Customer Reviews

The Angel Collection (Angel / Avenging Angel / Angel III)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The original ANGEL, released in 1984, was a surprise sleeper hit all over the world; garnering a cult following during it's runs on late-night cable. Donna Wilkes plays Molly Stewart, a 15-year-old schoolgirl who moonlights as a hooker (called Angel) on Hollywood Boulevard. Abandoned by her mother, Molly is taken care of by eccentric landlady Solly (Susan Tyrrell), transvestite Mae (Dick Shawn), and former cowboy Kit (Rory Calhoun). Molly's world is shattered when a serial killer starts offing her fellow toms, and becomes the next target when she points him out of a police lineup. ANGEL is filled with thrills, spills, campy one-liners and some equally over-the-top performances.

This box set also includes the two sequels, AVENGING ANGEL (released in 1985), and ANGEL III: THE FINAL CHAPTER (released in 1988). AVENGING ANGEL is the better film, because we get to see more of Susan Tyrrell and Rory Calhoun reprising their roles of Solly and Kit. Law student Molly (Betsy Russell) returns to the streets in order to track down the gangland killers who mowed down her guardian, Lt. Andrews (Robert Lyons). Betsy Russell, one of the main pin-up beauties of the 80s, delivers a good performance as Molly/Angel.

ANGEL III: THE FINAL CHAPTER follows Molly (now played by Mitzi Kapture) as she tries to track down her mother and long-lost sister, bringing down a white-slave trade ring in the process (run by former Bond girl Maud Adams). The third movie doesn't really work because the story and characters surrounding Angel are so dark and serious. The earlier ANGEL films were the perfect mix of comedy and action with endearing characters; you won't find that winning combination in the third movie. However, Mitzi Kapture does come closest to the spirit of Donna Wilkes in her performance as Molly/Angel.

The ANGEL trilogy is a perfect addition to your DVD collection, especially if you love 80's kitsch.

If you're on this page then you probably already know the basics about the Angel films. I beg to differ with the previous reviewer about Angel III, i found it quite entertaining. It's not perfect I will admit...but not all that bad.
Anchor Bay has released yet another quality DVD set with "The Angel Collection" containing 3 DVD's for parts 1 through 3 of the series. All three are presented in 1.85:1 Widescreen (16x9 Animorphic). As far as the picture quality is concerned, these movies look just about as good as they possibly could on the DVD format. I never noticed any dust artifacts or other imperfections in the film prints used for the transfers. The sound is presented in Dolby 2.0 Mono, since they were all originally released with Mono soundtracks I suppose. It is crisp and clean, also about as good a sound as an old Mono track can provide.

The Special Features of "ANGEL" (Disc 1) are two Theatrical Trailers, and several Deleted Scenes with no sound (sound was lost) but with English subtitles so we know what the original dialogue was.

The Special Features of "AVENGING ANGEL" (Disc 2) are two Theatrical Trailers, and a nice still & poster gallery.

The Special Features of "ANGEL III: THE FINAL CHAPTER" (Disc 3) are one Theatrical Trailer.

All in all, a nice trilogy set of this cheesy 80's series of movies. Obviously these movies aren't for everyone, but if you're a fan you really can't go wrong.

You know you're living in America when you can get the Angel Trilogy on DVD with extras delivered to your home straight from Amazon! This set is amazing, a real treat for Angel fans. I have my VHS versions of Angel and Avenging Angel, along with sealed back-ups in a safety deposit box in case one of them broke and they were no longer available on the market to replace. But now with the DVD set, all is secure!

I have posted extensive reviews of these three movies under the VHS version here on Amazon, so I won't repeat them. The sound and visual quality here are excellent, as good as old low-budget movies will look. The theatrical trailors on each (2 on Angel) are amazing. Angel has three deleted scenes with no sound, but with subtitles. For Angel fans, a true treat, but as extras go otherwise, they're not much. One is an existing scene in the movie with slightly different dialog that features some smoking. I guess they didn't want to glorify smoking in the final version, who knows. The chapter selections are superb, and, catch this, "Something Sweet" plays when you're at the menu, with Angel/Molly leaning into a car. Wow, it doesn't get any better than that. Anchor Bay did a great job.

