solve the disappearance of a man known as Johnny Favorite. His investigation takes him to New Orleans, where he becomes embroiled in a series of brutal murders. The key to everything is "heart" in every form of its meaning and perception. It is not a pretty film; it gets gritty and graphic in every way possible. But it is a great film and one not to be missed. I do not want to give away anything but there is a blog that tells all, if you are into spoilers (link below)    

Trevor Jones ~ Angel Heart

vinyl LP back cover detail

detail photo of album cover by Styrous®

 

The score was produced and composed by Trevor Jones, with saxophone solos by British jazz musician Courtney Pine. Jones composed the score electronically on a Synclavier. In it director Alan Parker chose to reference the 1937 song, Girl of My Dreams by Glen Gray.  

 

 

 

 

Saxophonist Pine utilized an Echoplex much as Stan Getz did on his 1978 song, Another World in which he referenced Alice Blue Gown by Joseph McCarthy and Harry Tierney.    

Alan Parker also directed Bugsy Malone, a 1976 gangster musical comedy which featured only child actors playing adult roles. The cast included Jodie Foster, Scott Baio and John Cassisi. He also directed the 1978 film Midnight Express, written by Oliver Stone, based on the Billy Hayes 1977 non-fiction book Midnight Express. It featured Brad Davis and John Hurt.        

Midway through the film there is a very weird scene with a sexy Louisiana Voodoo Queen, Lisa Bonet who has the female lead as Epiphany Proudfoot. Proudfoot had an affair with Johnny Favorite, the man Johnny Angel is searching for. Confused? Well, that's the aim of the film!     

The book, Falling Angel, was also adapted into an opera by J. Mark Scearce to a libretto by Lucy Thurber. Titled Falling Angel, it premiered at the Brevard Music Center on June 30, 2016.         

Trevor Jones ~ Angel Heart

vinyl LP record label, side 1 & 2 details

detail photos by Styrous®

   

Tracklist:
       
Side 1:

        

        Harry Angel
Performer [Performed by Courtney Pine, Trevor Jones
Written by Trevor Jones - 6:55
A1.1        Kingdom Mission   
A1.2        Introducing Mr Cyphre   
A1.3        Fowler's   
A1.4        Harlem Chase   
A1.5        Lanza's    

A2        Honeyman Blues
Performer [Performed by Bessie Smith
Written by G. Brooks* - 1:18

        Nightmare
Performer [Performed by Courtney Pine, Trevor Jones
Written by Trevor Jones - 2:14

A3        Secret Loves    

A4        Girl Of My Dreams
Performer [Performed by Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra
Written by Sunny clapp - 1:20

A5        I Got This Thing About Chickens
Performer [Performed by Courtney Pine, Trevor Jones
Written by Trevor Jones - 3:47

A6        Keyhole Song
Written by Clarence Williams, Eddy Green* - 3:23

       
Side 2:
       
        Harry Angel
B1        Rainy Day
Performer [Performed by Brownie McGhee
Written by Brownie McGhee - 2:50

        Looking For Johnny
Performer [Performed by Courtney Pine, Trevor Jones
Written by Trevor Jones - 7:34

B2.1        Cajuns   
B2.2        Epihany   
B2.3        I Am An Atheist   
B2.4        Frightened Eyes Never Lie   
B3        Soul On Fire
Performer [Performed by Performed By] – Laverne Baker*
Written by Ahmet Ertegun/Gerald Weffer* - 2:53

        Bloodmare
Performer [Performed by Courtney Pine, Trevor Jones
Written by Trevor Jones - 3:02

B4        Dog Tags    

B5        Johny Favourite
Performer [Performed by Courtney Pine, Trevor Jones
Written by Trevor Jones - 4:38

Remaining Time -1:13
       
Companies, etc.
       
    Record Company – Island Records
    Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Ariola Eurodisc GmbH
    Copyright © – Island Records Ltd.
    Distributed By – RCA/Ariola-Ariola/RCA
    Distributed By – Ariola/RCA-RCA/Ariola
    Mixed At – Trilion Studios
    Mixed At – CTS Studios
    Pressed By – Sonopress
    Published By – Anabasis Music
    Published By – Copyright Control
    Published By – Lawrence Wright Music Ltd.
    Published By – Walter Brownie McGhee Publishing Co.
    Published By – Chappell Music Ltd.
       
