Jacob's Ladder (1990/I)

Director:

Adrian Lyne

Writer (WGA):

Bruce Joel Rubin (written by)

Release Date:

2 November 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | New York | Delusion | Army | Conspiracy

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

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
Jan Saint	...	Santa
Kisha Skinner	...	Street Singer
Dion Simmons	...	Street Singer
Sam Coppola	...	Taxi Driver
Patty Rosborough	...	Drunk
Evan O'Meara	...	Sam
Kyle Gass	...	Tony
Gloria Irizarry	...	Mrs. Carmichael
Lewis Black	...	Jacob's Doctor
Raymond Anthony Thomas	...	Policeman
Christopher John Fields	...	Field Medic (as Christopher Fields)
Jaime Perry	...	Field Medic
Michael Tomlinson	...	Field Doctor
A.M. Marxuach	...	Field Doctor
Antonia Rey	...	Woman on Subway
John Capodice	...	Army Officer
John Patrick McLaughlin	...	Army Officer
Bellina Logan	...	Emergency Ward Nurse
Scott Cohen	...	Resident Doctor
Davidson Thomson	...	Evil Doctor
Bryan Larkin	...	Jed
B.J. Donaldson	...	Eli
Thomas A. Carlin	...	Doorman
Carol Schneider	...	Nurse
Becky Ann Baker	...	Nurse
Diane Kagan	...	Nurse
Billie Neal	...	Della
Mike Stokie	...	Field Sergeant
James Ellis Reynolds	...	EMT Bearer
Dennis Rubin Green	...	Attendant (as Dennis Green)
Brad Hamler	...	Orderly
Byron Minns	...	Orderly (as Byron Keith Minns)
Reggie McFadden	...	Partygoer
Stephanie Berry	...	Partygoer
Chris Murphy	...	Partygoer
John-Martin Green	...	Partygoer
Arleigh Richards	...	Paul's Wife
Ann Pearl Gary	...	Mourner
Barbara Gruen	...	Mourner
Joe Quintero	...	Street Kid
John Louis Fischer	...	Machine Gunner
Alva Williams	...	Masked Man
Elizabeth Abassi	...	Hospital Patient
Nora Burns	...	Hospital Patient
Alison Gordy	...	Hospital Patient
Jessica Roberts	...	Hospital Patient
Holly Kennedy	...	Hospital Patient
Blanche Irwin Stuart	...	Hospital Patient
Perry Lang	...	Jacob's Assailant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
José Alvarez	...	Factory Worker (uncredited)
Robert Baglia	...	Tommy, Patient (uncredited)
John D. Bair	...	Commuter (uncredited)
Steve Baker	...	Pool Player (uncredited)
Orson Bean	...	Himself - Game Show Panelist (archive footage) (uncredited)
Macaulay Culkin	...	Gabe (uncredited)
Ed Jupp Jr.	...	Eyeless Doctor (uncredited)

Directed by
Adrian Lyne

Writing credits (WGA)
Bruce Joel Rubin		(written by)

Produced by
Mario Kassar	....	executive producer
Alan Marshall	....	producer
Bruce Joel Rubin	....	associate producer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	executive producer (as Andrew Vajna)

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Jeffrey L. Kimball

Film Editing by
Tom Rolf

Casting by
Risa Bramon Garcia
Billy Hopkins
Heidi Levitt

Production Design by
Brian Morris

Art Direction by
Jeremy Conway		(principal art director)
W. Steven Graham		(as Wray Steven Graham)

Set Decoration by
Kathleen Dolan

Costume Design by
Ellen Mirojnick

Makeup Department
Russell Cate	....	special makeup effects artist
Tom Czarnopys	....	key sculptor
Richard Dean	....	makeup artist
Don McLeod	....	special makeup
Lyndell Quiyou	....	hair stylist
Arline Smith	....	special makeup (as Arline)
Gordon J. Smith	....	special prosthetic effects designer

