Lost and Found: Angel

In which a Hollywood high school hooker becomes ensnared in a serial killer’s reign of terror.

For my money, Angel (1984) deserves a spot on the Mount Rushmore of “hookers in danger” films that were so prevalent in the 1980s. I’ve already extolled the virtues of another masterful example of this cherished genre, Streetwalkin’ (1985), and now it’s time to heap praise on Angel. While the film has never really been lost, as it’s been widely available on various physical media formats, it’s still a cult film whose fan base is largely made up of aficionados of exploitation cinema.

Written and directed by Robert Vincent O’Neil, Angel’s plot is summed up beautifully by its all-time great tagline: “High school honor student by day. Hollywood hooker by night.” Petite, fresh-faced beauty Donna Wilkes stars as Los Angeles area high schooler Molly—hooker name: Angel—whose delinquent parents split and left her to fend for herself. By day, Molly goes to a fancy private school, gets good grades, and looks sweet as pie in her pigtails, stylish blazer, and schoolgirl miniskirt. By night, Angel prowls Hollywood Boulevard in tight tops, micro-minis, and heels for johns because she needs to make her own living since being abandoned. No one at school knows what Molly does during her after hours time. While she’s alone at home, she’s become part of a found family at her night job, consisting of a motley crew of fellow prostitutes and street performers.

That’s part of what makes Angel so compelling: the relationships Angel forges with decent, big-hearted outcasts is simply heartwarming. Angel’s “street family” includes aging film cowboy Kit Carson (Rory Calhoun), street performer Yoyo Charlie (Stephen M Porter), drag performer Mae (Dick Shawn), fellow prostitutes Crystal (Donna McDaniel) and Lana (Graem McGavin), and her landlady, the hilariously eccentric artist Solly (Susan Tyrell). The actors are uniformly terrific together—Shawn and Tyrell are an absolute blast—making Angel and her friends seem like real people, the ones you might walk past on the Boulevard without a second thought, but who have big hearts and real dreams. These supportive pals have made a home for Angel, amid all the uncertainty of sex work, one she desperately needed.

Of course, hooking in early ‘80s LA comes with an element of danger. In Angel, there’s a deranged serial killer targeting sex workers. In an absolutely unhinged performance, John Diehl is terrifying as the nameless killer. He lives alone, hardly ever speaks, pokes holes in eggs and sucks the yolk out while jerking off to a photo of his young mother and him as a boy (eww), and spends his evenings stalking prostitutes. Angel and friends become ensnared in his web of violence, and, through a series of events, Angel attempts to put a stop to his reign of terror.

LAPD Lieutenant Andrews (Cliff Gorman) discovers Angel’s double life and tries to help her. She resists, but eventually some asshole classmates find out about her night job. Soon after, the entire student body seems to know. Meanwhile, as the killer gets closer to Angel’s inner circle, things come to a head and Angel grabs a gun and chases the maniac through the streets of LA, firing shots left and right. It’s an awesome scene, with the tables turned on the killer, and with Angel becoming the smoking hot, badass action star in heels wielding a massive handgun with reckless abandon. Not gonna lie, it’s hot.

The supporting cast of veteran actors elevate every scan they’re in. Tyrell, Calhoun, Gorman, and Shawn deliver memorable work, crafting highly idiosyncratic performances of big-hearted eccentrics who truly love and want to protect Angel from harm. The basic premise, with Angel being abandoned at age 12 (!) to fend for herself, then spending the next several years banging hundreds of johns to afford school and pay the bills, is heartbreaking. What makes Angel engrossing is how well the film balances the struggles with hope. At heart, it’s a movie about people on the margins of society who find in each other reasons to believe they’re going to be okay.

Wilkes holds it all together with an impressive mixture of strength and vulnerability. She was twenty-five at the time but easily passes for a teenager, thanks to her small stature and baby face. She’s adorable and sexy, all at once (and, because she was an adult in real life, you don’t have to feel icky for finding Angel attractive). The father-daughter relationship she develops with Gorman’s sympathetic detective is sweet.

Interestingly, Angel spawned three sequels, including Avenging Angel, with ‘80s babe Betsy Russell taking over the role of Angel. While some of the vast returns, it is a far sillier affair,l. Nevertheless, I absolutely adore it. Still, the original stands tall as the best of the series and one of the best films of the early ‘80s exploitation era, full stop. Wilkes shines, O’Neil’s direction is solid and assured, and the gorgeous cinematography brings the vibrancy of Hollywood Boulevard to life. The film looks great. It’s one of my favorite ‘80s LA films, thanks to how lovingly it captures the city during that era. When it comes to ‘80s cult classics, Angel ranks high on my personal list. I can’t recommend it enough.