Fallen Angel (Fox Film Noir)

Description

June Mills (Alice Faye) and her sister Clara live a quiet life in a small coastal town until Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews), a smooth-talking con man, comes into their lives. He seems to fall hard for June but Clara believes he?s only interested in the family fortune. Meanwhile, sultry waitress Stella (Linda Darnell) catches Stanton's fancy and thinks he might be her ticket out of town. The local cop (Charles Bickford) knows more than he's telling about his fellow citizens and their tangled relationships which draw even tighter after a shocking murder.

Customer Reviews:

Stick With It!!.......2007-08-05

It should be stated clearly at the outset that "Fallen Angel" requires careful and patient viewing: Dana Andrews arrives in a small California town in the dead of night. He was actually evicted from a Greyhound bus-he didn't have the fare to ride all the way to Frisco! It becomes immediately obvious that DA is a con man and not a terribly likeable one at that. His first stop is the local diner where he falls for the sultry waitress, Linda Darnell. LD is perfectly cast here. She wants nothing to do with the struggling hustler. DA turns to nice girl Alice Faye, who happens to be loaded! The blonde Faye is in perfect contrast to the dark haired Darnell. DA plans to marry Faye, steal her $$ and marry LD! However, this reviewer felt that the movie had no spark until Darnell is murdered- on Andrews' wedding night no less! Afraid of being framed for the untimely demise, Andrews and his new bride flee to San Francisco. During that intense trip, the movie takes shape. DA realizes he has married a nice, classy girl who loves him. The hotel room scenes are actually quite romantic, given the moral codes of the time. DA returns to the small town and FA is quickly wrapped up. Good reviews should not give away resolutions but the ending to "Fallen Angel" is fast and satisfying. This reviewer can cite only two weaknesses to FA: 1) it takes awhile to gel. The most critical scenes are in the final 10 minutes; the careful and patient viewing stated above will be rewarded. 2) One wonders how interesting a second watching would be, once the improbable perp is identified. Amazoners are encouraged to scroll down and read the preceding reviews! There are several nice fascinating tidbits about FA listed! There are certainly some knowledgeable classic movie fans out there! A final thought: Wouldn't Lizabeth Scott have been perfect for the Darnell role? She could have sung the theme song! And if she wound up dead, it would not have been the first time Liz met her demise while the cameras rolled!

A MUST FOR ANY FILM NOIR COLLECTION!!!.......2007-07-28

This excellent film deserves to be considered among anyone's list of the best film noir movies ever made. The script is not standardized, so the unexpected is always occurring. There is always a twist in the plot. You never know what is coming.

Otto Preminger's direction is taut, focused and he certainly knew how to get the best performances out of all of his actors. As a follow up to the classic film "Laura," also starring Dana Andrews, he etched his name indelibly on the film noir genre.

David Raksin, who wrote the song "Laura" for the movie of the same name, also wrote the theme song for this film.

And the actors are wonderful. Dana Andrews gives his usual fine performance, turning from a hardened con man into a person who can love. The character actors also carry the film: all of them are magnificent. Anne Revere, Charles Bickford, Bruce Cabot and even Percy Kilbride give three dimensional performances that are awesome.

I mention the two female stars last because the situation was interesting. They are as different as night and day from each other. Linda Darnell, dark, beautiful and smouldering, is cast opposite Alice Fay, fair, serious and loyal. Now Ms. Faye was very angry when she saw the final version of the film, feeling her best moments had been edited out and, although she had no hard feelings for Ms. Darnell, she felt the film focused on Ms. Darnell's performance and kind of left her out, or at least placed her at second string. She did not make another film for 16 years.

I believe that, regardless of the cut scenes, Alice Faye made a perfect, not lesser, compliment to Linda Darnell, and each equally gave sterling performances. Neither played second fiddle to each other. Both of their performances were of very high quality and admirable.

You can't miss with this one. It's really enjoyable to watch such quality film making.

A very good, well written movie --a class act.......2007-07-17

I wanted a good classic movie from the 40's--I am in awe of the 30s and 40s era movies. And the 50s had excellent movies too. There is something special about those classic black and white suspense movies that are great. I was born in late 1947 and wanted to rercapture that time period. This won't be my only purchase of a Fox Film Noir. Thank you so much--an excellent purchase.

Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell & a Calfornia beach at night.........2007-05-31

How can you beat that? One of my favorite of the genre' so far. Eric (Andrews) rolls into town penniless. He's been kicked off a bus headed for San Francisco. He finds himself at Pop's, the local diner. The biggest attraction in town is the waitress, Stella (Darnell). Keeping track of her are Pops, the jukebox repairman, the local retired big city dick (Charles Bickford) & Eric who falls for her immediately. Stella is looking to blow this town. Eric wants it to be with him. He needs $$ & after a brief business deal, he meets decides to romance the richest girl in town, June(Alice Faye). She's not exactely chopped liver but is very gullible & falls for Eric immediately. In a matter of days it seems, they are married & headed for San Francisco . She has given Eric full access to her $20,000. At this point, Stella wants nothing to do with Eric. He's a married man. Besides, she also has other men she is stringing along. Eric & June return & that night Stella is murdered. Eric is not found in his bride's bed the next morning. Guess that would make him the prime suspect. The retired cop starts a velvet glove investigation he was famous for back east. The end may surprise you. Otto Preminger knows how to direct noir, & Andrews is very good in this one.