Production Management
Michael R. Sloan	....	post-production supervisor
Clayton Townsend	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vebe Borge	....	second assistant director
Harvey Epstein	....	dga trainee
Deborah Lupard	....	second second assistant director
Joseph P. Reidy	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Conrad V. Brink Jr.	....	swing gang
Clive Brown	....	construction coordinator: Puerto Rico
Diana Davila	....	scenic artist: Puerto Rico
Claudette Didul	....	art department coordinator
Dominick Direnzi	....	scenic artist
Edward Garzero	....	stand-by scenic artist
Joseph Garzero	....	scenic chargeman
Peter Garzero	....	scenic artist
Kevin Golden	....	scenic artist
Cathy Ippolito	....	scenic artist
Mathew Loeb	....	scenic artist
Giovanni Rodriguez	....	carpenter
Louis Sanchez	....	construction coordinator
Manny Sanchez	....	carpenter
Chris Shriver	....	assistant art director
Leticia Stella-Serra	....	set decorator: Puerto Rico
Paul Tappenden	....	scenic artist
Thomas Wright	....	property master
Tony Wright	....	illustrator
John Alvin	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Lauren Doner	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Hank Mayo	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Augsburger	....	apprentice sound editor
Scott Boyd	....	assistant sound editor
Milton C. Burrow	....	supervising sound editor
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
Richard Burrow	....	sound editor
Scott Burrow	....	sound editor
Gordon Davidson	....	sound editor
Steve Dewey	....	special sound effects
Mike Getlin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Gordon	....	sound editor
Robert Heffernan	....	adr editor
Richard Mader	....	sound technician
Tod A. Maitland	....	production sound recordist
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
T.J. O'Mara	....	boom operator (as Terence J. O'Mara)
Greg Orloff	....	foley mixer
Anthony Ortiz	....	sound assistant: Puerto Rico
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Edward L. Sandlin	....	sound editor
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	foley editor (as Solange Schwalbe Boisseau)
Gary Shepherd	....	sound editor
Chester Slomka	....	sound editor
Steve F.B. Smith	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Johannes Hammers	....	special sound effects assistant (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William Bishop	....	special effects assistant
Connie Brink	....	special effects (as Conrad Brink)
Fausto Ferrer Cruz	....	special effects assistant: Puerto Rico
James Gawley	....	special effects machinist
Mike Maggi	....	special effects assistant
Harold McConnell Jr.	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Jay McClennen	....	model maker
Brian Ripley	....	visual effects production assistant
Paul Swendsen	....	pre-production conceptual designer: ILM (uncredited)
Chris F. Woods	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Danny Aiello III	....	stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunts (as Billy Anagnos)
Peter Bucossi	....	stunts
Daniel Dod	....	stunts (as Danny Dod)
Andy Duppin	....	stunts
Joe Fitos	....	stunts
Gene Harrison	....	stunts
Peter Hock	....	stunts
David S. Lomax	....	stunts
Jim Lovelett	....	stunts
John Patrick McLaughlin	....	stunts
Cynthia Neilson	....	stunts
Phil Neilson	....	stunt coordinator
Mick O'Rourke	....	stunts
Don Picard	....	stunts
Peewee Piemonte	....	stunts
Michael Russo	....	stunts (as Michael C. Russo)
Manny Siverio	....	stunts
Gregg Smrz	....	stunts
Gary Tacon	....	stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunts
Deborah Watkins	....	stunts
Joel David Webster	....	stunts
Ron Michaels	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
A. Anthony Cappello	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Christopher Dolan	....	electrician
James 'Packy' Dolan	....	chief electrician
James P. Dolan	....	best boy
Richard Dolan	....	electrician
Ronald Dolan	....	generator operator
Johnathan Ercole	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
James W. Finnerty	....	grip
John Finnerty	....	rigging electrician (as John 'Spike' Finnerty)
Joseph Finnerty	....	grip
Raymond Fortune	....	electrician
Bill Gerardo	....	second assistant camera
Vinnie Gerardo	....	assistant camera
Dennis Green	....	24 frame video operator
Richard Guinness Jr.	....	dolly grip
Craig Haagensen	....	camera operator
Jose 'Flecha' Hernandez	....	electrician
Larry Houston	....	Steadicam assistant: Puerto Rico
Larry Huston	....	Steadicam focus puller
Thomas Jirgal	....	best boy
Gábor Kövér	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Gábor Kövér	....	director of photography: second unit
Larry McConkey	....	Steadicam operator: Puerto Rico
Jim Miller	....	grip
Mike Miller	....	key grip
Angel Pastrana	....	electrician
Enrique Puig	....	assistant camera: Puerto Rico
Frank Rinato	....	camera trainee
Andrew D. Schwartz	....	still photographer
Rafael Amaral Sein	....	assistant camera: Puerto Rico

Casting Department
Riccardo Bertoni	....	extras casting
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Suzanne Smith	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Dennison	....	costume supervisor
Mary Gierczak	....	set costumer
Cynthia L. Hamilton	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Peter Amundson	....	additional editor
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Christopher E. Bennett	....	assistant film editor
Jennifer Davidoff Cook	....	apprentice editor
Noori Dehnahi	....	post-production coordinator
Vicki Hiatt	....	associate editor
Robert Raring	....	color timer
Jimmy Sandoval	....	assistant editor
B.J. Sears	....	additional editor
Rachel Shaw	....	assistant editor
Joe Shugart	....	assistant editor
Donna Stern	....	assistant editor
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor

Music Department
Dan Carlin Sr.	....	music editor
Gloria Cheng	....	musician: piano solo
Kitka Eastern European Women's Choir	....	choral ensemble
Leslie Morris	....	music contractor
Leslie Morris	....	music coordinator
Shawn Murphy	....	music mixer
Shawn Murphy	....	music recordist
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn

Transportation Department
Miguel Castañeda	....	picture car wrangler
Hierson Garcia	....	driver
Duamel Gonzalez	....	driver
Edward O'Donnell	....	transportation captain
Raúl Rivera	....	transportation coordinator: Puerto Rico

