1969 film by Robert Thom
Angel, Angel, Down We Go
, also known as
Cult of the Damned
, is a 1969 American film directed by playwright and screenwriter
Robert Thom
, his sole directorial credit. Thom based his screenplay on an unproduced stage play of the same title that he had written several years earlier as a vehicle for his wife, actress
Janice Rule
. The film was produced by
Sam Katzman
's Four Leaf Productions and distributed by
American International Pictures
.
[1]
[2]
[3]
Plot
[
edit
]
The overweight, emotionally troubled daughter of an affluent but brittle Hollywood couple becomes involved with a charismatic rock singer and his friends. The singer proceeds to seduce and manipulate her entire family.
Cast
[
edit
]
Production
[
edit
]
In August 1960, Thom, best known for writing the film
Compulsion
, announced he would direct a play titled
Angel Angel Down We Go
starring his wife,
Janice Rule
. It would be presented by
Leland Hayward
in December and was about a group of
New York University
students in Greenwich Village.
[4]
By November, Hayward halted production because he had been unable to find a director and a theater.
[5]
In August 1961, the play was acquired by Theatrical Interests Plan.
[6]
In September 1962,
Shirley Knight
was announced as the star.
[7]
The Broadway production did not occur but Thom transformed his play into a film script. Film rights were bought by Sam Katzman, who procured financing from AIP.
[8]
Jennifer Jones
signed in December 1968 and filming began on February 18, 1969.
[3]
[9]
The part of the daughter was played by
Holly Near
, who had not planned to be a film actress but was invited to audition after appearing at an awards event. "I got the part because I was beautiful and because I was fat," recalled Near in her memoir, adding that Thom had asked her to gain weight for the role.
[10]
Near said that Jones "was the grand dame that she deserved to be. I watched her struggle with her part, with her role, with her fear. I felt like an ugly duckling next to an aging swan."
[11]
Near felt that Thom "didn't have much compassion for my character ... I struggled to give her dignity where there was none ... I always wondered why Robert wanted to make this film."
[11]
Songs
[
edit
]
The songs in the film, "Angel Angel Down We Go", "The Fat Song", "Hey Hey Hey and a Hi Ho", "Lady Lady", "Mother Lover" and "Revelation," were written by
Barry Mann
and
Cynthia Weil
and were sung by
Jordan Christopher
.
[1]
Reception
[
edit
]
The
Los Angeles Times
called the film "a pretentious mess" although "it can never be said to bore."
[12]
The New York Times
described the film as "an unmitigated financial disaster."
[13]
AIP rereleased the film as
Cult of the Damned
in 1970. It was issued on a double bill with
The Vampire Lovers
. The
Los Angeles Times
called it "a terrible piece of trash."
[14]
In popular culture
[
edit
]
The fifth track on
Morrissey
's 1988 debut solo album
Viva Hate
is titled "Angel, Angel Down We Go Together."
[15]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
Angel, Angel, Down We Go
at the
AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- ^
Martin, Betty (Dec 21, 1968). "MOVIE CALL SHEET: Bill Holden Signed for 'Tree'
".
Los Angeles Times
. p. a6.
- ^
a
b
"MOVIE CALL SHEET: Jennifer Jones Set for Role".
Los Angeles Times
. Dec 12, 1968. p. f33.
- ^
SAM ZOLOTOW (Aug 15, 1960). "FEUER AND MARTIN ACQUIRE THEATRE: Producers of Musicals Get Lunt-Fontanne -- Robert Thom to Direct Show".
New York Times
. p. 19.
- ^
SAM ZOLOTOW (Nov 30, 1960). "HAL MARCH IS SET FOR SPRING PLAY: Gets Starring Role in 'Come Blow Your Horn' -- Sydney Chaplin in Line for Part".
New York Times
. p. 42.
- ^
SAM ZOLOTOW (Aug 2, 1961). "INVESTMENT UNIT ACQUIRES COMEDY: Theatrical Interests Plan to Produce Play About Co-ed".
New York Times
. p. 17.
- ^
Hopper, Hedda (Sep 7, 1962). "Red Skelton Is Touched by Antique Shop Incident".
Chicago Daily Tribune
. p. b10.
- ^
VINCENT CANBY (Mar 2, 1969). "Bye, Bye, Beach Bunnies: Bye, Bye, Beach Bunnies".
New York Times
. p. D1.
- ^
Martin, Betty (Dec 7, 1968). "MOVIE CALL SHEET: Kennedy Joins 'Airport' Cast".
Los Angeles Times
. p. a8.
- ^
Near p 43
- ^
a
b
Near p 44
- ^
Thomas, Kevin (Nov 28, 1969). "Jennifer Jones in 'Angels'
".
Los Angeles Times
. p. e32.
- ^
Harmetz, Aljean (4 August 1974). "The dime-store way to make movies-and money".
New York Times
. p. 202.
- ^
Thomas, Kevin (Nov 27, 1970). "
'Vampire' Showing in Multiples".
Los Angeles Times
. p. h24.
- ^
Morrissey - Viva Hate
, retrieved
2022-06-25
Notes
[
edit
]
- Near, Holly; Richardson, Derk (1990).
Fire in the rain-- singer in the storm : an autobiography
. W. Morrow.
External links
[
edit
]