Jacob's Ladder
*music in the clip is not from the movie, but rather from the Silent Hill soundtrack*
Jacob's Ladder is easily one of the most visually disturbing films I have ever seen. It is also one of the most visually influential horror films in a long time. Jacob (Tim Robbins) is a Vietnam vet living in NY, and he believes he's being followed. Not by muggers or Men In Black, but by things that can only be described as demons. And they aren't lurking in the shadows of dark alleys waiting for him, he sees them on the subway, in cars, in doctors offices and (in an incredible sequence) in hospitals. Are these creatures truly demons? If so, what is happening to the world around Jacob? If not, is he simply going mad?
This movie was the main visual influence for the Silent Hill video game series. Evil nurses, dank hospitals, demons with deformities, creatures who convulse uncontrollably, haunted subways: they all got their start in this movie. Tim Robbins is very good portraying a man who is either losing his mind, or damned. Once again, as in Stir of Echoes practical effects and camera trickery are used over conventional CGI with great and chilling results. There are some truly disturbing images and scenarios in this film that will stay with you months after you've watched it.
As good as this all sounds I must admit that I didn't care for the ending at all. While not tacked on in a narrative sense, it definitely felt out of place and, to be frank, rather maudlin. But aside from the final 10 minutes or so, Jacob's Ladder is a modern classic in the genre
*music in the clip is not from the movie, but rather from the Silent Hill soundtrack*
Jacob's Ladder is easily one of the most visually disturbing films I have ever seen. It is also one of the most visually influential horror films in a long time. Jacob (Tim Robbins) is a Vietnam vet living in NY, and he believes he's being followed. Not by muggers or Men In Black, but by things that can only be described as demons. And they aren't lurking in the shadows of dark alleys waiting for him, he sees them on the subway, in cars, in doctors offices and (in an incredible sequence) in hospitals. Are these creatures truly demons? If so, what is happening to the world around Jacob? If not, is he simply going mad?
This movie was the main visual influence for the Silent Hill video game series. Evil nurses, dank hospitals, demons with deformities, creatures who convulse uncontrollably, haunted subways: they all got their start in this movie. Tim Robbins is very good portraying a man who is either losing his mind, or damned. Once again, as in Stir of Echoes practical effects and camera trickery are used over conventional CGI with great and chilling results. There are some truly disturbing images and scenarios in this film that will stay with you months after you've watched it.
As good as this all sounds I must admit that I didn't care for the ending at all. While not tacked on in a narrative sense, it definitely felt out of place and, to be frank, rather maudlin. But aside from the final 10 minutes or so, Jacob's Ladder is a modern classic in the genre
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Re: Gore and anti-heroes and stuff. It's funny that you brought up Preacher, because I totally never got into Preacher. I had read Goddess, the book Ennis did for Vertigo just about the same time. I pretty much dug it. I started to pick up Preacher too. (True Story: The first year Ennis started doing Preacher, he was at the Chicago Con. The book hadn't really hit HUGE yet, and he was just sitting at the Vertigo table. I walked right up, and got him to sign my copy of Preacher #1. It's even signed *to me.* It reads: "To Zac, Cheers! Garth Ennis.") So, anyway, I started to read it... and I never got into it. I think he has millions of great ideas, great characters, and has some real skill (dialogue, pacing etc). But his stuff is just sooooo over the top, that at times it feels repetitive and more about "out doing" himself than anything else. In fact, he often seems to - unintentionally - wander into self-parody territory. I think often his quality work suffers under his need to be violent and disgusting. I think Warren Ellis has this same fucking disease.
Can you believe I've never seen Jacob's Ladder?