Posted by Vincent at bg-tc-ppp1244.monmouth.com on November 04, 2000 at 01:54:21:
In Reply to: Q for Vincent *REPOST* posted by Greedo on November 04, 2000 at 01:46:10:
: I asked this on halloween but you where probably sleeping one off at that time. Anyway, what is favorite weird trippy movie? Mine is Jacob's Ladder. I first watched it when I was about 13 and even though I didn't truly understand then, it freaked me out. Having watched later in life ( a couple of years ago) it still freaked me out, but now I understand the ending. what do you think?
: Greedo
I dig JACOB'S LADDER, but I think it mis-steps in a few places- I HATE how Adrian Lynne added that ting at the end about the drugs being tested on soldiers, as if to suddenly make a "political" statement in a film that is clearly a spiritual story (that little tag-on prior to the credits isn't in the script). I also thought the film strayed too much in the mid section with that whole series of scenes surrounding Jacob and his Vietnam buddies. I remember watching the film and wishing afterward that it had cut directly from Jacob being thrown by the car blowing up to him being wheeled into the hospital (thus leading into the "hell" sequence, one of the most chilling sequences I've ever seen)- they could have easly ADRed some dialogue from the doctor's explaining that he was injured by being thrown from the car blast. I just think the film would have flowed a lot more organically if it was cut this way and all that stuff re: his Vietnam buddies had been dropped.
Have you seen the DVD? There are some really neat deleted scenes on it. I also reccommend the published screenplay, which not only has the shooting draft of the script (with TONS of stuff that's not even in the deleted scenes on the DVD), but also Bruce Joel Rubbin's chronical of JACOB'S LADDER's tortured journey to the screen, earlier drafts of various scenes, and scenes that were cut before shooting. Not only is it a great read, it's a great learning tool as well.
Vincent