Angel, Angel, Down We Go (1969)

Admirable film.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

These IMDb comments intrigued me enough to order this, but the film as a whole is a mess that left me tired. A few scenes stand out--I actually sort of dug the music, and Jordan Christopher shirtless and in leather pants as Bogart is easy on the eyes. Despite her top billing, Jennifer Jones simply isn't in the film much at all, and while she seems attractively well preserved, her closeups are filmed through Vaseline and she wears yards of billowing fabric in most of her costumes, so it's hard to say. I thought it was funny that when she finally hooks up with Bogart she cries out "I'm 50!" (her actual age when this was filmed). The references to Tara, "Gone with the Wind," and Jones' reaction to it all are interesting but muted. For all the drama of the advertising, this film was surprisingly plain and underwhelming. The trippy cutaways to hallucinations are overdone, but worth watching at least once.

This must be one the greatest, least recognised trash films of all time. It has such a strange mixture of truth and pretentious phoniness that it is in a class of its own. What Hollywood film of the time (or now even) would dare show anything as pornographic (for Fat Amerika) as Holly Near's binge eating scene at her birthday party? Yet the incredible tackiness of it all perfectly illustrates the tackiness of late 60s rock culture, even if it gets all the details wrong, oh so wrong. I love it, it's one of my top ten all time favourite films.

the review in the "Psychotronic Encyclopedia Of Film" had me looking for this one, for years. Finally found it in 2003, and wouldn't you know, it has ended up on USA cable here a year later. (Showtime Beyond is really exhuming the hard to find AIP stuff regularly) So, what to say. The casting is positively bizarre, with Jennifer Jones, modeling the same outfit she later wore in "Towering Inferno"; Protest singer Holly Near as her troubled fat-girl daughter; Charles Aidman as the rich, secretly gay, father; Jordan Christopher as the freaky rock singer/producer,currently working with his new band "The Rabbit Habit" featuring Lou Rawls (who never sings?), and Roddy McDowell in his freakiest psychedelic film. It starts with Christopher appearing to be a liberating force, but by the end, the drug use/criminal activity leaves no one liberated, and some dead. It's fairly pointless overall, but there are some classic moments to be treasured. Favorite dialogue award goes to Jones, with the classic:"In my heart of hearts, I'm a sexual clam", though Roddy's mini-rant about sexuality, ending with his description of being "turned on" by a carrot comes real close. Hardly classic, but rewarding for the curious! Good companion piece to similar epics from that time, from "LSD, I hate you", on back to "Skidoo", and "Gas-s-s-s, or it may become necessary to destroy the world in order to save it!"

As I have collected all 24 Jennifer Jones' films on video, (25 if you include the two versions of "Gone to Earth"/"Wild Heart"), it was only natural I should buy a video entitled "Cult of the Damned", its' later release title.I was 23 when this was filmed in 1969 so if what now amounts to a period piece of rock stars, drugs, cults etc, appeals to you, then this film is worth a look.You may be somewhat surprised to see and hear established stars such as Jennifer Jones appearing in this film especially when she utters lines like," I made 40 stag films and never faked an orgasm" or calling her masseuse a " you're a bloody sadistic dyke".Roddy McDowell also appears as a disciple of Jordan Christopher, the cult leader."Pop" art adorns the set especially at the beginning and is designed to shock.The dialogue is full of pretentious nonsense as espoused by Holly Near playing the overweight daughter and its narrator.I did however like most of the songs especially the one Jordan sings to Jennifer Jones when he's stark naked at the foot of her bed, with just her famous necklace to cover his modesty!I know this film gets "slated" by most people and critics but do see it if you get the chance.Its never been seen on mainstream UK TV to my knowledge and the video title is not commercially available.Your best bet is to bid on "e-Bay" as it occasionally comes up for auction.