Cristi_Ciopron
Reading many reviews by a fellow IMDb writer that prefers the sword and sandals movies and the antiquity/Middle Ages epics (so many sub-genres that in fact are substantially different and only randomly brought together by a common label,in the lack of a real common denominator),I remembered this small and decent TV feature that I have seen almost 14 yrs. ago on a videocassettes.Other epic/biopics /antiquity renderings seen in the same period were "Moses the Lawgiver" (1974),Joseph (1995) (TV) by Roger Young -- modest and unassuming TV productions that meant to instruct and to relax .If there was any creation in them,it was performances--wise (e.g. Ben Kingsley and Martin Landau in the star--studded Joseph (1995) (TV),or Burt Lancaster,Anthony Quayle and Irene Papas in Gianfranco De Bosio's "Moses the Lawgiver" ,1974).They pretty much delineate a class of films, a TV genre--not epics, not adventure films,but honest straight decent productions,sometimes with a surprising cast.They are conceived rather as small relaxing films, without ambitions or pretensions.Taken as such,they're fun to watch.They are not very colorful, exotic, neither mysticalrather standard family TV.One can find pleasing things in them;I hope I have pointed to some. Modest and instructive, educative, they do not resemble nor the bigbudgeted spectacular lavish Hollywoodian blockbusters (or the Italian ones, assembled at the beginning of that national school of cinema
),nor the cruel violent brutal SALAMMBO style (in terms of _sapidity), nor the properly speaking religious movies (i.e., those made by Dreyer, Bresson, Gibson, Mrs. Cavani, etc.). Their aim is chiefly educative; they narrate as movie Biblical events. Jacob (1994) (TV) was the one that stood out, for me at least;I liked it the best.I have seen it during a time when I was willing to watch any movie with LF Boyle. She and Drew B. and Shannon T. and Lysette A. and Tanya R. were my goddesses. To them I owe much of my knowledge of the '90s B cinema.
obstacle-ena
i found Jacob to be intriguing and a great biblical story of love, first i am not that familiar with most bible story's probably because the religious folk only tell us what they deem most significant IE moses ,jesus etc i had never heard the more personal side of his life and am glad i got to watch this. however i think Jacob's story should be as told as other more well known biblical figures as it allows us to hear story's other than the thou shall and thou shalt not and all other story's parent's tell there children to frighten them. if you are interested in the bible i would highly recommend you watch this and the cast give a emotional and convincing performance. a beautiful if not tragic love story.
jovy-thomas
It was nice to see the things visually which we read in bible about Jacob. The film focuses on Jacob's hardships in life, even if he gained his father's blessings.Jacob deceived his father saying he is Esau...through this film another thing is made clear...he too got deceived by his father-in-law as payback.I didn't noticed that fact before....I liked the way in which Leah was portrayed in the film.The girl's feelings are shown carefully in it. Also Rachel's heart is broken on learning about her father's cunning nature.In pain, she tells the family that Jacob's God will punish you for this.
rosettarosetta
I had to watch 'Jacob' for my freshmen religion class. While it is interesting enough, I don't think anyone would find it a 'fun' movie. I think the movie requires that you have some sort of religious background. The story of Jacob and Esau is interesting, but I don't think it translates well into film. I'll give it a B-.