Drifter stumbles into a small town murder.......2006-09-13

Otto Preminger's deft directing and production crafted the hard boiled film noir "Fallen Angel", with the aid of an accomplished cast, into a genre classic. The film's murky, moody plot along with some typically dark cheerless black and white cinematography perfectly set the tenor of the film.

Penniless and scheming drifter Eric Stanton played masterfully by Dana Andrews disembarks from a Greyhound bus in the small seaside California town of Walton. Walking into the local diner, Pops, he is immediately smitten with sultry waitress Stella played by the alluring Linda Darnell. Darnell happens to be the amorous focus of most of the menfolk of the small town. Looking for a way out of town, she almost falls for the glib tongued Andrews' promises to marry and take care of her.

Andrews has also become acquainted with the upstanding Mills sisters June and Clara. Desperate for money to woo Darnell, Andrews with eyes on $25,000 of the Mills sisters inheritance, marries younger sister June played by Alice Faye. The plans immediately change when Darnell is found murdered and Andrews is implicated.

The investigation is headed by a tough, craggy Mr. Judd, a retired ex- New York cop played by Charles Bickford who is aiding the Walton chief of police. Bickford's brutal, kid gloved technique causes Andrews to flee the scene with the faithful Faye in tow.

Average customer rating:

Best video about Gram I've ever seen (even though it's the only one)!
Not Enough Music
we miss you graham
Missed Opportunity
Middlin'

Gram Parsons - Fallen Angel
Starring: Emmylou Harris , Becky Parsons Gottsegen , Elvis Costello , Gram Parsons , and Keith Richards (II)
Director: Gandulf Hennig
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A0GY32
Release Date: 2006-06-20

Amazon.com

Cynics have suggested that death is a shrewd career move for some artists, and when it comes to singer-songwriter Gram Parsons, whose life, work, and demise are chronicled in Fallen Angel, they may be right. Although undeniably talented, Parsons never had a hit and made just six albums, and only one of them (the Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin) is a bona fide classic. That's one reviewer's opinion, anyway. Yet three decades after he died (in 1975, at age 26), Parsons is revered as a country rock pioneer, a significant influence on Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones, and a colossal talent who never got his due. While that may all be true, what's beyond dispute (and it's confirmed by the great majority of those interviewed in director Gandulf Henning's documentary) is that Parsons was a screw-up, a drunk and drug abuser who squandered his opportunities and dug himself an early grave, even by rock star standards. It wasn't all his fault. Any kid with a family background like his (his father committed suicide and his mother died from the ravages of alcoholism… possibly with the assistance of her second husband, Parsons' stepfather, who was a big drinker himself) is bound to have, shall we say, issues; Parsons was also well off financially, a fact that many interviewees (most notably Chris Hillman, who played with him in the Byrds and the Burritos) suggest might have attributed to his lack of driving ambition. Richards, duet partner Emmylou Harris, and other former bandmates are on hand to tell the tale, along with his widow, various surviving relatives, and close friends and associates. There's lots of Parsons' music on the soundtrack, as well as excerpts from a couple of Burritos promo films and some interesting footage of him singing with Harris. In the end, the film's most haunting moments concern the events that followed Parsons' death, when road manager Phil Kaufman commandeered (stole, actually) his casket and drove it to California's Joshua Tree National Monument, where he set it on fire, apparently according to the singer's wishes. Now that is the stuff of legend. --Sam Graham

Description

This definitive biography chronicles a Southern Gothic saga and is a fascinating look at "the Grievous Angel" and the heartbreakingly beautiful music he created. Dispelling myths that have grown to surround Gram, Fallen Angel shows us the essence of his artistry; it is a truly revealing account of his life and ongoing influence. Fallen Angel features music from Gram Parsons' groundbreaking career with The International Submarine Band, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, as well as his highly acclaimed solo albums. Featured interviews include Peter Buck, James Burton, Emmylou Harris, Chris Hillman, Phil Kaufman, Bernie Leadon, Avis Bartkus Parsons III, Gretchen Parsons Carpenter, Diane Parsons, Polly Parsons, Keith Richards, Dwight Yoakam, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Best video about Gram I've ever seen (even though it's the only one)!.......2007-08-29

I've been a Gram Parsons fan for nearly 30 years. I own most of his music, play his songs on guitar, and have read both books about his life. If you fall into this category, YOU NEED THIS VIDEO!!

Not Enough Music.......2007-06-08

It's a very poignant and emotionally intense film, but there's not enough music. Some full length videos of Gram playing all of a song would have added a lot to this work. I was really impressed by the rhythm of revelation of Gram's life and character by the series of interviews. Sometimes I could anticipate the direction the story would go next. I could easily give 5 stars if there had been more music. I am a huge Rolling Stons fan and Keith's "role" in this film or even in Gram's life did not disappoint me in the least. Maybe if there had been some "extra's" on the DVD (of Gram Parsons' performances) that would have been enough, because as I said, the film moves very well.

we miss you graham.......2007-06-08

wonderful artist - timeless music - too bad he wasnt with us longer

Missed Opportunity.......2007-05-16

The best I can say for this rockumentary is that, well, at least there's something about Gram Parsons out there now. . . However, the sense of proportion in this film is so skewed Parsons comes across as a glamourous rock-and-roll loser rather than the unlikely influence he became after his premature death. More time, for instance, is dedicated to his outlandish psychodelic suits than to his ground breaking albums GP and The Grievous Angel, and no time at all is set aside for discussion and interviews that help explain why Parsons's work ultimately influenced so many musicians so deeply. Though Keith Richards, Emmylou Harris, and several Byrds members offer fascinating insights in Parsons's life, the family interviews (and the unfolding of the rather complex Parsons family history) is confusing if not confused. There are woefully few interview snippets with Parsons, himself, though I'm certain interviews with him exist because I have heard them. Sadly, in the end, rather than illuminating Parsons' flash of genius in the early 1970s, the film unintentionally portrays him as a Rolling Stones hanger-on and a want-to-be rock star rather than the underrated visionary he became--the man who helped reinvent country music and establish its relationship to rock music. Fallen Angel, therefore, is an interesting but failed film, a missed opportunity that might have helped give Gram Parsons his proper due and help place him a bit more securely in the American music pantheon.

