Watching this movie reminded me a lot of the 1960 British film Peeping Tom. Specifically, the negative reviews it was said to have received initially- "The sickest and filthiest film I remember seeing." Also about a serial killer- who before and during the opening credits kills a prostitute- Peeping Tom is actually a classic, a dark, naked look at a voyeuristic and violent society.Angel, coming out in 1984, reverses that formula, telling the story from the point of view of a prostitute, in this case a 15-year-old girl who by day goes to a private school, innocent and an honours student. Social circumstances led her into prostitution, and she's unhappy about it, making her a potentially sympathetic character. Sounds like an intriguing film with lots of potential- Taxi Driver (1976) is a great film in which Jodie Foster plays an even younger hooker.Alas, Angel is a better fit for the reviews Peeping Tom got. It has the look and feel of a cheap exploitation piece- featuring excruciating acting from people often looking much older than the part they're playing. (The nerd who asks Angel out, notably, looks suspiciously like a man in a wig and big glasses.) They awkwardly stumble over dialogue that ranges from good to mediocre to bad ("The law sucks!") The screenplay sports other holes- do they really not check suspects for weapons in police lineups? At one point, the cowboy character is shot and on his back, then he springs up to pump the bad guy full of lead, and walks away as if the injuries didn't really hurt him.Yes, a cowboy. That's another thing about this movie, the cheap costumes that come close to funny (the man in drag is just bad). What saves this from being a three-star movie in my books is some good nudity- full frontal, with the most comfortably naked girls in a high school shower since Carrie (1976).

Just one look at the poster for this film, which depicts its winsome star Donna Wilkes both as pig-tailed, 15-year-old high-school student Molly and hot-pants wearing Hollywood hooker Angel, and it is clear that the film has bags of sleazy potential: after all, isn't under-age prostitution always a winner? Factor in the film's vicious serial killer angle, the seedy locale, and a whole menagerie of LA weirdos, and this could easily have been an essential slice of hard-hitting 80s exploitation. Sadly, this is not quite the case...If one is to believe Angel's writer/director Robert Vincent O'Neill, Hollywood Boulevard circa 1984 was a gaudy wonderland where, even if one's dreams didn't come true, there was still friendship to be found among the kind-hearted hookers and lovable oddballs who walked the streets at night; psycho killer aside, everyone in the film is essentially a good soul despite their outwards appearance or dubious life choices. While O'Neill's rather rose-tinted view of Hollywood and his affection for his characters gives the film heart, it also seriously undermines its ability to act as a truly gritty shocker.Particularly notable is the reluctance to depict Angel actually plying her trade, as if doing so might make the viewer less sympathetic towards her plight; she spends most of her time chatting to friends, and the one time she actually picks up a john, the scene is cut short before any hanky panky can take place (in fact, virtually all the nudity in this film occurs in the girls locker room at Angel's high school, and none of it is from Wilkes!). O'Neill also kindly spares his viewers the pain of seeing any of the oh-so-undeserving murder victims dispatched in detail, meaning that the film is disappointingly light on gore.The good news is that, even though Angel frustratingly wimps out on the stronger stuff, thereby denying it legendary status, the film still offers plenty for it to warrant a viewing: John Diehl makes for a convincingly deranged killer; Susan Tyrrell, Dick Shawn, and Rory Calhoun give strong supporting performances; cinematographer Andrew Davis effectively captures Hollywood's seamy vibe; and last but not least, there's the undeniable appeal of Donna Wilkes who, whether in school uniform or slutty work attire, looks gorgeous throughout.

I've had this movie in my library for many years and view it often since it is extremely hard for a twenty year old to play the part of a fifteen year old high school student. Donna excels in her Role as Angel, especially her acting ability as a teen playing an adult. This movie does not get enough showing due to the nudity, however the content and storyline should give teens a closer view of what abandoned teens are forced to struggle with in our dangerous society. Kudos to the entire cast for a job well done, and special credits to Donna for her outstanding performance. You need to update her bio, with photos, and provide her latest work. Thanks.

*SPOILER ALERT* *SPOILER ALERT*I bought this video for three bucks. You don't know how long I've been staring at the video box cover of "Angel" and wondering when I was going to get around to watching it. The front cover of "Angel" is pure exploitation. It has Angel on the left side of the cover wearing pigtails and holding some schoolbooks. The right side of the front cover has Angel in high heels and a short red skirt. The tag line is "High School Honor Student by day. Hollywood Hooker by night." Classic! This is a film that no sleazy film lover could possibly resist.One thing you can say about the tag line for "Angel": It didn't lie. So Angel is a high school honor student by day and a Hollywood hooker by night. She hangs out with other ladies of the night and tries to earn some money. A mad killer is stalking Hollywood Blvd. and wants to slice and dice some hookers. Angel won't stand for it. She's got a gun that's bigger than she is and she can't wait to use it.Well, I wanted to love this movie but it just wasn't sleazy enough for me. I should have known the video box cover was too good to be true. The main problem with "Angel" is that Angel does not get naked. Does NOT get naked. I found this to be troublesome since she was supposed to be a Hollywood hooker. Not only that, she doesn't have any sex scenes in the entire movie. No sex scenes for a Hollywood hooker movie? She even says at one point, "I've had sex with hundreds of men…" When was that Angel? Was that in a different movie? Why is Angel being so shy?That's the basic problem with "Angel". It's trying to be a real movie when it should have been sticking to being extra sleazy. "Angel" gets pretty emotional for a Hollywood hooker flick. Angel tends to cry a lot about her family life or lack thereof. Not to seem heartless but I don't really want to see Angel weeping uncontrollably. There are a few scenes of gratuitous female nudity at the high school locker room and some decent fight scenes but overall "Angel" was kind of a letdown.Great video box cover. So-so B-flick.