Jacob's Ladder (1990)

Mourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.

Director:

Adrian Lyne

Writer:

Bruce Joel Rubin

Stars:

Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello

3 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

Jacob Singer is trying to make sense of his fractured life and memories. Plagued by hallucinations, flashbacks, and conspiracies, he struggles down a path to enlightenment from these manic strains. With nothing but support from friends and loved ones will he be able to push through the haze of his PTSD.

---

Plot Keywords:

death | delusion | soldier | memory | strait jacket | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

---

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)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,500,760, 4 November 1990, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$26,118,851

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 the original script, the subway station Jacob arrives at in the beginning of the movie was supposed to be Nostrand Avenue - not Bergen Street.

---

Goofs

When Jake puts his son to bed, there is a crew member visible in the mirror behind him when he leans down.

---

Quotes

Jacob Singer: Jezzie? Get me out of here.
Evil Doctor: Where do you want to go?
Jacob Singer: Home.
Evil Doctor: Home? This is your home. You're dead.
Jacob Singer: Dead? No. I just hurt my back, I'm not dead.
Evil Doctor: What are you, then?
Jacob Singer: I'm alive.
Evil Doctor: Then what are you doing here?
Jacob Singer: I don't know.
[crying]
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

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

---

Connections

Referenced in House on Haunted Hill (1999)

---

Soundtracks

PLEASE MR. POSTMAN
Written by Robert Bateman (as R. Bateman) / Georgia Dobbins (as G. Dobbins) / William Garrett (as W. Garrett) / Brian Holland (as B. Holland) / Freddie Gorman (as F. Gorman)
Published by Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP) / Stone Agate Music (BMI)

User Reviews

Simply One Of The Most Fascinating Horror Films Ever Made

This is simply one of the best films hardly anyone ever saw (OK - it's got 80+ thousand votes on IMDb - but I'm still amazed that it's not 3 times that number).

Amazing script, acting, story, visuals; it makes you wonder why Adrian Lyne didn't make more films of that caliber. Don't get frustrated if you don't understand the film at first. It DOES make sense, but it usually takes repeat viewings to figure this one out. 9 stars out of 10.

In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:

imdb.com/list/ls070242495