Certainly, Angel 3: The Final Chapter is the dud of the series. It stands fine on its own, but not next to Angel and Avenging Angel. But no real Angel series is complete without it. Angel 4, that other reviewer was right, it doesn't really belong here anymore than Halloween 3 belongs in any Halloween set.

It's a minor miracle that we have this set on DVD with a few extras. I would have liked to have seen a where-are-they-now retrospective featuring the lovely Donna Wilkes, Betsy Russell, and Mitzi Kapture. They could talk about their experiences playing Angel, how they fit into the series, sort of like what the Bond Girls recently did for a special. Susan Tyrell or Cliff Gorman interviews would have been nice also, or even the woman who played guidance counselor, Patricia Allen, in Angel. But, let's not ask for the moon, we have the stars.

Angel fans, ENJOY! You're in for a great treat.

In 1984, I fell in love with a cheesy drive-in movie named Angel. It starred soap star Donna Wilkes, Dick Shawn, Rory Calhoun, Susan Tyrrell and Cliff Gorman (in one of the best roles of his career). This girl was a high school student during the day, a hooker at night. The reason she started hooking was her mom just left her and she need to get money somehow..WOW a great reason to be a lady of the evening! It had T & A, but kept the sleezibess in a small amount. Molly (Angel tried to solve the murder of her friend, another hooker. It was well done for a small grindhouse film.

A year later 1985, (that five years in movie time for you), A sequal came out. I wanted to stop and say NO, but I went anyway! I was not disaapointed. Betsy (Tomboy) Russell took on the role of Angel. In this film, Molly is graduating college and out of hooking. Her police guardian Detective Andrews, who is now played by Robert Lyons, is shot death. Molly realizes the best way to get information is to be Angel. Flanked by Kit (Rory Calhoun) and Solly (Susan Tyrrell), they flesh out who killed Andrews. With Ossie Davis in this cast, it brought a bit of class to this small film. At the end of this film ,you thought this film series was over when Molly spouted the film line "You know I never had a family Before."

A year later, 1986, Angel III: The Final Chapter. Angel is played by Mitzi Capture, who later did the show Silk Stalkings. Angel finds her birth mother and knows she has a sister. Her sister is involved with a slavery ring headed by Maud Adams, who also appeared in James Bond: the Man with Golden Gun. The piot thickens as Angel's Mom dies and tries to find her sister. Richard (Shaft) Roundtree plays the detective she befriends and helps her.

These Angels would never win best in show, but surpasses most of the GRINDHOUSE/Drive-in Cinema stuff. If anything, it is good for a night's entertainment. It does not like look cheap and the supporting casts are good

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

I believe "Angel and Avenging Angel" were absolutely on the money; "angel III" not so. I enjoy watching the first two movies of the series because some of the scenes and some of the music bring back memories of my own time in a big city. To this day I watch them now and again. Even though there is violence they are kind of feel good movies.

Been looking for a long long time to find this movie. Amazon made it possible. Thank you so much.

I enjoyed this trilogy. In the first part 'Angel', a teen-aged girl abandoned by her parents leads a double life, by night she is a hooker and by day she is an honor roll student. She is hiding the fact that her mother doesnt live with her but she manages to support herself, including paying her own private school tuition and tells the neighbors that her mother is ill and handles the household bills. It all hits the fan when a serial killer begins killing off her hooker friends and she gets targeted too. Her landlord gets killed, she be-friends a detective and he takes her under his wing after they catch the killer of course.

In the second film, 'Avenging Angel' Now Angel is in college...to be a lawyer. An undercover cop posing as a hooker gets killed and the detective that took Angel in gets murdered, she goes back to the streets to find the killer.

In 'Angel III' it gets a bit cheesy, Angel finds her Mom and the sister she never knew she had. Mom gets murdered and she has to rescue her sister from a life of prostitution, in this one Im a bit confused because Angel is a photographer, not a lawyer. It was okay but not as good as the first two.

Hope you enjoy!!

I have been looking for the Angel movies for quite some time. I expected to maybe find them very used, and on VHS. I never thought I'd find them on DVD, much less together in a box set. Awesome!! It was pretty cool trippin down memory lane, watchin these movies. Glad I finally have them. Thanks Amazon!