Credits:
       
    Composed By, Arranged By, Conductor [Conducted By] – Trevor Jones
    Coordinator [Album Co-ordinator] – Richard Manners
    Coordinator [Music Co-ordinator] – Victoria Seale
    Engineer [Assistant] – Buster Field
    Executive-Producer – Marc Marot
    Keyboards – David Lawson*, Trevor Jones
    Mixed By – Paul Hulme
    Producer [Album Produced By] – Trevor Jones (tracks: A1, A3, A5, A6, B1, B2, B4, B5)
    Recorded By [Dialogue, Sound Effects] – David Wooley*
    Sleeve – Island Art
    Sleeve Notes – Alan Parker (2)
    Soloist [Solo], Saxophone – Courtney Pine
    Synthesizer, Sound Designer [Sounds Realized By] – David Lawson*
    Voice [Bass, Baritone] – Simon Grant (4)
    Voice [Coloratura] – Catherine Bott
       
Notes:
       
[On back]
Music co-ordinator: [...] for Contemporary Media Music Productions.
℗ 1987 [...] © 1987 [...]
Printed in Germany • Imprimé en Allemagne
[Island Visual Arts logo]

[On labels]
O.S.T. ANGEL HEART
ANABASIS MUSIC [tracks: A1, A3, A5, B2, B4, B5]
COPYRIGHT CONTROL [tracks: A2, A6]
LAWRENCE WRIGHT MUSIC LTD. [tracks: A4]
WALTER B. McGHEE PUBL. CO. [tracks: B1]
CHAPPELL MUSIC LTD. [tracks: B3]

       
Barcode and Other Identifiers
       
    Barcode (Scanned): 4007192083961
    Barcode (Text): 4 007192 083961
    Label Code: LC 0407
    Rights Society (Boxed): GEMA STEMRA BIEM
    Pressing Plant ID (Side B label, embossed): [Bass clef]
    Matrix / Runout (Label side A): S 208.396 A
    Matrix / Runout (Label side B): S 208.396 B
    Matrix / Runout (Side A runout stamped, variant 1): DM 208396 A-1/5-87
    Matrix / Runout (Side B runout stamped, variant 1): DM 208396 B-1/5-87
    Matrix / Runout (Side A runout stamped, variant 2): DM 208396 A-1/5-87
    Matrix / Runout (Side B runout stamped, II etched, variant 2): DM 208396 B-1/5-87 II

Various – Angel Heart (Original Soundtrack Music By Trevor Jones. Featuring Courtney Pine, Saxophone.)
Label: Antilles New Directions – 208 396, Antilles New Directions – 208.396
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: Europe
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Jazz, Blues, Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack, Louisiana Blues, Delta Blues, Cool Jazz   

   

         

Viewfinder links:        

          

David Carradine           

Stanley Clarke        

Chick Corea        

Tom Cruise             

Tim Curry

Robert De Niro         

Clint Eastwood        

Stan Getz          

Stan Getz ~ Another World  album       

Glen Gray         

Dustin Hoffman     

Trevor Jones                 

Jake LaMotta        

Giacobbe "Jake" LaMotta ~ A raging bull        
Courtney Pine         

Robert Redford         

Mickey Rourke        

        

Net links:        

         

          

DVD Talk ~ Angel Heart (spoiler ALERT)       

Fiction Machine ~ Angel Heart (review)       

Mad Monster ~ De Niro Does the Devil         

Alan Parker ~ The Making of Angel Heart       

UCR ~ Lisa Bonet likes being different review

        

YouTube links:        

        

10 Things You Didn't know About Angel Heart (14 mins., 26 secs.)  

Angel Heart ~   

             Angel Heart  movie trailer         

             Boiling Pot of Murder Scene      

             Church meeting Scene     

             Epiphany Proudfoot Character Analysis (8 mins.)     

