Jack the Ripper

I haven't seen many ripper movies out there that haven't been made with a fantasy aspect to them, "Time After Time" comes to mind, but this movie actually tells the story of the first serial killer and makes a murder mystery out of it. Depicted through the eyes of Inspector Abberline, played by the wonderful Michael Caine, this movie is actually supposed to be based on the re-opened files of the case in Scotland Yard and the research on them by today's for-most experts in Criminology. Whether that assertation is true or not is up to the viewer, but this movie does end with a fanciful theory and several fine performances by Jane Seymour, Armand Assante and others. The parallels and connections to the novel/play "Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" are creative, bold, and clever. The sets and scenery of the period are exquisite and actually add to the atmosphere of the movies. The killing recreations thankfully don't have the distaste of slasher films and the overall style reminds me of the Liz Montgomery movie, "The Legend of Lizzie Borden" which also like this movie masterfully created the incidents of an infamous crime in period costume and ended with a new hypothetical theory. Even without closure in either crimes, both cases continue to inspire creative movies.

This version (out of many on the subject of Britain's most famous serial killer) is by far, my favourite.

I have studied Jack the Ripper for many years, read many books, seen many documentaries, and even been on the Jack the Ripper tour in Whitechapel, where I saw the actual murder sites.

The acting is first class from everyone involved (notably from Lewis Collins as Sgt. Godley, Steve Payne as Billy White and Amande Assante as Richard Mansfield), and the direction is first class.

There are only two things I didn't like about this:

1) The Killer's Identity - I just do not agree that he was Jack the Ripper.

2) Once again, the Prostitutes were portrayed as good looking showgirls, when in reality they were ugly, toothless old crones. (Only Mary Jane Kelly was attractive, and Lysette Anthony who played her in this film, bares a remarkable resembelance to the real Kelly).

It's a shame this movie is not available on video or DVD. I was fortunate enough to have taped it off the TV, and have kept it ever since.

For any budding Ripperologists out there, I would strongly recommend you see this. But I`ll leave it up to you, if you agree with who they say it was -- I certainly don't.

"For over 100 years the murders in Whitechapel committed by Jack the Ripper have baffled the World. What you are about to see is a dramatisation of these events. Our story is based on extensive research, including a review of the official files by special permission of the Home Office and interviews with leading criminologists and Scotland Yard officials."

Jack The Ripper is produced out of Euston Films and is directed by David Wickes who also co-wrote it with Derek Marlowe. Released to coincide with the 100 years anniversary of the murders, it stars Michael Caine (Frederick Abberline), Armand Assante (Richard Mansfield), Ray McAnally (Sir William Gull), Lewis Collins (Sgt. George Godley), Ken Bones (Robert James Lees), Susan George (Catherine 'Kate' Eddowes) & Jane Seymour (Emma Prentiss).

Originally released as a TV mini-series in the United Kingdom, Jack The Ripper has long since been available to view as a three hour ten minute movie. Every second of which is worth sitting thru. For his story Wickes uses actual historical characters that were involved in the 1888 hunt for the notorious killer. Drawing heavily from the Masonic/Royal Family conspiracy theory that has been used before in tellings of the story (notably the film Murder By Decree born out of Thomas E. A. Stowell's theory), Wickes boldly proclaimed to be revealing the true identity of the Ripper. Something that unsurprisingly he was forced to recant, but regardless of that, this is a glorious telling, meticulous in detail and providing much food for thought.

In amongst the grizzly murders and the fraught search for the killer by the exasperated police, Wickes' movie fully forms the other issues to hand. Such as the role of the press during this dark time and why was George Lusk leading vigilante's across Whitechapel? The Government and Royal Family aspects are given screen time because that's how high the issue went. The pressure on Abberline from his superiors is told in full, as the murders start to escalate and Abberline runs up against questionable assistance during the investigation, his anger grows. We are with him every step of the way. The prostitutes aren't merely Ripper fodder characters either, we at least meet them, understand them, even seeing the role of the "pimp" in Victorian England. It's good stuff, well researched.

Technically, for a TV movie, its production value is very high. