Jacob's Ladder

Post by **danlo** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:10 pm

In the middle of the classic, Jacob's Ladder, GOD I love this movie. Haven't seen it since '92 and never realized Macaulay Chalkin played the son!! Beautiful, ominous, classically inspired soundtrack by Maurice Jarre. Tim Robbins is f-ing amazing in this supernatural thriller that also stars Elizabeth Pena and the great Danny Aiello. Will post more thoughts after watching the end tonight.

Post by **sgt.null** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:46 pm

great movie. inspired my 2nd dil to get into film making.

Post by **danlo** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:43 am

Wow! Gut wrenching! I almost cried all the way through the last 1/3 of this movie. I heard a number of stories like this from different sources about the Army and the Navy in Vietnam in the early 80s-somebody got away with something big back then and I have to really admire everyone involved with this film for attempting to get it's message out. You'll recognize a whole bunch of actors in the cast who, like Claulkin, weren't well known back then like, Ving Rhames, Jason Alexander, Eric LaSalle and others-they all made big names for themselves thanks to this important stepping stone.

Post by **Montresor** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:17 am

An excellent film. I love its gradual degeneration into a nightmare world, and the climax at the hospital. Tragic and thought-provoking.

Speaking of unknwons at the time . . . did you spot the police lieutenant from Law & Order, in a small role as a palm reader (I think her character was a palm reader)?

Post by **danlo** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:23 am

Right E. Pathka McPherson, or something like that.

This is the type of movie they don't make anymore. It became an instant cult classic before the end of it's short run on the screen, and you can bet that the entire Hollywood (and Washington) community sat up and took notice. Like the Covenant series it seriously probes "what makes us human". I don't know anyone who hasn't had their life altered after watching this film.

Post by **The Laughing Man** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:38 am

Louis: Eckhart saw Hell too. He said: The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of life, your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you, he said. They're freeing your soul. So, if you're frightened of dying and... and you're holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But if you've made your peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the earth.

Aiello rocked that movie.

Post by **danlo** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:56 am

Majestic!

Post by **wayfriend** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:25 pm

That was a great movie. It succeeded in touching all my creep-out buttons, while at the same time was moving, had a message, was suspensful, and had a twist ending. Shyamalan Shmyamalan.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen it in over a decade.

Post by **Cail** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:28 pm

Saw it in the theater when it came out and hated it. Sounds like I need to give it another whirl.

Post by **danlo** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:18 pm

Yes you do, until then I'll consider you crazy!

Good Morning Cail!

Post by **Farm Ur-Ted** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:00 pm

Cail wrote:Saw it in the theater when it came out and hated it. Sounds like I need to give it another whirl.

Ditto. Ditto. Not Ditto.

Post by **Mr. Broken** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:12 pm

This film has everything, military conspiracy, a good dose of terrifying imagery, a sexy chick dancing with some kind of devil horn poking out of her pie hole, at least one guy with skin covered eye sockets ( sound like anyone we know?), and drugs, but not just any drugs, the good stuff. I loved this flick.

Post by **Farm Ur-Ted** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:05 pm

I loved it until about 2/3d's of the way through, when it dawned on me that it was just a stupid dream and none of it was really happening. Then I hated it ever since.

Post by **Cagliostro** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:16 pm

Farm Ur-Ted wrote:I loved it until about 2/3d's of the way through, when it dawned on me that it was just a stupid dream and none of it was really happening. Then I hated it ever since.

So then the first 2/3rds that you loved suddenly you hated when you understood it had a letdown of an ending?

I don't understand this.

Post by **Farm Ur-Ted** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:37 pm

Well, I pretty much hate all movies (and tv shows and books) that use the same gimmick. Drives me nuts, what can I say.

Post by **danlo** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:41 pm

This was made in 1990-way before The Sixth Sense, etc...it was one of the first modern films to use this gimmick and knowing he

Spoiler

was dead made it all the more heartbreaking for me-you callous little man!

It's the fucking MESSAGE that's so important-it's not the fucking dream! Gods Ted see it again-figure out the movie out don't discard it and call it stupid

I thought the chemist did a pretty damm good job of disputing the fact that it was a dream--I think you need to see it again-now that we've spoiled the living shit out of this...

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:59 pm

danlo wrote:I thought the chemist did a pretty damm good job of disputing the fact that it was a dream--I think you need to see it again-now that we've spoiled the living shit out of this...

Uhm, danlo, I have never heard of this film until your thread, and from everything posted so far I am still interested, and don't feel it was all that spoilered for someone who hasn't seen it yet. For me, I guess the title alone forewarns me it was "dream" oriented; I definitely assumed that from the start of the thread. After all, Jacob fought with an angel on the ladder in a dream...

Post by **wayfriend** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:00 pm

(BTW, this movie was discussed as it relates to Runes in this thread. It includes pointers to reviews and a description of the movie.)

Post by **danlo** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:11 pm

That settles it! See! Even Donaldson

Spoiler

uses the gimmick

! (I need to frequent the Last Chronicles forum more

)

Post by **Cagliostro** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:22 pm

Yeah, seriously, don't discard the whole movie just because it uses a cheesy gimmick. And it really wasn't a cheesy gimmick in those days. It was probably the first time I'd seen that particular one employed.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder