Overview of Date with an Angel LIVE!
This episode is a live, on-stage breakdown of the 1987 romantic fantasy Date with an Angel. Hosts Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael (with a Minneapolis audience) watch and riff on the film — summarizing plot beats, unpacking baffling creative choices, sharing personal reactions and tangents, playing supplemental clips (notably the angel’s recorded “otherworldly” voice), taking audience questions, and reading Amazon reviews. The episode mixes film analysis, comedy, pop-culture anecdotes, and live Q&A.
Main topics covered
- Quick film summary
- A man with a brain tumor (the groom-to-be) encounters a fallen angel (Emmanuelle Béart) with a broken wing; chaos ensues at an engagement/bachelor-party-adjacent set of events.
- The angel is mostly non-verbal (chirps/dolphin-like “otherworldly speech”); the film ends with a late exposition that reframes some earlier beats.
- Key plot/production notes revealed on stage
- The angel’s voice was largely created in post-production by a voice artist who recorded multiple “otherworldly” tracks that were mixed into the final film.
- The angel’s wing is broken after being hit by a satellite (a small “Reagan-era Star Wars” gag some panelists missed).
- The movie was a studio flop (budget ~$8M, box office ~$2M) but has a cult following and strong fan reviews.
- Comparison to other films
- Frequent comparisons to Splash and E.T.; hosts debate whether Date with an Angel is a ripoff or just similar in tone and premise.
- Jacob’s Ladder–style alternate reading discussed (is much of the movie imagined because the lead is dying?).
- Live audience Q&A highlights
- Questions about angelic free will, whether the film critiques capitalism, and the origin/meaning of the film’s “date.”
- Audience members offer readings that the film is anti-capitalist (monetizing the angel) or that it’s a naïve faith/romance fantasy.
Key takeaways & host opinions
- Phoebe Cates gets near-universal praise from the hosts: seen as charismatic and the best actor in the movie; many felt the movie should have centered on her character more.
- The male lead (referred to jokingly as “Tad”) is widely disliked by the hosts — they argue he’s selfish and not a sympathetic protagonist.
- The film is tonally all over the place: boardroom satire → engagement/bachelor party farce → kidnappers/party‑ninjas → forest/woodland-nymph sequences → sudden, rapid exposition at the end.
- The angel’s nonstandard voice and the film’s strange compromises (mixed genre, odd character choices) are both the source of much humor and the chief reasons the movie confounds viewers.
- Despite (or because of) its messiness, Date with an Angel has a devoted fanbase — Amazon ratings skew highly positive and the live audience revels in its oddities.
Notable moments & quotes
- “Hiney” — repeated gag in the film; became a running joke in the live show.
- “She just loves smoochies” — hosts summarize the angel’s nearly constant kissing behavior.
- Hosts’ favorite beats: the “party ninjas” (bachelor-party friends), the press conference where a kidnapped angel is presented, Phoebe Cates’ portrait and wardrobe moments, the “love bug” singing telegram.
- Audience interjection: “Satan was an angel” — shouted during Q&A and used to illustrate theological confusions the film raises.
- Emmanuelle Béart’s voice creation clip: producers flew a voice artist to re-record/supplement the angel’s voice — the hosts played this and discussed its effect.
Themes and interpretations discussed
- Ambiguity of reality: Is the angel real or a dying dream/vision brought on by the lead’s tumor? The show debates literal vs. psychological readings.
- Capitalism/commercialization: Many characters immediately try to monetize or market the angel; the hosts and audience posit the film as a satire of Reagan-era greed.
- Sexuality and agency: The angel’s nonverbal allure creates uncomfortable dynamics (men hypnotized, father’s creepy obsession, fiancé abandoned).
- Genre instability: The film mixes romance, fantasy, comedy, physical slapstick, and weird metaphysical moments; the hosts argue that unpredictability is part of the film’s cult charm.
Production & trivia highlights
- Emmanuelle Béart plays the angel; her “voice” in the movie is largely a constructed, multi-layered sound performed by a voice artist.
- The film was nominated for Best Fantasy Film at the 1988 Saturn Awards (lost to The Princess Bride).
- The movie includes era-specific needle-drops (e.g., Steve Winwood) and production design that makes it a recognizable late-80s artifact.
- The studio lost money on release, but the film retains a passionate cult audience.
Audience interaction & extras
- Live reading of Amazon reviews (many 5-star, strong cult fandom).
- Multiple audience questions about theology, the angel’s manual, and whether the film is about capitalism.
- Hosts reveal a merch/t-shirt design inspired by the film (angel wings on back; “angel” on front) and mention where to buy it (hdtgm.com referenced during the show).
- Sponsors read: Squarespace, Pandora, T‑Mobile, Thumbtack, DSW — these appear in the episode as ad reads.
Who will enjoy this episode (and the movie)
- Fans of “so‑bad‑it’s‑good” cinema, cult movie culture, or 80s film oddities.
- Listeners who like long-form improv and live riffing on an eccentric mainstream release.
- Viewers interested in film curiosities (weird dubbing decisions, tonal mismatches, production tidbits).
- People who love Phoebe Cates or Emmanuelle Béart and like defending underrated performances.
Recommended next steps (if you liked the episode)
- Watch Date with an Angel to form your own reading (pay attention to the angel’s voice and the late exposition).
- Listen to the supplemental “otherworldly speech” clip mentioned in the episode.
- If you enjoyed the live format, check other live episodes from this show for similar breakdowns and audience Q&A.
- Visit hdtgm.com for merch or episode extras referenced onstage.
Final note
The episode is equal parts affectionate defense and mockery: the hosts clearly enjoy the movie’s hallmarks (Phoebe Cates, surreal set pieces, 80s music) while having fun shredding its logic and taste. It’s a lively, digressive, and entertaining deep-dive for anyone curious about why some movies fail commercially but thrive as cult curiosities.