Jack's Back

This article is about the film. For the American Dad episode, see Jack's Back (American Dad!).
Jack's Back

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Rowdy Herrington
Produced by Cassian Elwes
Tim Moore
Written by Rowdy Herrington
Starring James Spader
Cynthia Gibb
Robert Picardo
Music by Danny Di Paola
Cinematography Shelly Johnson
Edited by Harry B. Miller III
Distributed by Palisades Entertainment (theatrical)
Paramount Pictures (home video)
Release dates
  • May 6, 1988 (1988-05-06)
Running time
97 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $492,519 (USA)

Jack’s Back is a 1988 psychological thriller-horror film[1] directed and written by Rowdy Herrington and starring James Spader and Cynthia Gibb.

Plot

In Los Angeles, a young doctor is suspected when a series of Jack the Ripper copycat killings is committed. However, when the doctor himself is murdered, his identical twin brother claims to have seen visions of the true killer.

Reception

The film got a negative review in The New York Times, which read in part "Jack's Back, which opens today at the Cine 1 and other theaters, is so dull it leaves you plenty of time to marvel at how a plot can be this rickety, how a production can look this shabby, and how the first-time writer and director Rowdy Herrington could borrow a story with so relentless a grip on our imaginations and in no time at all declaw it."[2]

Conversely, both Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert gave it a thumbs up, with Siskel declaring that it was a most impressive debut for Rowdy Herrington, as it was for Spader and Gibbs.[3] As of April 2012, it has an insufficient number of reviews for an overall rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website.[4]

Cast and characters

Home video releases

UK-based distributor Slam Dunk Media released the film on DVD in May 2007 in 1.33:1 full frame format. It is the only DVD release to date. It was available on Netflix video streaming service in SD widescreen format.[5] Scream Factory will release the film in fall 2015 first time on Blu-ray Disc in the US.[6]

References

  1. John Kenneth Muir (24 October 2012). Horror Films of the 1980s. McFarland. p. 667. ISBN 978-0-7864-5501-0.
  2. "The Ripper's Return," Caryn James, The New York Times," May 6, 1988
  3. "Siskel & Ebert 1988-Willow, Jack's Back (1of3)". YouTube. 2010-12-11. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  4. Rotten Tomatoes page for Jack's Back
  5. Scream Factory Announces a Ton of New Blu-Rays!
  6. Scream Factory; Jack s back

External links


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