             Evil Reflections     

             Harry Angel vs Louis Cyphre    

             I Know Who I Am!      

             Toots Sweet Character Analysis (8 mins.)      

             Twisted Fans (12 mins., 18 secs.)    

             Movie review    

Stan Getz ~ Another World song        

J. Mark Scearce ~ Fallen Angels         

         

        

        

         

"The egg is the symbol of the soul."

      ~ Louis Cyphre (Robert De Niro)     

        

         

        

        

        

Styrous® ~ Wednesday, September 16, 2020       
       

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Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut    

mentions:     

The Mac @ 30     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Ridley Scott 

date & photographer unknown 

     

     

     

      

     

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1,001 LaserDiscs 11: Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

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Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc front cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

Today is the anniversary of the release of the spectacular film, Blade Runner, released on June 25, 1982, in 1,290 theaters. That date was chosen by producer Alan Ladd Jr. because his previous highest-grossing films (Star Wars and Alien) had a similar opening date (May 25) in 1977 and 1979, making the 25th of the month his "lucky day".

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc front cover

photo by Styrous®

There have been many versions of the film and the history of them is very confusing (links below) but the Director's Cut without the voice over used in the original version is my favorite. In one story I read actor Harrison Ford objected to the voice over, in another Ridley Scott objected but in either case, the producers thought the audience would not get the story. A battle ensued but the producers won out and it was released with Ford doing the voice over which he has stated he hated.       

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc front cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

And of course, the score for the film by Vangelis (link below) is stunning! The music ranges from heartrendingly beautiful to disturbingly surreal and eerie to dramatically thundering. It is one of finest electronic scores ever written, a dark but melodic combination of synthesizers that mirror the futuristic film noir envisioned by director Ridley Scott.

The original soundtrack release was delayed for over a decade, until 1994, despite the music being well-received by fans and critically acclaimed—it was nominated in 1983 for a BAFTA and Golden Globe as best original score. The soundtrack is regarded as a historically important piece in the genre of electronic music. 

    

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc front cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

 

Blade Runner is a neo-noir science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer and Sean Young, it is loosely based on the Philip K. Dick novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968). The film is set in a dystopian future Los Angeles of 2019, in which synthetic humans known as replicants are bio-engineered by the powerful Tyrell Corporation to work on off-world colonies. When a fugitive group of Nexus-6 replicants led by Roy Batty (Hauer) escapes back to Earth, burnt-out cop Rick Deckard (Ford) reluctantly agrees to hunt them down.

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc back cover

photo by Styrous®

Back in the sixties I read the short story by Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which Blade Runner was based on. The book is nothing like the film version. In the book Deckard is not in the slightest bit sympathetic, warm or even human as Ford eventually becomes in the film. The story takes place in San Francisco in the book, in Los Angeles in the film. The story in the book is dismal from the start and remains so to the very end. The film ends with some hope. There are very many other differences (link below).      

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc back cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

So, the upshot is I loved the film not only better but in a way I have never loved a film; and I love many.                

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc back cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc back cover detail 

detail photo by Styrous®

This 1991 LaserDisc pressing is on two discs and is a special widescreen edition in CAV standard play format.            

Blade Runner ~ The Director's cut

LaserDisc

detail photo by Styrous®

Viewfinder links:   
       
Harrison Ford          

Vangelis         

   
        

        

Net links:              
        
Plot    
Cast           
Versions of Blade Runner         
Blade Runner Fandom ~ Blade Runner versions         
The Bonus View ~ A History of Blade Runner on Laserdisc      

         

YouTube links:              

        

Blade Runner (1982) Official Trailer         
Blade Runner original version opening (1982)                    
Final scene, "Tears in Rain" Monologue        

What Makes 'Tears in Rain" Special     
Vangelis - Blade Runner Soundtrack (complete)        
Blade Runner - book & movie Difference     
       
         
   
The Blade Runner LaserDisc will be for sale on eBay  
       
      
        
       

"Blade Runner needs no explanation."   

