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Jacob's Ladder (1990/I)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
2 November 1990 (USA) moreTagline:
The most frightening thing about Jacob Singer's nightmare is that he isn't dreaming.Plot:
A traumatized Vietnam war veteran finds out that his post-war life isn't what he believes it to be when he's attacked by horned creatures in the subway and his dead son comes to visit him. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
2 wins moreNewsDesk:
(9 articles)
New Pandorum poster proves that in space, no one can hear you photoshop (From QuietEarth. 19 June 2009, 8:04 AM, PDT)
Dysfunctional Marriages Go Blu: 'Indecent Proposal' and 'Fatal Attraction'
(From Rope Of Silicon. 9 June 2009, 2:13 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
More to be felt through than thought through. moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Tim Robbins | ... | Jacob Singer | |
| Elizabeth Peña | ... | Jezzie | |
| Danny Aiello | ... | Louis | |
| Matt Craven | ... | Michael | |
| Pruitt Taylor Vince | ... | Paul | |
| Jason Alexander | ... | Geary | |
| Patricia Kalember | ... | Sarah | |
| Eriq La Salle | ... | Frank | |
| Ving Rhames | ... | George | |
| Brian Tarantina | ... | Doug | |
| Anthony Alessandro | ... | Rod | |
| Brent Hinkley | ... | Jerry | |
| S. Epatha Merkerson | ... | Elsa | |
| Suzanne Shepherd | ... | Hospital Receptionist | |
| Doug Barron | ... | Group Leader |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
115 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby SRCertification:
Argentina:16 | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:RFun Stuff
Trivia:
Actors who were allegedly interested in playing the leading role of Jacob Singer included Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino and Richard Gere. For the role of Jezzie, director Adrian Lyne auditioned roughly 300 women, including Julia Roberts, Andie MacDowell, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. The role eventually went to the very first person who auditioned - Elizabeth Peña. moreGoofs:
Continuity: In the scene where Jacob and Geary are walking down the stairs, Geary is holding his brief case with his left hand. After he says "war games in Thailand" and makes a motion with his right hand, the next shot shows that hand now holding the brief case. moreQuotes:
Michael: I'd only been in jail 13 hours, I thought 'Nam couldn't be any worse.Jacob Singer: Shows how little you knew.
Michael: Yeah, really.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin (2007) (V) moreSoundtrack:
SONNY BOY moreFAQ
What book is Jacob reading on the train early in the film?What special features are on the DVD?
A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERS
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After reading several reviews on this film I thought I would add my two cents. This remains one of my favorite movies and I never hesitate to take in another viewing. A lot of people seem to be noting the loose script and story elements as the film's weaknesses, going so far as to call it messy and incoherent. The fact that even after seeing it several times there's still some mystery in it, still some ambiguity as to the possible meanings to all of the things that go on with Jacob, is what I find most appealing. It's not a film like the Sixth Sense where all of the pieces fall into place at just the right time and you know exactly where you stand. It's something rather that is left to the imagination of the viewer, a rare thing when audiences en mass want clear cut explanations and easy answers (hence the success of Sixth Sense, a great film in it's own right, but the complete opposite of this one).
The visuals are incredible and highly influential. The techniques used in this film have since been overused and distilled throughout various horror movies and music videos, but without ever coming close to the power of the original, which presents some of the most psychologically terrifying images ever to appear on screen. I think it's hard to come to this movie for the first time today and experience it the way you could have eleven years ago, when these type of images had yet to be seen and were exposed to completely unsuspecting audiences. The best way to see this movie is with absolutely no knowledge of it beforehand.
The mood is perfect. The acting is great, the dialogue is outstanding. Danny Aielo explaining to Jacob about angels and demons still moves me to this date and the two simple words suddenly spoken to a disbelieving Jacob from some unseen source while in the Asylum scene still terrify like no other movie can. Also this may be the Home Alone kid's best film.
The extra scenes on the DVD range from average to terrifying, including the omitted "antidote" scene, something I'm glad I didn't see when I was younger because it might have scarred me for life :). Also there is a perplexing and scary scene omitted at the end where Jacob confronts Jezebel. There is alot of digital grain in some of the shots. I would like to see a better quality DVD put out for this one, but I'll take what I can get with the added scenes.
See this movie then see it again and then see it three years later. Don't over-analyze and worry if some of it doesn't make sense, after all it's not all supposed to.