LogFAQs > #924496611

5. Jacob's Ladder

JONA - 1
Snake - 3
Karo - 4
KBM - 5
Scarlet - 6
Johnbobb - 8
Genny - 11
Inviso - 12
Charon - 13

JONA - This movies the inspiration for Silent Hill and it definitely shows. The sense of paranoia is incredibly high here in the setting of Jacobs Ladder. From the horrifying visions to the military conspiracy, it really feels like everythings out to get Jacob. Tim Robbins does a great job in his performance and makes him pretty likable and get him out of all these different troubling situations that he found himself in. The atmosphere can be quite eery and creepy and the peaceful moments in the movie make the situations with that atmosphere very effective. The blurred lines between reality and fantasy and the mystery of what even is going on are what make this so engaging. Just a very fascinating movie thats really quite the experience thats hard to put into words how much I like it.

Snake - Why I Chose It - Despite not being the most successful film at the box office, Jacob's Ladder has become an incredibly influential film. Its effects can be seen on everything from films to television to music to video games. Perhaps most famously, Jacob's Ladder had one of the biggest roles in influencing the Silent Hill series. Several settings are inspired by Jacob's Ladder, like the subway in SH3 and Brookhaven Hospital in SH2 & 3. James' design in SH2 takes Jacob's army jacket and hairstyle from the film. Jacob's Ladder also played a huge role in SH monster design, referencing their twitchy movements and grotesque, otherworldly look. The scene where Jacob is wheeled through the hospital is also directly homaged in Silent Hill: Homecoming. There's a whole load of references where that came from, but if I don't stop myself, I'd probably go on forever.

My Thoughts - A deeply moving and affecting film, one with a terrific and emotional performance from Tim Robbins. The film deftly balances light but in-your-face horror with a tense, overbearing nightmare of an atmosphere, with a conspiratorial through-line that has you sympathizing with Jacob every step of the way, but also wary of Jacob's deteriorating mental state. The sparse shots of monsters, spectral creatures, and twisted figures of authority encapsulate Jacob's past as a soldier, the horrifying actions he took during Vietnam, and fears of a system that has failed him and his comrades beyond redemption. Its a film that made me think about my own mortality and place in the world, and offers up deep cuts of philosophy and religion that ask big questions about the nature of life and death in a way thats never in your face or ever too obvious. However, Jacobs Ladder might just get its themes across best in its incredible soundtrack that aids the dark and sad atmosphere of the film.

Karo - A Vietnam vet begins having weird visions and begins to wonder if he is going crazy. The movie is engrossing all through its runtime as the protagonist continues to lose touch with reality and searches for the truth about what happened on that day long ago. It deserves praise for making the 'all a dream' trope work by placing an unusual twist upon it, and it is certainly one of the best psychological horror films ever.
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I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
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