Private investigator, Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) , is hired by the mysterious Mt Cypher (Robert De Niro) to find out whether former crooner, Johnny Favorite is alive or dead, as Cypher claims that he had been contracted to help the singer early in his career, and that his part of the contract had never been fulfilled.
Key witnesses start being murdered, and Angel find himself deep in Louisiana's voodoo country, and suspect number 1 for the murders.
Aside from De Niro apparently playing Satan (any one remotely fluent in cinema or horror can't help but assume immediately that Cypher is the devil) nothing supernatural happens for a good 3/4 of the movies running time; up until that point the movie plays like a straight Noirish thriller; and to be honest I enjoyed the change of pace.
I've been busy as all hell lately (hence my running a week behind with my reviews) and I haven't really had chance to watch any movie not for this site. Given a free choice of any movie, it's unlikely I would have chosen a 50's period gumshoe movie... But I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The costuming, sets, direction, acting, the scant score... the whole production in fact, are pitch perfect. The supernatural elements are introduced organically and the twists are timed perfectly, allowing the viewer to see them coming just before the reveal, keeping exactly up to speed with the character's realisations.
I'd recommend this one not just to horror fans, but to anyone who enjoys watching a story unfold slowly, and doesn't need an explosion or decapitation every few minuets to keep them involved.
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