Middlin'.......2007-04-10

Sadly, a lot of wasted interviews here. And altogether too much time on an unimportant band manager. Emmylou H. and Keith R. provide some nice small revelations. Avis Parsons, Gretchen Carpenter, and Diane Parsons provide moving reminiscences of the man and his effects. Hillman, Burton, and Leadon provide woefully little insight into the music--they are the wasted interviews. Peter Buck and Dwight Yoakam come across as nobodies, time fillers.

Wong Kar Wai Collection (As Tears Go By / Days of Being Wild / Fallen Angels / Chungking Express / Happy Together)

Average customer rating:

Two words: Get it
A magnificent set of magnificent movies

Wong Kar Wai Collection (As Tears Go By / Days of Being Wild / Fallen Angels / Chungking Express / Happy Together)
Starring: Christine Ng , Linda Wong (III) , Siu Chung Mok , Lydia Sum , and Man Tat Ng
Director: Kar Wai Wong
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002X7GV6
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Customer Reviews:

Two words: Get it .......2004-12-14

I don't have a lot to add to "Randroid"'s review. Wong Kar-Wai is one of the world's premier directors, making audacious, complex films that grab one's heart. Influenced by the French New Wave, bent through the prism of Hong Kong cinema, his is a stylish and unique vision. This box set contains five of his seven films that have been released to DVD:

-- As Tears Go By
-- Days of Being Wild
-- Chungking Express
-- Fallen Angels
-- Happy Together.

Fans of Happy Together will be particularly pleased by the newly remastered Kino version -- I had only viewed a VHS copy before, which was atrocious. There are also a bunch of new extras on this DVD, including an hour long 'making of' feature. The other DVDs all seem to be clear and crisp, though without significant extras beyond the usual trailers (there are still galleries and filmographies, and some brief comments by Quentin Tarantino on Chungking Express).

With the exception of Chungking Express, these have not been readily available in stores, and this box set is a cost effective presentation showing the development of a major directorial talent. We also get to see some wonderful stars of Hong Kong cinema such as Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung, Andy Lau, Brigitte Lin and Faye Wong, often in roles different from their usual or at crucial points in their careers.

Of his other two films, In The Mood For Love is available in a sumptuous Criterion release. Unfortunately, Ashes of Time seems to be caught in some kind of 'intellectual property' hell, and the DVD is supposed to be even worse than the VHS, which is barely viewable. Maybe Kino can somehow gain the rights to Ashes as well and do a decent ramastering. (Hint to Kino: It would be nice to have a feature explaining some of the historical/literary background that is unfamiliar to western viewers)

A magnificent set of magnificent movies.......2004-10-23

Wong Kar-wai is simply one of the best directors working in Hong Kong today, and in all the world, for that matter. His characters are brilliantly realized, his style is stunningly kenetic, and cinematography (mostly by Christopher Doyle of "Hero" fame) is gorgeous. All in all a good set. Thus far, I would rank these films as follows, from best to . . . well, least best:

1. Chungking Express
2. Happy Together
3. Days of Being Wild
4. Fallen Angels
5. As Tears Go By

Be sure to pick up Wong's other film "In The Mood For Love", and you'll be sure to be awaiting the American release of his new film, "2046". "Ashes of Time", sadly, is a terrible DVD, so perhaps a Criterion release is in order?

Average customer rating:

Film Noir Boxed Set
remember...no 16 Boomerang is still missing
better price (than list) to start your collection, but not the best deal on noir
Don't Forget This One Too.........
An indispensable series for aficionados of film noir

Film Noir Boxed Set
Starring: Gene Tierney , Dana Andrews , Clifton Webb , Vincent Price , and James Stewart
Director: Henry Hathaway , and Otto Preminger
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ASIN: B000MDH6RK
Release Date: 2007-03-01

Amazon.com

This 17 film collection includes some of the best in film noir from 1944 - 1955, with 12 Oscar nominations between them. These are the films that defined the genre and the style of film-making. Mystery, Suspense, Murder, this collection has it all! Films Included: Call Northside 777, Laura, Panic in the Streets, House of Bamboo, Nightmare Alley, Street with no Name, House on 92nd Street, Somewhere in the Night, Whirlpool, Dark Corner, Kiss of Death, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Fallen Angel, The House on Telegraph Road, No Way Out, I Wake Up Screaming and House of Strangers

Customer Reviews:

Film Noir Boxed Set.......2007-03-28

I have watched about half of these movies & so far all of them have been very good, in fact, much better than I expected. I find Dana Andrews to be a very compelling leading man & the actresses in all of these are superb as well. I hope Fox will resolve their issues with "Boomerang" which is #16 in the set, (which is not included with your purchase) so that I can add this one to the collection. My only complaint is that this collection is not really a boxed set. It is simply 17 great film noir DVD's shrink-wrapped together. However, this is a great value & lots of these titles are being released for the first time in this set. Highly recommended for those who like the genre.

