Chorus.fm's Horror Flick of the Week

It can be hard to maintain interest in these, but I wanted to give us the option. Just let me know if you want to join and I'll add you to the list below. Each Friday, the next user in line will pick a horror film for the thread to watch and discuss that week.

Members: Myself, @estebanwaseaten, @Daniel, @ghostedaway, @incognitojones, @angrycandy, @jkauf

This week's film will be Jacob's Ladder (Adriane Lyne, 1990). It's one of my favorites, a unique paranoid horror story that inspired Silent Hill and one that is truly disturbing to me. I hope others enjoy it too, especially first-time viewers! It looks like it is currently streaming on Showtime and Paramount+ with Apple or Prime.

Round One:
Jacob's Ladder (1990) - Aaron Mook
Event Horizon - estebanwaseaten
Bad Ronald - Daniel
The Collector (2008) - ghostedaway
Extra Ordinary - incognitojones

Round Two:
The Brood - Aaron Mook
Burnt Offerings - estebanwaseaten
Poltergeist III - Daniel
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum - ghostedaway
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) - incognitojones
Carnival of Souls (1962) - angrycandy

Round Three:
Man Bites Dog - Aaron Mook
Dead Alive/Braindead - estebanwaseaten
The McPherson Tape - Daniel
Happy Birthday to Me - ghostedaway
House (1977) - incognitojones
Frogs (1972) - angrycandy
Angst (1983) - jkauf

Round Four:
Roadgames - Aaron Mook
Sacrament - estebanwaseaten
Milk & Serial - Daniel
Sea Fever - ghostedaway

 

Perfect for me since I have yet to see Jacob's Ladder (only clips)

 

My wife and I complain about not knowing what to watch each week. I’ll follow along.

 

Jacob’s Ladder is seriously unsettling and really goddamn good.

 

Rewatching tonight!

(Don't forget to let me know if you want me to add you to the rotation)

 

I’m in!

 

Had to take my cat to the emergency vet last night, so did not get a chance to rewatch and I'm not sure I'm in the best headspace right now. But hopefully soon.

 

Hoping for the best for your cat Aaron!

 

Thank you. Surgery went without complications and he's doing well at the pet hospital, so that's a huge relief

 

Glad to hear the surgery went well! Hoping for a smooth recovery

 

I'm in. Been meaning to watch Jacob's Ladder for a long time.

 

Hopefully will rewatch today or tomorrow!

 

Count me in for this btw

 

Planning on watching this tonight. I have seen it several times and love it immensely. I feel like it's one of those movies that can take something new away from on each viewing. Excited to hear from those this week that have not seen it before!

 

If it stays cloudy here during this eclipse, I may watch it this afternoon for additional eerieness.

 

I just finished Jacob's Ladder and damn

Really liked it. Very unsettling and emotional. Psychological horror is easily one of my favorite horror subgenres. I do wish there was more nightmarish imagery throughout but that's really the only complaint I have (aside from Jacob's hair being kinda distracting)

 

I'll be able to verbalize it better after rewatch, but I think what I love most about it (aside from the ambiguity) is the subject matter. I'm interested in conspiracies and parapolitical theories (even if some of them are dangerous), and I think the idea of a horror film where the victim is someone who was sold a lie and the monster is a government that will continue to pretend to care about these people while churning them out as another cog in the machine (now with PTSD) is a very fascinating and unique kind of horror that I haven't seen much of. Taking that and pairing it with visuals that would inspire Silent Hill? Now. you really have my attention.

Not really horror or conspiracy-related, but if folks enjoy the PTSD/war-adjacent thriller stuff, I also just watched Rolling Thunder for the first time and thought it was really exceptional. It's directed by Paul Schrader (writer of Taxi Driver) and Tarantino apparently has re-filmed much of its climax for his upcoming final film, The Movie Critic.

 

Yeah I think that's the only horror film I've seen that covers that subject matter. Might look up and see what else is out there

 

I keep reading that ~20 minutes of footage was cut from Jacob's Ladder after test screening audiences found it too disturbing and overwhelming. I wonder what got cut and if it exists anywhere.

Edit: I guess there are some deleted scenes accounted for on the DVD and Blu Ray

 

I have about 40 minutes left in my rewatch, but I am convinced this is the most upsetting version of Hell ever portrayed on screen. Not just the visual hallucinations, but going from war to the poverty of the city and being teased with the life you once had before waking up back up in Hell. Truly nightmarish stuff

 

Yeah I would agree. Everything about the NY scenes, right off the bat on the subway til the end is disorienting and off-putting in a very practical and real sense. The initial quick images of the masked figures in the train and in the back of the car are honestly terrifying. It's fitting that the alternate title was Dante's Inferno

 

Watching this for the first knowing absolutely nothing about it, was not prepared for a Mac attack.

 

Has anyone watched the remake? I know there's a snowball's chance in hell it's any good at all but I am curious now.

 

I have only heard negative things so while I am curious, i'm definitely skeptical lol.

 

Yeah, finished my rewatch last night and I think this is (to me) the most unsettling depiction of Hell ever put on screen. I guess it technically may not be Hell, which is even more frightening, but...war is hell. New York is hell. Having visions of a life you once loved before it was viciously ripped away just to wake back up...it's hell. The desperate chaos of a man's brain trying to make sense of his life in his final moments. It might not be a movie I find scary, but it's a sentiment I find absolutely terrifying. Glad some people are checking it out in here! Reaffirmed as one of my all-time favorites.