Angel (1984)

49% of users liked it
(702 ratings)

The original "honor student by day, hooker by night" melodrama, Angel stars Donna Wilkes in the title role. During the daylight hours, the 15-year-old Angel is known as Molly, a model prep school student. Devoid of parents, Molly must find some way to keep up the cash flow, so she hits the Hollywood… More The original "honor student by day, hooker by night" melodrama, Angel stars Donna Wilkes in the title role. During the daylight hours, the 15-year-old Angel is known as Molly, a model prep school student. Devoid of parents, Molly must find some way to keep up the cash flow, so she hits the Hollywood mean streets as a prostitute. While we thankfully don't see Angel "in action", as it were, the film makes up in violence what it lacks in raw sex. Psycho John Diehl is on the loose murdering prostitutes; detective Cliff Gorman tries to stem the murder spree, but soon the hooker ranks are sorely diminished, leaving Angel the next likely target. With the help of such friends as ex-cowboy star Rory Calhoun and transvestite Dick Shawn, Angel manages to avoid becoming a statistic. We're not giving anything away here: after all, there was a 1986 sequel, Avenging Angel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: Robert Vincent O'Neill
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Jan 13, 1984 Wide
On DVD: Jan 1, 1998
Studio: New World Video

Critic Reviews

Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Low-rent exploitation cheesiness ... but still fun in a dirty sort of way.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

I really liked this movie, it's exciting, dramatic, and quirky. The story is good, and the characters interesting. On the technical side, it could be better, like some good music could be added, but it's low budgetness makes is kinda cool too. Anyway I enjoyed it.
Ed Fucking H

Meh, this was alright, but I can't help but feel like they weren't sure if they were trying to make an 80's teen sex / dramedy or an exploitation slasher flick. The movie doesn't really suceed at doing either, but a rather enjoyable balance is met regardless. Angel… More
Meh, this was alright, but I can't help but feel like they weren't sure if they were trying to make an 80's teen sex / dramedy or an exploitation slasher flick. The movie doesn't really suceed at doing either, but a rather enjoyable balance is met regardless. Angel is an A student by day, but a hooker by night. When a maniac necrophiliac begins brutally murdering prostitutesm Angel takes it upon herself to seek justice. In the end not funny enough to be a comedy, not risque enough to be exploitation, to little nudity to fit properly into the teen sex genre, virtually no gore so it's not a horror movie. Really just a bizarre little footnote in the cannon of 80's cheese, but a pretty enjoyable one regardless. Definently worth a watch if you want something different, just not as good as I think it could have been . Was definently expecting a much darker comedy, and much more sleaze.
Christopher B

Eighties cheese combined with eighties sleaze. A terrible, but wonderful lead performance from Donna Wilkes as Angel/Molly, a student by day, prostitute by night that you never belive for one second. Dick Shawn as her cross dressing maternal/paternal figure is excellent, though I?ll… More
Eighties cheese combined with eighties sleaze. A terrible, but wonderful lead performance from Donna Wilkes as Angel/Molly, a student by day, prostitute by night that you never belive for one second. Dick Shawn as her cross dressing maternal/paternal figure is excellent, though I?ll always see Lorenzo Saint Dubois whenever I look at him with or without a dress. An insanely entertaining insane killer has begun slicing up Angel?s workmates, and it?s up to her to take him down. Loaded with great character actors (Rory Calhoun, Susan Tyrrell, Cliff Gorman) and awful dialogue, this is a great watch.
Anthony V

Given the cast and subject matter, you think it would suck, but the original Angel is actually perverse fun.

Cast

            Cliff Gorman as Lt. Andrews

            Susan Tyrrell as Mosler

            Dick Shawn as Mae

            Rory Calhoun as Kit Carson

            John Diehl as Billy Boy

            Donna Wilkes as Angel/Molly

            Donna McDaniel as Crystal

            Graem McGavin as Lana

            Elaine Giftos as Patricia Allen

            Mel Carter as Jenkins

            Steven M. Porter as Yo Yo Charlie

            David Underwood as Ric Sawyer

            David Anthony as Howie

            Ronnie Barron as Blind Eddie

            Joshua Cadman as Spike

            Marc Hayashi as Young Cop

            Todd Hoffman as Punker

            Peter Jason as Middle-Aged Man

            Dennis Kort as Wayne

            Greg Lewis as Themopolis

            Ken Olfson as Mr. Saunders

            Gene Ross as Driver/Vice Cop

            Joseph Michael Cala as Usher

            Ross Hagen as Urban Cowboy

            Donna Fuller as Jesus Peddler

            Vincent J. Isaac as Pimp

            Dick Valentine as Older Cop

            Chuck Lyles as Blind Eddie's Friend

            Laura Sorenson as Roxie
See full cast

Angel (1984)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

Ed Fucking H

Christopher B

Anthony V

Cast

Trailers & Clips