remember...no 16 Boomerang is still missing.......2007-03-18

This set misses out no.16 "Boomerang". It got recalled at the eleventh hour by Fox because of a legal tangle.
You can find it on sale for $45.00 on amazon marketplace, because it was actually printed and ready to go.
Clearly a few boxes have found their way out the back door!!!!
But despite that wee dissapointment you'll love the rest.
Hopefully Fox will sort out the mess soon..... and then you can plug the gap without having to shell out silly money.

better price (than list) to start your collection, but not the best deal on noir.......2007-03-12

I haven't yet purchased these titles & was just about to, until I checked up on what's included with the current bundle (March 1 2007) that Amazon is offering. As previously mentioned, this is not a box set (misleading description from Amazon), but rather a bundle of the first 17 titles in Fox's noir series. I purchased the Warner Bros.' boxes 1-3 (and reviewed them there) which I thought were an excellent value for the money (when on sale, roughly 6 - 7$ per disc). I've held off on these since the price is higher. This bundle discounts the titles to about $8 per disc, which is better than the usual price for each, but a local retailer often sells these titles for 7.50 - 10.00 (with a buy 3 get 1 free sale). Still I would have jumped on this price had this been a bonafide box set with the slimmer DVD cases, but these regular dvd's will take up quite a bit of real estate in my storage. Moreover, the more recent titles aren't included (missing titles: Boomerang, 14 Hours, Shock, Vicki, all released last year). If Fox would release all the titles to date (plus the next releases: Hangover Square & The Lodger) in slim cases & a box at a comparable price I'll jump, otherwise I'm holding out for a better deal.

Don't Forget This One Too................2006-03-05

For some reason the Fox Noir release Dark Corner (Mark Stevens, Lucille Ball, Clifton Webb, William Bendix) doesn't get much coverage under the typical outlets for obtaining these Fox Noir titles, Amazon included. I didn't even know the title was even out there, but it is, and it is quite a Noir gem. I say this without hesitation because I was never a Lucy fan at all. But in this one, she's actually pretty cool. Too bad she went goofy in later life (I guess it paid the bills).
If you like the Fox Noir series and Noir in general, don't forget this one too. I got mine from Tower Records (seems hard to find for some reason). The famous "peering through the venetian blinds" scene that you see stills of all the time, that's Mark Stevens. A somewhat overlooked actor in Noir circuit, but he can hold up to any of the other more noted ones in my opinion. Check it out.

An indispensable series for aficionados of film noir.......2006-01-10

The Fox film noir collection is an "Amazon.com exclusive" consisting of 9 DVDS in their individual cases (alas including individual shrink wrap, which one tediously has to remove) presented in one blister pack. The nine titles are:
*** BATCH 1 (DVDs released 3/05): Call Northside 777 (1948); Laura (1944); Panic in the streets (1950)
*** BATCH 2 (DVDs released 6/05): House of bamboo (1955); Nightmare alley (1947); Street with no name (1948)
*** BATCH 3 (DVDs released 9/05): House on 92nd Street (1945); Somewhere in the night (1946); Whirlpool (1949)

The film restorations are superbly done. The DVD cases are in uniform format, being part of the "Fox film noir" series. Each title has a film commentary (Laura has two) plus other extras, minimally a trailer. In addition, each title has a 4-page booklet with these sections: "the lineup," "the look," "the scoop," "the story," and "scene selection."

The DVDs list for $14.95 each and currently Amazon sells them for around $10 each. Amazon sells the 9-DVD collection for $74.99, which works out to $8.33 for each DVD. Certainly, not all titles are of the caliber of Laura (1944), but this collection is a must-have for the firm-noir aficionado.

Incidentally, BATCH 4, was released 12/05 and consists of: The dark corner (1946); Kiss of death (1947); Where the sidewalk ends (1950). BATCH 5 will be released in 3/06: Fallen angel (1945); House on Telegraph Hill (1951); No way out (1950)

Alain Silver & Elizabeth Ward's "Film noir: An encyclopedic reference to the American style" (1992, 3rd ed.) lists 32 noir titles by Fox. Hence we can probably expect from Fox another 20 or so titles in the "Fox film noir" series. If these 32ish titles all materialize in this excellent series, it will be a big chunk both out of one's purse and DVD shelf space.

Average customer rating:

One of the Best Wong Kar Wai Films!
Must have for Wong Kar Wai fans!
The Daddy of the Kar Wai Canon
Sundown in the City
a great movie

Fallen Angels
Starring: Charles W. Young , Takeshi Kaneshiro , Charlie Yeung , Karen Mok , and Michelle Reis
Director: Wong Kar-Wai
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002X7GY8
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Wong Kar Wai Films!.......2007-07-15

This has to be my very favorite Wong Kar Wai Film. It's beautifully shot like all his films. He's a genius.

Must have for Wong Kar Wai fans!.......2007-04-02

As a sort of 'sequel' to Chungking Express, it definitely holds it's own quirkiness & action-packed fun! Viewers also get to enjoy watching Takeshi Kaneshiro once again. Definitely a Must-Have!

The Daddy of the Kar Wai Canon.......2006-10-18

Fallen Angels could have been so named due to its dropped origin as part of director Wong Kar Wai's previous film Chunking Express, emerging afterwards as a follow up. To hear the critics tell it, `Express' is his masterpiece, regularly making the `best movies ever made' lists along side such exalted company as your Citizens Kane's and Casablanca's. But for me Fallen Angels is, to date, the daddy of the Wong Kar Wai canon.