The concept was total cheese: High School student by day Hollywood Hooker by night. Much to everyone's surprise they pulled it off in a manner that wound up quite charming,at least in the first two films.The various "characters". mimes,jugglers,ex-cowboy film star, lesbian landlady,drag queen neighbor etc that help Molly/Angel keep the streets safe for "walking" are just fun to spend time with.On the other hand there are evil serial killers.The dichotomy between funny and scary is similar in tone to American Werewolf in London.

The third film while taking itself too seriously ,till attempted provide Molly/Angel with some likeable cohorts from her "sordid" past but didn't quite succeed in making them "fun" to be with. It did bring the series to a "Final Chapter".

The series should have ended there and I respect Anchor Bay's decision to not include 1994's ANGEL 4 UNDERCOVER in the set.It takes itself even more seriously than ANGEL III . While ANGEL III attempted to follow the "formula" ANGEL 4 takes Molly/Angel into a world of drugged out rock musicians, jealous groupies and payola, without a "posse". Even Roddy McDowell plays someone unlikeable in this one.If you didn't like III you'll loathe UNDERCOVER.

On the other hand if your completist be aware this set is one film short of the entire series.

Angel was made in and put out in 1984. Angel" Starring Donna Wilkes- "Father Murphy"-"Days of Our Lives". Angel is a Film set today 25 years later is still a smash hit in many homes. Only if they knew! Donna in her 20's Playes a young girl Molly. Molly was left by her parents at a young age. Being Mollet is only 15 has to provide for her self to only sit and wait for dreams to never come true. In fact Molly's world is about to crash in this hit. Molly is a great honor studet by day. Hollywood Hooker by night. As the story sets off Angels friends are being killed one by one. A sick minded killer is on the run. As the girls need there money to support them selves, The more they find them one less firend. Angel"Wilkes" plays an unforgetable roll in this film. Convincing not only the Killer but herself Enough is Enough! Molly is soon to be turned out by a group of studs at her school. As when you think it couldnt get any worse for Molly & Angels world's are now about to collide. Leaving no room to feel sorry for herself with a killer on the run. Molly turns to help her male cop firend Andrews'Cliff Gorman'. Now it is her chance! Her life! Her will! Will she be the next vitim for the killer"John Diehl" or will the tables turn and Angel make his last trick not be a treat? I give this film a 10 why cause 25 years later it still somehow sticks with us at home. The audience can relate to the film'd making as it happends in our very own world. Donna Wilkes to play Molly-Angel went on to a private life. However the film set sail for some sequels! However I am not to judge but Angel 2-4 is more of a comedy then Angel 1 With Wilkes. Not to mention the acting then played in Angel 1 By Wilkes and Co-Stars such as:Dick Shawn- Susan Tyrrell-Rory Calhoun & Donna McDaniel is very believeable in part 1. If you have seen the movie you know what I am talking about. If not? & your looking for a reality non stop pumping action, along filled with Donna's Grace and beauty alone will have you stuck to the set. As moving on. far as the remaining sequels? Well if your looking for an early age Betsy Russell"Saw (who is amazing as Jill)" in tights and a plastic gun then I would say grab the set! As Avenging Angel (Angel 2) is funny-good with a 5 stars from me. As for the set? Don't get disapointed as you go to put 3 in and see Mitzi Capture" Silk Stalkings" just not to silky as our next Molly-Angel. With a 3 Stars I say leave the 3 in the box. Last but least Angel had so much to offer as if it were taking in the right steeps. However they were walking with 2 left feet in this case. Angel 4: Undercover- My stars i give it a 1 why? Cause I feel sorry for Donna being degraded by 3 more Mollys-Angel's to be palyed all by differnt woman with horrible rolls. Less be known Molly now is blonde and is played by Darlene Vogel "Farscape" Leaves us with an Angel that never ment to be in the series but ended up in there! Leaving us with a blonde a gun shot boom poof its over. So if you havent seen it DONT pay 50 bucks for the vhs as it is not on dvd or in The Angel Collection. I would say if your in need to have to watch part 4. Wait till you see it on Ebay for buy it now for a few bucks But with free shipping. However we all have our own taste and my taste is in for Donna Wilkes. Great acting 25 years later its a must see from vhs to dvd to boxed sets to posters still to this day. There is just something about the Angel we all fell in love with. Thank you Angel Anes!