Angel Heart
A down-and-out Brooklyn detective is hired to track down a singer on an odyssey that will take him through the desperate streets of Harlem, the smoke-filled jazz clubs of New Orleans, and the swamps of Louisiana and its seedy underworld of voodoo.
Working with a moderate budget of $17.0M, the film achieved a respectable showing with $17.2M in global revenue (+1% profit margin).
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Angel Heart (1987) showcases precise story structure, characteristic of Alan Parker's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 14-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 53 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Harry Angel
Louis Cyphre
Epiphany Proudfoot
Margaret Krusemark
Main Cast & Characters
Harry Angel
Played by Mickey Rourke
A down-on-his-luck private investigator hired to find a missing person, drawn into a nightmarish descent through New Orleans' occult underworld.
Louis Cyphre
Played by Robert De Niro
A mysterious, wealthy client who hires Harry to locate a missing singer named Johnny Favorite, appearing increasingly sinister as the investigation progresses.
Epiphany Proudfoot
Played by Lisa Bonet
The beautiful daughter of a voodoo priestess who becomes romantically involved with Harry during his investigation.
Margaret Krusemark
Played by Charlotte Rampling
A wealthy woman connected to Johnny Favorite's past who possesses disturbing knowledge about the occult.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Harry Angel, a cheap private detective in 1955 Brooklyn, operates in a grimy world of small-time cases and debts. He's a cynical, pragmatic man living in moral grayness.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Harry accepts Cyphre's case to track down Johnny Favorite, a singer who disappeared after WWII. The job seems simple but immediately leads to evasion and lies from those who knew Favorite.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to After Dr. Fowler is murdered, Harry chooses to continue the investigation despite the danger. He crosses into a darker world, traveling to New Orleans to pursue the mystery of Johnny Favorite., moving from reaction to action.
At 57 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Harry realizes the pattern: everyone he interviews about Johnny Favorite is murdered shortly after. He's not just investigating—he's somehow the instrument of their deaths. The stakes escalate from solving a mystery to survival., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 85 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Harry discovers Epiphany brutally murdered. The woman who represented hope and connection is dead—and evidence suggests Harry himself killed her. His reality completely collapses., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 90 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Louis Cyphre reveals the truth: Harry Angel IS Johnny Favorite. Favorite murdered a soldier, stole his identity, and made a pact with the devil. Harry's entire investigation was his journey to self-discovery and damnation., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Angel Heart's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 14 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Angel Heart against these established plot points, we can identify how Alan Parker utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Angel Heart within the horror genre.
Alan Parker's Structural Approach
Among the 9 Alan Parker films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Angel Heart takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Alan Parker filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional horror films include Lake Placid, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Cat's Eye. For more Alan Parker analyses, see The Life of David Gale, Evita and Fame.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Harry Angel, a cheap private detective in 1955 Brooklyn, operates in a grimy world of small-time cases and debts. He's a cynical, pragmatic man living in moral grayness.
Theme
Louis Cyphre tells Harry: "They say there's just enough religion in the world to make men hate one another, but not enough to make them love." The theme of identity, sin, and damnation is introduced.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of 1955 New York, Harry's struggling detective business, and his encounter with the mysterious Louis Cyphre, who hires him to find missing crooner Johnny Favorite for $5,000.
Disruption
Harry accepts Cyphre's case to track down Johnny Favorite, a singer who disappeared after WWII. The job seems simple but immediately leads to evasion and lies from those who knew Favorite.
Resistance
Harry investigates Johnny Favorite's past, visiting Dr. Fowler at the hospital. He encounters resistance and strange occurrences. Cyphre reappears, pushing Harry deeper despite growing unease about the case's dark undertones.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
After Dr. Fowler is murdered, Harry chooses to continue the investigation despite the danger. He crosses into a darker world, traveling to New Orleans to pursue the mystery of Johnny Favorite.
Premise
Harry navigates New Orleans' underworld of voodoo, music, and occult practices. Each lead brings another brutal murder and deeper mystery. The investigation becomes a descent into spiritual darkness and forgotten memories.
Midpoint
Harry realizes the pattern: everyone he interviews about Johnny Favorite is murdered shortly after. He's not just investigating—he's somehow the instrument of their deaths. The stakes escalate from solving a mystery to survival.
Opposition
Harry is pursued by police suspecting him of the murders. His relationship with Epiphany intensifies. Cyphre appears repeatedly, tightening the psychological noose. Evidence suggests Johnny Favorite stole another man's identity after a satanic ritual.
Collapse
Harry discovers Epiphany brutally murdered. The woman who represented hope and connection is dead—and evidence suggests Harry himself killed her. His reality completely collapses.
Crisis
Harry spirals in horror and confusion, unable to reconcile the murders with his own missing memories. He's haunted by fragmented visions and the growing realization that he doesn't know who he is.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Louis Cyphre reveals the truth: Harry Angel IS Johnny Favorite. Favorite murdered a soldier, stole his identity, and made a pact with the devil. Harry's entire investigation was his journey to self-discovery and damnation.
Synthesis
The full horror unfolds: Harry/Johnny murdered everyone to hide his original crime, committed incest with his own daughter (Epiphany), and damned himself. Cyphre (Lucifer) collects his due. Harry is arrested, descending into literal and spiritual hell.
Transformation
Harry descends in a literal elevator, now fully aware he is Johnny Favorite—a damned soul who murdered his own child. The grifter has become the mark. Identity revealed equals soul destroyed.