Fallen Angel tells of a not quite burnt-out hit man, Leon, who begins to tire of the whole `gun for hire' malarkey and decides to quit on account of his burgeoning feelings for the female operative who he has never met, but who plans his jobs for him. The female operative, Michelle, also emotes for our existential assassin but somehow they both realise that if they ever did come face to face the fantasy would evaporate. The unrequited love thing is Kar Wai's forte but here it is more a case of "As long as you don't look at it, it won't disappear." So their love continues on the basis of ensuring that it never really exists. Anxious to avoid an inevitable unprofessional encounter, our navel gazing killer goes off on an adventure into the Kowloon night where he crosses paths with a series of likable reprobates before embarking on that fatal "one last job."

This takes us not so neatly into a `mad as a hatter' subplot about a petty criminal who was rendered mute as a boy by a can of `out of date' pineapples. He goes out at night and gets up to a range of activities such as massaging a dead pig and kidnapping a family and forcing them to eat ice cream. He to falls in love, with a girl who believes she has been beaten to the altar by someone called Blondie. He helps her go in search of the usurper of her affections resulting in a hilarious beating up of a blow up doll!

Cinematographer and Kar Wai regular Christopher Doyle engages a warped and gaudy neon look throughout; something of a trade mark in Kar Wai films. This is the world from inside a Wurlitzer juke box - or, at least, through the eyes of a tranquilised goldfish and this, incidentally, is not a complaint. The other thing I like about this film is that it walks the line between the art house `heart warmers' of the best of European cinema and the `Glock Opera' pyrotechnics of John Woo and Ringo Lam.
Genre clash - it's the future.

Sundown in the City.......2006-10-13

Wong Kar-Wai is the modern cinema's premier poet of loss and longing. His characteristically enigmatic films capture the erratic rhythms and ephemeral nature of memory and torment: fleeting, fragmented, wandering only to return obsessively to its central foci.

While Wong's debut, "As Tears Go By", was a relatively straightforward commercial riff on Scorsese's "Mean Streets" and the 'heroic bloodshed' style of Hong Kong street opera pioneered by action maestro John Woo, he would establish with "Days of Being Wild" and "Chungking Express" a signature style characterized by visual bravura mixed with interwoven and intensely introspective tales of emotionally isolated young people adrift in the shadow kingdom of urban postmodernity. Eschewing more traditional narrative formats for an ellipitical self-referrentiality that mirrors memory itself, Wong's films are rarely instantly accessible, but reward the patient viewer with intoxicating moods and contemplative brilliance.

"Fallen Angels" was originally conceived as something of a 'nightside' sequal/companion piece to "Chungking Express." Structurally and thematically it mirrors the latter with two seperate plotlines, each centering on a pair of twentysomethings (a hitman and his female 'agent' in one and a strange, mute confidence man and the girl he takes a shine to in the other) in search of love but unable or unwilling to find it in each other. Assorted camera tricks, fish eye lenses, slow motion sequences and the strategic use of a gloriously bittersweet pop soundtrack all help to capture a mood of frantic desperation and the distortions of memory and longing.

Wong also invokes the first of his 'art' films, "Days of Being Wild," returning to its concern with the loss and meaning of identity in an impersonal world. Leon Lai's hitman and Takeshi Kaneshiro's petty criminal both try - and fail - to remake their lives on ths straight and narrow. One of them manages a peace of sorts with his failure - the other goes out out in a bittersweet blaze of glory. Wong also explores the way in which longing (mis)identifies others: his characters view each other through the distorted lens memory and desire - what they see is not reality, but a projection of their own dreams - and when the truth is made manifest, it is always the cruelest blow.

a great movie.......2006-05-14

Fallen Angels is a truly special film, but it's not for everyone. It's gritty in a stylish way, shot mostly handheld with available light. But it's not gritty in the way most American pictures are; shaky cameras with perfect lighting and snappy editing. The takes are long, and the film is often grainy.

Wong Kar-Wai explores the transitory nature of life here. It's a little confusing, and the characters are beyond weird, but they really do have heart. The frantic pace and confusion give way to brief, precious moments of poignancy. The bleakness and impermanence of the rest of the film makes these moments feel even more meaningful.

If this sounds like your style, the movie can be very rewarding. But it's definitely not everyone's style. I find Chungking Express is generally a more palatable Wong Kar-Wai picture for viewers with more mainstream tastes.

Kira Reed the Night That Never Happened + Fallen Angel Dvd Unrated Uncut Reg 1 Ntsc Import

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Kira Reed the Night That Never Happened + Fallen Angel Dvd Unrated Uncut Reg 1 Ntsc Import
Starring: Kira Reed , Lisa Boyle , Colleen McDermott , J. Nichole Italiano-Zaza , and Samantha Phillips
Director: James Winner , and John Quinn
Manufacturer: Zima Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

Region 1 - NTSC
Both dvds are Unrated and Uncut editions
English language - Optional Spanish Subtitles
Import Spanish Cover