Other crew
Frans J. Afman	....	financial services
Michael Barnes	....	legal attorney
Adam Brightman	....	assistant location manager
Christie Colliopoulos	....	production assistant
Kathy Cossu	....	medical coordinator
Patricia Anne Doherty	....	location manager
Dale Dye	....	military consultant (as Capt. Dale Dye)
John Fischer	....	production assistant
Jeff Flach	....	location manager: Puerto Rico
Juan Hernández	....	location coordinator: Puerto Rico
Joseph E. Iberti	....	location coordinator
Raymond Mackintosh	....	special prosthetic effects
Trong Nguyen	....	technical advisor: Vietnam
Ben Oliver	....	head pilot
Gaspar Ponce	....	location assistant
Lonnie Ramati	....	production business affairs
Juan Ros	....	set production assistant
Reid Rosefelt	....	unit publicist
Robert Smith	....	head pilot
Mike Stokey	....	military advisor
Mike Stokie	....	military consultant
Christopher Swartout	....	production assistant
Richard Tedesco	....	parking wrangler
Neal Thompson	....	title designer
Russ Thurman	....	military consultant (as Captain Russell Ray Thurman)
Jane Tsighis	....	production accountant
Michael Viglietta	....	production assistant
Darren Wiseman	....	location assistant
Corey B. Yugler	....	script supervisor
Gustave Doré	....	illustrations: Dante's Inferno (uncredited)
David Lanphier Jr.	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Lonnie Ramati	....	production business & legal affairs (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Carolco Pictures

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• AMLF (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• Cineplex Odeon Films (1990) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1992) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (199?) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1991) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Artisan Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Avid Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2002) (UK) (TV) (BBC 2)
• Canvas (2008) (Belgium) (TV)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (DVD) (Middle East)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• International Video Entertainment (IVE) (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Live Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Maple Pictures (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1992) (Finland) (VHS)
• Pioneer Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1992) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1992) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video (199?) (Australia) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1995) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• Benner Medical Productions  medical coordination
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Colony Helicopters  helicopters provided by
• DDA Public Relations (DDA)  publicity
• Dawn Animal Agency  animals owned and trained by
• FXSmith  special prosthetic effects
• Musikwerks  special sound effects
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• Peggy Siegal Company  publicity
• TAJ Soundworks  foley
• Warriors  military consultants

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Argentina:16 | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Company:

Carolco Pictures

Trivia:

In Bruce Joel Rubin's original screenplay, all of the demons who appear throughout the film were typical biblical demons with horns, wings, cloven hooves etc. Director Adrian Lyne felt that this kind of imagery could very easily come across as comic, which would destroy the film. He felt that the fact that the imagery was so far from human lessened its impact, and as such, he decided he wanted the demons to be humanesque, but not quite human. During his research into this (which was when he discovered the photography of Joel-Peter Witkin), Lyne came across the Thalidomide scandal. Thalidomide was a drug made available for purchase from 1957 to 1961. Ostensibly, it was designed to treat pregnant women; primarily as an antiemetic to combat morning sickness, and secondarily as a sleeping aid. However, prior to its release, inadequate clinical tests were carried out, leading to roughly 10,000 children in Africa and Europe being born with severe physical deformities because their mothers had taken thalidomide during their pregnancy. The most common defects were phocomelia, dysmelia, amelia and polymelia; all conditions which affect the appearance of the limbs. During his research, Lyne studied the Thalidomide case, and came to feel that the birth defects caused by the drug represented the perfect starting place for his redesign of Rubin's demons. The Thalidomide scandal was also the inspiration for David Cronenberg's Scanners (1981).

Goofs:

Continuity: Even through Jacob doesn't finish shaving (he towels-off the remaining shaving cream off his face), he appears to be clean and evenly shaven.

Quotes:

Louis:If you're frightened of dying, and you're holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. If you've made your peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the Earth.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Building 'Jacob's Ladder' (1990) (V)

Soundtrack:

LADY MARMALADE

A film that sports technicality, a fresh plot, incredible editing and immersive characters

Jacobs Ladder is one of those rare films that throws you and your mind about like a ragdoll before giving you a bitter conclusion that turns everything upside down again. Forget Donnie Darko, that was mere childs play, this film is something else. Jacobs Ladder provides an experience so intimidating, brutal, wonderful and beautiful unparalleled to this day. This is something you have never seen or experienced before in film, and will probably never experience again.

Jacob Singer is a postal worker, who, through the brutal effects of Vietnam, mentally breaks down, and starts seeing demons following him, killing his friends, raping his wife...... Make no mistake, Jacobs Ladder is a grim film but behind its dark mask lies an uplifting message of hope, freedom and mental release. I wont say anymore, because spoiling the plot for you would be extremely horrible of me, who am i to take away the magic of seeing the film from you.

I'm not going to say that this is accessible to everyone, its not in the least. If your favourite film is American Pie than turn away, this is REAL film making. A lot of people will not like this, because they will expect, like with most films, to have all the answers served to them on a plate. Jacobs Ladder requires the viewer to do the thinking, letting them have their own perceptions of the film rather then being fed that of the directors. If you do choose to go on Jacobs journey with him be warned, it wont always be pretty, but you will come out of it gratified that for once in film you have the freedom to think for yourself.