Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Jack's Back

  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
3.8K
YOUR RATING
James Spader in Jack's Back (1988)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Home Entertainment
Play trailer0:31
3 Videos
36 Photos
CrimeHorrorMystery

A serial killer in Los Angeles celebrates Jack the Ripper's 100th birthday by committing similar murders and only one has a chance of stopping him.A serial killer in Los Angeles celebrates Jack the Ripper's 100th birthday by committing similar murders and only one has a chance of stopping him.A serial killer in Los Angeles celebrates Jack the Ripper's 100th birthday by committing similar murders and only one has a chance of stopping him.

  • Director
    • Rowdy Herrington
  • Writer
    • Rowdy Herrington
  • Stars
    • James Spader
    • Cynthia Gibb
    • Jim Haynie
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    3.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Rowdy Herrington
    • Writer
      • Rowdy Herrington
    • Stars
      • James Spader
      • Cynthia Gibb
      • Jim Haynie
    • 48User reviews
    • 60Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos3

    Jack's Back
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch Jack's Back
    Jack's Back: He's Dangerous
    Clip 1:54
    Watch Jack's Back: He's Dangerous
    Jack's Back: Interview With Cynthia Gibb
    Featurette 0:32
    Watch Jack's Back: Interview With Cynthia Gibb

    Photos36

    James Spader in Jack's Back (1988)
    James Spader in Jack's Back (1988)
    James Spader and Cynthia Gibb in Jack's Back (1988)
    Cynthia Gibb in Jack's Back (1988)
    Jim Haynie in Jack's Back (1988)
    Rod Loomis and Rex Ryon in Jack's Back (1988)
    James Spader, Cynthia Gibb, and Bobby Hosea in Jack's Back (1988)
    Robert Picardo and James Spader in Jack's Back (1988)
    James Spader in Jack's Back (1988)
    James Spader and Bobby Hosea in Jack's Back (1988)
    Jack's Back (1988)
    James Spader in Jack's Back (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Spader
    James Spader
    • John…
    Cynthia Gibb
    Cynthia Gibb
    • Chris Moscari
    Jim Haynie
    • Sgt. Gabriel
    Robert Picardo
    Robert Picardo
    • Dr. Carlos Battera
    Rod Loomis
    Rod Loomis
    • Dr. Sidney Tannerson
    Rex Ryon
    Rex Ryon
    • Jack Pendler
    Chris Mulkey
    Chris Mulkey
    • Scott Morofsky
    Wendell Wright
    • Capt. Walter Prentis
    John Wesley
    John Wesley
    • Sam Hilliard
    Bobby Hosea
    Bobby Hosea
    • Tom Dellerton
    Danitza Kingsley
    Danitza Kingsley
    • Denise Johnson
    Anne Betancourt
    Anne Betancourt
    • Mary
    Diane Erickson
    • Andrea Banks
    Sis Greenspon
    • Martha
    Graham Timbes
    • Surgeon
    Mario Machado
    Mario Machado
    • Anchorman
    Paul Du Pratt
    • Collin Marsh
    Rana Ford
    • Emily Miller
    • Director
      • Rowdy Herrington
    • Writer
      • Rowdy Herrington
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Tuff Turf
    6.0
    Tuff Turf
    The New Kids
    6.1
    The New Kids
    Bad Influence
    6.3
    Bad Influence
    White Palace
    6.5
    White Palace
    The Stick Up
    6.3
    The Stick Up
    True Colors
    6.3
    True Colors
    Greasy Lake
    6.4
    Greasy Lake
    Starcrossed
    5.3
    Starcrossed
    I Witness
    5.8
    I Witness
    Storyville
    5.7
    Storyville
    Team-Mates
    5.9
    Team-Mates
    The Music of Chance
    7.0
    The Music of Chance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Rowdy Harrington originally wanted the movie to be titled "Red Rain" and Peter Gabriel's song of the same name was meant to play at the opening credits. Since this was a low budget film, he couldn't get the rights to the song, so he hired Paul Saax to compose the song "Red Harvest" instead. Shortly before the movie release, the studio felt that the title "Red Rain" had no relation to the plot so they decided to change to a more appealing title, "Jack's Back".
    • Goofs
      Identical twins do not have the same fingerprints.
    • Quotes

      John: [Slamming his fist down onto the table as he speaks] MY BROTHER DIDN'T KILL ANYBODY, some mother FUCKER slung him from his neck from the fucking ceiling!

      Sgt. Gabriel: We have an eyewitness.

      John: FUCK YOUR EYEWITNESS! This is bullshit, alright? If you wanna book me, book me.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Willow/Jack's Back/Assault of the Killer Bimbos/Powaqqatsi/Da (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Red Harvest
      Written by Danny Di Paola, Paul Saax and Jim Tunnell

      Performed by Paul Saax

    User reviews48

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    A Cool Take on the Ripper Story
    A serial killer in Los Angeles celebrates Jack the Ripper's 100th anniversary by committing similar murders.

    My first thought was how strange this film was for starting when there was only one murder left. It seems like it would make more sense to start at the first murder and allow the characters to solve the mystery of the pattern. Instead, they know from the opening scene that the killer is following the pattern of Jack the Ripper. This takes out much of the mystery element...

    The cast here is pretty great, with both James Spader and Robert Picardo, both (I think) before becoming bigger names. Spader always had that boy next door charm, and Picardo is interesting and plays his role as a psychiatrist well, coming off as very suspicious at all the right moments.

    The New York Times said "is so dull it leaves you plenty of time to marvel at how a plot can be this rickety, how a production can look this shabby, and how the first-time writer and director Rowdy Herrington could borrow a story with so relentless a grip on our imaginations and in no time at all declaw it." This seems terribly harsh. While not the greatest movie, it is still much better than many films out there, and had a premise that was enough to carry it.

    I watched this film on Netflix, and I am told this version is different from the one on VHS or that was shown in theaters. I would be curious to know the differences, as I am told they are big enough to completely change the plot of the film... I liked the version I saw, but maybe the other is even better?
    helpful•9
    2
    • gavin6942
    • Oct 24, 2012

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 6, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Red Rain
    • Filming locations
      • 901 E. Edgeware Road, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA(Interior and exterior. John Wesford's apartment.)
    • Production companies
      • Cinema Group
      • Palissades Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    James Spader in Jack's Back (1988)
    Top Gap
    What is the French language plot outline for Jack's Back (1988)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.