ASIN: B000UPC792

Product Description

Unrated Uncut *Import*Cover and Menu in Spanish*ENGLISH audio*Optional Spanish Subtitles*Region 1 - NTSC*** Those titles have been extremely rare worldwide and are among the most highly sought movies!*** THE NIGHT THAT NEVER HAPPENED - 96 min***This is the ONLY version that contains the complete UNCUT first scene of the movie. This scene has been cut even in the expensive US Unrated release!*** The events that occur the night of a bachelor party are often shrouded in secrecy--until now! The night before Claire and Brad's wedding, Claire sends her friend Tori along to make sure Brad behaves himself. But before the evening is over, a stripper will make off with the cash; a loan shark will have to be paid off; the maid of honor will be kidnapped; and the groom will be held hostage by a sexy dominatrix. But the real question is: will they make it to the church on time? GREAT Quality Scenes with Lisa Boyle, Kira Reed, Colleen McDermott, and more.. *** FALLEN ANGEL - 1:39:44 - Unrated Uncut***Caught in a seedy underworld of lies, lust and murder, Antonelli, the local mob boss, and his sultry young wife, Michelle, share a game of deception and jealousy that soon turns deadly. When Michelle begins an affair with the couple's chauffeur, Antonelli hires an unscrupulous assassin to rub him out. The bloodied event leaves Michelle angry, confused--and in the arms of a hot P.I., Robert Millus. After a night of passion, Robert and Michelle scheme to bring Antonelli down. But with ties from here to the old country, Antonelli takes his commitments seriously. And as Robert and Michelle soon find out, Antonelli is committed to Michelle until death do they part. ***Directed by John Quinn (The Secret Cellar - Beauty Betrayed - Sex Court The Movie - Sheer Passion - Staying on Top - Fast Lane to Vegas - The Key to Sex - Passion's Peak), and with Kira Reed, Ai Wan and Samantha Phillips, you can't go wrong!

Average customer rating:

A matter of expectations
Typical SciFi channel sludge
You need to find a new way to fight.
Oh,Nooooo!!!
What do retards do in the desert with their free time?

The Fallen Ones
Starring: Tom Bosley , Geoffrey Lewis , Kristine Miller , Robert Wagner , and Casper Van Dien
Director: Kevin VanHook
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A3XY6Y
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Customer Reviews:

A matter of expectations.......2007-07-08

If you expect academy award acting directing and scripting then this is not for you. If you just want a movie that you don't have to think about then this is for you. A little nudity or teasing would have helped but the story is fun.

Typical SciFi channel sludge.......2006-02-10

For a channel that continually gives us such tripe as "Mosquito" and "Bugs", "The Fallen Ones" is far from the worst that the SciFi channel has to offer. But as with most of their offerings, "The Fallen Ones" is devoid of a comprehensible script, Robert Wagner is horrible, and every few minutes you end up asking yourself, "What's going on here? I'm confused."
But that's Ok, because the film is marginally saved by Tom Bosley, I gotta tell ya, you can put Mr Cunningham in any kind of movie, doing any kind of role and I'm going to be entertained.
And you have to mention Caspar Van Diehm...we are living in blessed times to have this generation's John Agar meandering his way through B-movie after B-movie, he is so bad in an "Ed Wood" kind of way, that he almost makes you believe he's a credible actor.
I liked the super-sized mummy, that was good imagination, unfortunately, most of the rest of the movie was lacking.

You need to find a new way to fight........2005-12-19

The opening of The Fallen Ones is an enormous, neon-lit exclamation to the world - this film is going to be dreadful and ludicrous, but by golly, we are going to do it anyway! I was simply shocked at how nonsensical and downright insulting-to-one's-intelligence a modern made-for-TV movie could be.

The Fallen Ones resembles one of those after-the-rapture/left-behind Christian films, right down to the helpful old rabbi to read us indecipherable scripture and tell us all the details left out of the bible. Perhaps the idea is that a cherubic, Yiddish-inflected, lilting old man softens the blow of seemingly interminable exposition - it doesn't. Tom Bosley will never be anything but Howard Cunningham to those currently under 65, and possibly Father Dowling to those above 65.

I love how Casper Van Dien's character throws out acromegaly as a possible excuse for the presence of a 40'-tall giant mummy in the desert of the American Southwest, while a 7'-tall actor who has the disease is actually in the first few minutes of the film (Carel Struyken, aka. 90's Lurch). And while we're on the subject, everyone is just too comfortable with this bizarre finding. It doesn't seem to shock or awe anyone as they gather around the giant corpse and banter about "whos-dig this is" or horseback riding or dam construction delays.

We could dismiss the film as silly, childish prattle made for young kids who may be scared of giants or mummies, but the seedy background story of horny angels impregnating human women and producing giant, demonic offspring is probably not suitable for younger viewers. You've been warned.

Oh,Nooooo!!!.......2005-12-16

THIS is the worst movie EVER!!!!My son is 7 years old and can make better movies with my camcorder,his acting is better as well...

It is not worth the money.THEY have to pay ME instead to watch it again.

What do retards do in the desert with their free time?.......2005-10-24

Well, they could build a giant robot-mummy and march around chanting incoherently. Or they could make this movie. Really, this is an awful movie. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE cheesy, crappy movies, but I can't even give this movie _Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter_ props. They obviously had a decent budget based on the CGI and location shooting, but it looks like about 15 bucks went to the writer. Don't get it. Really. No, REALLY!

Average customer rating:

No suspense at all! totally silly movie!!!!!
Don't rent it for Anthony Michael Hall.
Surprisingly enjoyable

Fallen Angel
Starring: Alexandra Paul , Vlasta Vrana , Anthony Michael Hall , Michelle Johnson , and David Byron Elkin
Director: Marc S. Grenier
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004UEDP
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Customer Reviews:

No suspense at all! totally silly movie!!!!!.......2005-06-07

This movie is nothing but a dull, dreadful, & boring piece of film. The killer (a lady) in the movie is so unbelievable in the the role, and the lead lady cop (a star from Baywatch), is totally out of place playing this kind of part!!! The movie consist of absolutely no suspense at all! I could not help notice when I was watching the movie that it looked like on of those horrible so-called thriller movies that you see on the Lifetime channel. The movie is like a bad cop show!