                        ~ Rutger Hauer   

 

       
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, June 25, 2019

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Mac @ 30

It's alive! It's alive!

photo by Styrous®

It was 30 years ago today, on January 24, 1984, that the Mac made its appearance and changed the world forever.

The Mac Plus was introduced on January 16 1986.

   
       

          Mac Plus (1986)

              photo by Styrous®

My first experience with computers was in the mid '60s. To say it was a disaster is an understatement. I clearly remember the IBM (Hollerith) punch cards (named after Herman Hollerith).

 

 IBM punch card with Latin alphabet character code

photographer unknown

Those damned punch cards were the bane of my existence. I remember working with stacks of them and in the middle of the process, dropping a stack on the floor and the nightmare of getting them back in order. I tried to handle just a small batch at a time by breaking the stack up into smaller pieces but that was not a great move as from time to time I'd get the smaller batches in the wrong order. That was even worse. Commands and data were represented by the presence or absence of holes in predefined positions.

Punched cards were first used around 1725 by Basile Bouchon and Jean-Baptiste Falcon to replace the perforated paper rolls then in use for controlling textile looms in France. This technique was improved by Joseph Marie Jacquard in his Jacquard loom in 1801. All of these earlier versions of the card were used to comtrol machines that operated in repetitive motions. Semen Korsakov was the first to use them for informational purposes.  

Herman Hollerith invented the recording of data on a medium that could then be read by a machine.  He developed a punched card data processing technology for the 1890 US census. He founded the Tabulating Machine Company (1896) which was one of four companies that merged to form Computing Tabulating Recording Company (CTR), which was later renamed IBM. 

Sometime in the 1960s, the punched card was gradually replaced as the primary means for data storage by magnetic tape, as better, more capable computers became available. But by that time I'd run away from computers and vowed I'd never touch one again. 

The punch cards were the least of my worries, however, I had a whole lot of trouble wrapping my head around the concept of 0's and 1's representing the entire alphabet of our existence; trying to write code for a program was insane to me. There was something involving an auto coder, (they tried to make it sound like fun by personalizing it and humourously calling it Otto Koder; the humor was lost on me as there was nothing in the slightest way automatic nor easy about it as far as I was concerned). To me, the IBM OS platform was a nightmare!

Sometime in the early '90s I was convinced by a friend to give computers a try again. I fought that with tooth and nails but eventually was talked into buying a used Mac Plus. I was bowled over by the ease of use of the Macintosh OS platform (at that time, OS 6). It was not only physically different than the IBM system, you didn't have to use code to get something done. It used a GUI system that was intuitive and incredibly easy to master.

Steve Jobs introduced the Macintosh 128k on January 24, 1984; the first mass-market personal computer featuring a graphical user interface and mouse. It was introduced on television in a famous $900,000 commercial by Ridley Scott, "1984", that aired on CBS during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984. The imagry was meant to illustrate the allegorical heroine, with sledgehammer, embodying the spirit of the 1984 release. I remember seeing this ad.

still from the 1984 television commercial

 The Mac Plus had a whopping 512 k memory (I know, absolutely ludicrous by today's 500 giga byte computers in retrospect). For nomths I researched how to use it by going on the Internet for tips as the manual that came with it was woefully inadequate (to this day nothing has changed in that regard). I would take notes as I researched and very quickly got tired of letting go of the mouse to write them; even though I am right-handed (and nobody told me I HAD to use my right one) I started using the mouse with my left hand to free my right hand to write the notes without interruption. As a consequence I can use a mouse with both hands.

Mac Plus mouse

photo by Styrous®

It was a wonderful experience and I came to love my Mac with a passion. I have had many other computers since then that are far more powerful and efficient but I have had a sentimental fondness for my first love. I stopped using it years ago but I have hung on to it out of sentimentality. Now, perhaps, it's time to let it go. 

Links:

1984 televsion commercial on YouTube
Apple commercials on YouTube

The computer changed my life forever, as it has for everyone. Thanks for all you taught me and for enriching my life, my beloved little Mac. I'll think of you with great affection always.

Styrous® ~ Friday, January 24, 2014

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