Jacob's Ladder (I) (1990)

Mourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam vet attempts to discover his past while suffering from a severe case of disassociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusion, and perception of death.

Director:

Adrian Lyne

Writer:

Bruce Joel Rubin

Stars:

Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tim Robbins	...	Jacob
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

Storyline

New York postal worker Jacob Singer is trying to keep his frayed life from unraveling. His days are increasingly being invaded by flashbacks to his first marriage, his now-dead son, and his tour of duty in Vietnam. Athough his new wife tries to help Jacob keep his grip on sanity, the line between reality and delusion is steadily growing more and more uncertain.

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Plot Keywords:

vietnam | new york | delusion | army | conspiracy | 

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Taglines:

The most frightening thing about Jacob Singer's nightmare is that he isn't dreaming.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dante's Inferno

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$26,118,851 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carolco Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to director Adrian Lyne, most of the dialogue in the opening scene between the soldiers was improvised on set by the actors themselves, especially the conversation between George (Ving Rhames) and Jacob (Tim Robbins) about masturbation.

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Goofs

The baseball cards that Jacob's son drops in the flashback of his death were Topps 1973 edition, after his death is supposed to have taken place.

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Quotes

Jacob's Doctor: You're a lucky guy, Jake. You must have friends in high places.

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Crazy Credits

The credits roll over a grainy black and white photo of Gabe and Jacob crossing the street together.

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Connections

Referenced in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Million Dollar Movie Week 4 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"LADY MARMALADE"
By Bob Crewe (as B. Crewe) / Kenny Nolan (as K. Nolan)
Published by Kenny Nolan Publishing / Tannyboy Music / Stone Diamond Corp. (BMI)
Performed by LaBelle
Courtesy of CBS Records

User Reviews

a creepy and unnerving psychological thriller.

I've always felt that this film has never gotten the credit or attention it deserves. Along with the similary underappreciated Angel Heart, this film creates a sense of dread and foreboding atmosphere that never lets up and comes close to overwhelming the viewer at times.

Tim Robbins deliver possibly one of the best performances of his career and all of the other cast is fantastic as well. The editing and especially the cinematography are top notch and contribute greatly to the overall feel of the film.

i won't go into any plot details since any revelations could ruin the film for someone who hasn't seen it. but if you want to see a movie that will genuinely freak you out and have you sleeping with the lights on, you can't go wrong with this great film.

rating:9