Don't rent it for Anthony Michael Hall........2003-12-31

I bought this DVD on the cheap, hoping for a nice dose of Anthony Michael Hall. I was disappointed in that respect because he shows up for maybe a total of ten minutes, and doesn't appear to be making maximum effort with his performance. That said, this is an interesting film and I give it three stars because it's certainly not great, but it's good enough to pop into the DVD player for some campy entertainment. At the end of the day, I'm glad to have added it to my collection. And besides, some Anthony Michael Hall is better than none.

Surprisingly enjoyable.......2002-04-23

If you expect to find a sexy, curvy Michelle Johnson who once feasted your eyes and captured your heart in "Blame It On Rio", you may be disappointed. I first thought this was an erotic thriller myself. But Vicki Mayerson's bitter revenge is totally different from Jennifer Lyons' dangerous seduction, so to say. Nonetheless, director Marc Grenier deserves all the credit in making this B-thriller surprisingly enjoyable. Pretty good screenplay and cinematography, plus some nice acting (oh yes, believe it or not) by Alexandra Paul (the Baywatch girl) and Michelle Johnson. Furthermore, since "Fallen Angel" aka "Revenge" has its plot based on the animosity of a young girl who survived a teenaged gang's careless prank, the flashbacks are well calculated to gradually unravel some dark secrets that lead to a dramatic and believable ending. Not a waste of time, compared to many senseless flicks that are labeled "thrillers" out there.

Average customer rating:

Fallen Angel
Great Christmas Movie
touching story

Fallen Angel
Starring: Gary Sinise , and Joely Richardson
Manufacturer: Hallmark
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00018WNP6
Release Date: 2004-02-17

Customer Reviews:

Fallen Angel.......2007-01-10

A holiday heart warming must have that shows you that we are all human. And the holidays are no better time to show and tell our loved one that we love and miss them , no to mention need them from time to time. A family friendly movie for everyone .

Great Christmas Movie.......2005-12-19

This is a great Christmas movie, like the previous review stated-- for the whole family. Great actors, great story with a great ending. Definitely worth adding to my holiday collection. Highly recommended!!

touching story.......2005-09-24

This is a movie that will touch your heart. You will cry and smile at the end. See this with the whole family!

Average customer rating:

One of my favorite films
The kind of film you cannot explain, but must see...
Not the 'feel good movie of the year'
ARTIZTIC VIEW ON ALIENATION
Everything you have seen before and nothing like anything you have seen before.

Fallen Angels
Starring: Leon Lai , Michelle Reis , Takeshi Kaneshiro , Charlie Yeung , and Karen Mok
Director: Kar Wai Wong
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000ILEM
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Amazon.com

Fallen Angels was originally planned as one section of director Wong Kar-Wai's best-known film, Chungking Express, but eventually it grew into its own distinct and delirious shape. In many ways, Fallen Angels may be the better film, a dark, frantic fun-house ride through Hong Kong's nighttime world. Part of the film is a love story between two people who have barely met: a young, ultra-hip hit man (Leon Lai) and the dreamy operative (Michele Reis) who plans his jobs. Much of the movie is given over to a very strange subplot about a manic mute (Takeshi Kaneshiro) who goes on bizarre nocturnal prowls through a closed food market--like almost everything else in Wong's films, this is antic, stylish, and oddly touching, all at the same time. It must be said that, also like Wong's other films, Fallen Angels is fragmented and oblique to the point of occasional incomprehensibility…but then suddenly something wild or wonderful happens, such as the moment when the killer leaves the scene of a spectacular shooting and is promptly waylaid by a cheerful old school chum on a public bus. These coups--whether lyrical, violent, or simply "how on earth did they get that shot?"--are tossed off by Wong and cinematographer Christopher Doyle with all the cool of the hired killer, as though the movie were a cigarette dangling from a pair of oh-so-casual lips. This is exactly why so many otherwise calm critics fell all over themselves in hailing Wong Kar-Wai as one of the most exciting filmmakers of his generation. --Robert Horton

Description

Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai's stylistic masterpiece. A thematic sequel to "Chungking Express," "Fallen Angels" explores the lives of a number of Hong Kong ne'er-do-wells as they try to find love and money in the desperate streets of the city. This bittersweetly romantic film features a kaleidoscopic display of cinematography, camera angles and editing.

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite films.......2007-05-12

Of all the WKW Chunking films, this is the masterpiece. Absolutely beautiful, emotional, hilarious and action packed- all in one film.
Wonderfully shot. One of the best visual scenes of all time- when Charlie is in the noodle shop shot through the glass in the pouring rain. masterful.

The kind of film you cannot explain, but must see..........2006-10-16

"Fallen Angels", directed by Wong Kar Wai, is the kind of film you cannot explain, but must see. Why? Because it manages to transmit the feelings of isolation, love, hope and despair of its main characters, characters that are not like you or me, but that feel the same things we sometimes feel.

This film is driven by inner monologue, that is, you can hear what the characters think. Due to that, you are able to watch their actions but also to hear their thoughts. It is interesting, but also heartbreaking at times. In a sense, "Fallen Angels" could be accurately displayed as a sequel to "Chungking Express", because it is also about people, their stories, and specially their longing for something they don't have but hope for.

