Jade (Classic)

Summary of Jade (Classic)

by Earwolf and Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas

1h 16m•March 31, 2026
Listen to Episode

Overview of Jade (Classic)

This episode of How Did This Get Made? (hosts Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas) dissects the 1995 erotic thriller Jade — a William Friedkin–directed, Joe Eszterhas–written film starring David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino and Chazz Palminteri. The hosts recap the plot, call out the movie’s bizarre production choices and props, debate casting and tone, and riff on the film as a hallmark of the 1990s erotic-thriller era. The conversation mixes plot spoilers, laugh-out-loud reactions (pubic-hair boxes, inflatable “sex pillow,” double-ginger scene) and cultural context about why that style of movie dominated the early ’90s.

Film snapshot

  • Title: Jade (1995)
  • Director: William Friedkin
  • Writer: Joe Eszterhas
  • Key cast: David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, Chazz Palminteri, Angie Everhart, Michael Biehn
  • Budget / Box office: ~$50M budget, ~$9.8M gross (major flop)
  • Notable production note: Produced by Robert Evans; reportedly had an NC-17 director’s cut with extra explicit footage (currently unavailable)
  • Genre context: Part of the 1990s erotic-thriller wave (Basic Instinct, Sliver, Body of Evidence, etc.)

What the episode covers (highlights)

  • Quick plot recap: A murder/blackmail ring centered around filmed sexual encounters with wealthy men pulls a psychiatrist (Fiorentino) and a DA/figure (Caruso) into investigation and danger.
  • Hosts’ overall impression: Fondly entertained; considered the movie silly, overstuffed and riddled with plot holes — but enjoyable as a time-capsule example of the erotic-thriller formula.
  • Standout weird/baffling elements the hosts react to:
    • A table of engraved little boxes filled with pubic hair (producer-tinged gross-out moment).
    • An inflatable “sex pillow” (they riff extensively and joke about making merch).
    • A “double-ginger” sex scene (hosts treat it as a cinematic rarity).
    • Horrendous car chases (criticized as unrealistic and comically staged).
    • Tribal masks used as pervasive mise-en-scène (create an eerie watchful vibe but play no plot role).
    • Costume and color choices (e.g., Caruso’s all-green outfits).
    • Odd blocking and staging (awkward dialog scenes, stilted set-ups).
  • Casting opinions:
    • Linda Fiorentino: unanimous standout — compelling and believable in the role.
    • David Caruso and Chazz Palminteri: seen as miscast by hosts; Palminteri is obviously villainous by casting.
  • Plot criticisms:
    • Large gaps and unresolved threads; lines and motivations feel like “treatment” rather than a fully coherent script.
    • Ending: villain appears to “win” and the film stops abruptly — unsatisfying resolution.
  • Production trivia and tone:
    • Taps into the era’s theme of sex/power among elites and the notion that the powerful can get away with crimes.
    • Compared to contemporaries (Basic Instinct, Sliver, Eyes Wide Shut) and other '90s staples.

Notable quotes & moments (from episode / film clips)

  • Governor line (quoted by hosts): “I do the fucking — I don't get fucked.” — cited as a memorable moment demonstrating power dynamics and uncomfortable bravado.
  • Hosts’ reaction soundbites: disbelief and disgust at the pubic-hair boxes; extended comedic riff on the sex pillow (including imagined merch).
  • Cultural aside: O.J. Simpson reportedly said he was “excited to go see Jade” after his 1995 verdict — noted as an eyebrow-raising zeitgeist moment.

Themes and cultural context

  • Erotic-thriller era: The movie is part of a 1990s trend that sexualized power dynamics among elites, frequently romanticizing or eroticizing violence and transactional sex.
  • Fetishization and transactional sexuality: Hosts note how many films of the era present sexuality as something instantly available to powerful men, often without realistic courting or consent dynamics.
  • Industry & production artifacts: Friedkin’s direction and Eszterhas’s script carry their era’s excesses; Robert Evans’ involvement (and alleged personal eccentricities) amplify the unsettling backstage lore.

Hosts’ verdict & recommendations

  • Tone of verdict: Mixed but entertained — the episode recommends Jade as a fun, so-bad-it’s-great time capsule if you enjoy over-the-top 1990s erotic thrillers and like to laugh at cinematic excesses.
  • Suggested companion films to watch for context: Basic Instinct, Sliver, Showgirls, Body of Evidence, The Last Seduction, Eyes Wide Shut, and (for car-chase comparison) Bullet.
  • Caveat: Expect troubling sexual politics, stilted plotting, and jarring production choices. There’s an NC-17 cut rumored to clarify/extend some plot beats — but it’s not widely available.

Key takeaways (quick)

  • Jade is an emblematic and excess-driven 1990s erotic thriller: lots of sex-adjacent spectacle, weak plotting and flamboyant production choices.
  • Linda Fiorentino is widely regarded by the hosts as the movie’s highlight.
  • The film’s props and details (pubic-hair boxes, inflatable sex pillow, masks, pizza-in-bedroom) make it memorable — mostly for unintended reasons.
  • It flopped financially and has mixed-to-positive audience nostalgia (many five-star Amazon reviews), making it a curious cultural artifact rather than a classic of quality filmmaking.

Action items / viewing notes

  • If you’re interested: watch Jade as a pop-culture artifact of the ’90s erotic-thriller boom (expect dated sexual politics).
  • Pair with Basic Instinct or Sliver for genre context, or Bullet for better San Francisco car-chase cinema.
  • If an NC-17 director’s cut surfaces, it may change perceptions of the plot — but availability is limited.

(Hosts and production credits: episode features Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, June Diane Raphael. The episode includes listener submissions, second-opinion readings from Amazon reviews, and numerous sponsor reads interspersed.)