MovieChat Forums > Jacob's Ladder (1990) Discussion > The deleted scenes were needed!

The deleted scenes were needed!

posted 11 years ago by Degree7
8 replies | jump to latest

This movie is good. But the deleted scenes make it better and add a lot more to the story that makes it sensible.

The scene with Jacob meeting the chemist in his apartment showed him facing his demons, and expanded the role of the chemist and his ladder drug. It made more sense why he would want to help Jake, so he ended up being an angel.

The scene with Jacob buying a ticket to Chicago showed he wanted to escape, and the "dream on" voice holds significance later on when he is in hospital. Without it it just doesn't work.

Finally, jake seeing Jezebel revealed to be himself was incredibly important, it explained the whole movie and why he was suffering.

Why Adrian Lynne decided to cut these scenes is a wonder to me. Without them, the film is a lesser product.

Limit of the Willing Suspension of Disbelief: directly proportional to its awesomeness.

[–] ben-leos 11 years ago

Great the way it is

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] octagonproplex 11 years ago

Indeed an extended cut should be seriously considered. The movie certainly has a fan base to warrant it.

Just as his fellow 80's British commercial-cum-film maverick contemporaries Alan Parker, Ridley Scott and Tony Scott -- Lyne seems to have the same proclivity for gutting his films in the editorial room. We shan't even get into the abomination Tony (R.I.P.) did to "Revenge" in his subsequent director's cut by making it shorter!!! But isn't it always the case that Ridley's longer director's cut's are superior? The baby wants to breath guys, let it! :)

Adding back Jacob Ladder's deleted scenes as well as the additional shots glimpsed in the trailer would clearly make this already vital film all the more rich and satisfying.

I'd also suggest a similar treatment for 1997's "Lolita" which I feel is Adrian Lyne's absolute masterpiece as well as the single best adaptation of a classic American novel ever committed to film. Just as the rest of the piece, the great deleted scenes from the DVD are magnificently realized directly from Vladimir Nabokov's prose. Reconstituting them would just further solidify Lyne's superb cinematic achievement (though ironically this sumptuous work of art never got a cinematic release due to its perceived controversial subject matter, being instead subjugated to premiere on premium cable television).

Somebody start whispering into the cinema god's ears and let these things be done, amen!

[–] bluhorn-673-810937 11 years ago

Actually i saw Lolita in the theater in San Francisco when it came out. I guess it was just a limited engagement.

But yeah, all of the deleted scenes either restored into the film or a la carte would be great.

[–] bluhorn-673-810937 11 years ago

[–] drgnndblls88 11 years ago

I really want to see these deleted scenes now. I felt like the end of the movie was too neat and tidy.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Degree7 11 years ago

What I mean is, Jezebel is shown to be a 'demon' and tormenting him throughout the film, as are other people. But it is just a visual way to illustrate that his demons are actually his fear of letting go, or accepting his fate.

Limit of the Willing Suspension of Disbelief: directly proportional to its awesomeness.