One of the main characters is a hitman, Wong Chi-Ming (Leon Lai), who has a beautiful partner (Michele Reis) that coordinates his hits. Wong Chi-Ming knows why he became a killer, a reason that is strange but that makes sense to him: "The best thing about my profession is that there's no need to make any decision. Who's to die... when... where... it's all been planned by others. I'm a lazy person. I like people to arrange things for me". Despite that, he is thinking of leaving his job and becoming a "normal" person, something his partner doesn't like at all.

The other main character is He Zhiwu (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a young mute that lost his voice after eating a tin of expired pineapple. He Zhiwu has a weird hobby: to break into stores at night and pretend to run them, forcing customers to buy things. He also happens to fall in love with a very strange lady, and says to himself "They say that love can change a man. I start to find myself looking better and more charming, and suddenly I discover that I'm turning blonde".

"Fallen Angels" is, again, a strange but magical film. I've tried to explain it, but I know I cannot do that well enough. It is up to you to draw your own conclusions. In my opinion, though, this is a film to be recommended.

Belen Alcat

Not the 'feel good movie of the year'.......2006-05-19

Not only does Fallen Angels tell a story, giving each character a developmental turn in the spotlight, but it sets the mood to be carried throughout the film. This movie is real and intimate. I was left feeling cold most of the time. It seems that, even though there are strong emotional scenes, most of the characters also recognize the coolness of the world surrounding their niche in society. Sometimes there are smiles, but no happiness. A well-developed, produced, acted, edited and written piece of art.

ARTIZTIC VIEW ON ALIENATION .......2005-12-29

indidviduals who are alienated, an outcast within the society tells their different story in this artistic entertaining movie. Cinematogrophy done by the one and only stylish chris doyle. Chris is amazing wih the cinematogrohy done on this film. Shot with neon, dreamy, hallucinatory preparation made this film an artistic beauty to watch. Each characters in this story are very interesting in their own way. We have the cool laid back quite assasin (leon) who lurks his way down at night to the city lights of hongkong in order to fulfill his mission guided and ordered by his dreamy melon-cholic girl partner, in which both of em never met one another but only find cues on things on recognising each others' personality. Such when michelle (the assasin's partner) look through the assasins left overs in her hotel room to know the assasin's preference. We have the mute, entertaining, colorful personality character who also lurks his way with his scooter at night to run his imaginary jobs at random shops and restuarant. This mute guy is takeshi kaneshiro who always run in with this one particular guy in which takeshi forces him to become his customer otherwise painful consequences might happen(a funny scene). The movie is entirely unique in its own way that i really find captivating to the senses. There is way more stuff in the movie than what i just said, you just have to find it for yourself. In my opinion this movie is way better than its predecessor chungking express in which directed by the same director. get the movie if u want to see a unique cinematography and stories of alienated individuals.
(grade A)

Everything you have seen before and nothing like anything you have seen before........2005-12-07

One thing is for sure - it is everything you have seen before and nothing like anything you have seen before. As a Wong Kar-wai junkie, I have to admit - it is getting harder and harder to find a favorite - Fallen Angels is among the top three. In one sense I really loved Fallen Angels because it is full of the same urban angst brought up in Chungking Express. There is something utterly and strikingly gorgeous about Wong Kar-Wai's movies. The mise-en-scene and backdrops his characters inhabit in that give each scene a particular almost brooding feeling. Wong Kar-Wai's are lost and lonely in a world that is dark and full of despair. Fallen Angels is no different.

Fallen Angels' Hong Kong is alive in the evenings. One could argue that the cinematography captures a dreamlike state, pure urban neon, and erotic. In Fallen Angels we travel the gritty back alleys (reminiscent of Chunking Express) into underworld dives, dreary dive bars juxtaposed against a brightly-lit McDonalds. I have to say this... Wong Kar-wai does somewhat put me off with his product placement - but we have to finance our projects somehow, I guess.

Leon Lai's is a lazy hired killer. His portrayal, it can be argues is weighty and conjures up a sense of gaudy (almost caddy) persona. I am reminded of Yuddy in Days of Being Wild. Lai is wonderful as a contradiction of apathy and poetry. Lai plays it with a languid air. Every move is deliberate - smooth. Conversely, Michelle Reis' is his doppelganger - his manager. She is obsessed with him, becomes emotionally attached to him. I would argue that a sense of betrayal set the stage for the hit man's final demise. A nighttime ride in the back of a motorcycle with He Zhiwu (Takeshi Kaneshiro) leads me wonder is she has comes undone. Love though, and its many forms of cruelty is a recurring theme with Wong Kar-wai. Oh that sweet betrayal... He Zhiwu is a potent character. The relationship He Zhiwu develops with his father is proof positive that even in the broken world of dysfunctionality there resides a lotus from the marshes. The videotape sessions, at first almost humorous, forms yet another center of love shattered - sometimes we need to really treasure what we have lest it slip by so suddenly... he Zhiwu is a symbol of the lyricism of youth.

One has to admit, even after Chunking Express, Fallen Angels is different from any Hong Kong movie. Driven by inner monologue (much like the later much acclaimed The Follow from The Hire series) it draws one in. The languid tone and deeply erotic tale is one that will stand the test of time. Fallen Angels according to Teo takes over from where Chungking Express leaves of. I argue that it brought Chungking Express to a whole new realm. Fallen Angels is Chungking Express on steroids.

Miguel Llora

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