Movie Review: Jacob's Ladder
So, nijawial and I finally watched Jacob's Ladder.
We were going to rent it, but for some reason, Hasting's didn't have it. They did last year, but either the disc was damaged or lost and...they never got another one. Which is a little insane, considering what a landmark movie it was in terms of modern horror. But they did have a copy to buy, for about five dollars. So Nija just bought it. (Small weird aside, it was in drama. WTF?)
We also got some candy and popped some popcorn to settle in for an afternoon movie watching.
I've been wanting to see this movie for a while. I first heard about it through the horror grapevine a couple of years ago. And I kept seeing it mentioned as an inspiration for Silent Hill. Throw in the Vietnam War angle, and I'm hooked. (Two of my favorite genre types being horror and Vietnam War movies.)
I am damn glad we ended up buying it. I knew the plot and ending going into it, but was still fully able to enjoy it immensely. Perhaps too immensely, because as we're shown a sequence of a stretcher being rushed through halls full of corpses and organs and body parts, I'm grinning with delight and remarking what a beautifully done sequence it was.
But it was beautifully done. It finds that perfect line where the blood and gore are chilling and disturbing without being disgusting or over-the-top. Which is a very, very rare thing when it comes to horror movies that rely on visual horror. The Silent Hill movie jumps to mind. The direction, scenery and special effects were beautifully done, but...there was so much and it was so over the top that the gore had next to no effect. At least for me - when it comes to horror, I will admit I am something of a snob.
The acting was great, the directing was superb, and the feel of the movie set the perfect tone. The horror is creeping and subtle in places, increasing and fluxing with the moods of the movie. And for an older movie, the effects were extremely well done. Only one scene falls prey to 'dated' effects.
If you're a horror fan at all and for some reason you (like me until today) haven't see Jacob's Ladder, rent it. You'll be glad that you did.
We were going to rent it, but for some reason, Hasting's didn't have it. They did last year, but either the disc was damaged or lost and...they never got another one. Which is a little insane, considering what a landmark movie it was in terms of modern horror. But they did have a copy to buy, for about five dollars. So Nija just bought it. (Small weird aside, it was in drama. WTF?)
We also got some candy and popped some popcorn to settle in for an afternoon movie watching.
I've been wanting to see this movie for a while. I first heard about it through the horror grapevine a couple of years ago. And I kept seeing it mentioned as an inspiration for Silent Hill. Throw in the Vietnam War angle, and I'm hooked. (Two of my favorite genre types being horror and Vietnam War movies.)
I am damn glad we ended up buying it. I knew the plot and ending going into it, but was still fully able to enjoy it immensely. Perhaps too immensely, because as we're shown a sequence of a stretcher being rushed through halls full of corpses and organs and body parts, I'm grinning with delight and remarking what a beautifully done sequence it was.
But it was beautifully done. It finds that perfect line where the blood and gore are chilling and disturbing without being disgusting or over-the-top. Which is a very, very rare thing when it comes to horror movies that rely on visual horror. The Silent Hill movie jumps to mind. The direction, scenery and special effects were beautifully done, but...there was so much and it was so over the top that the gore had next to no effect. At least for me - when it comes to horror, I will admit I am something of a snob.
The acting was great, the directing was superb, and the feel of the movie set the perfect tone. The horror is creeping and subtle in places, increasing and fluxing with the moods of the movie. And for an older movie, the effects were extremely well done. Only one scene falls prey to 'dated' effects.
If you're a horror fan at all and for some reason you (like me until today) haven't see Jacob's Ladder, rent it. You'll be glad that you did.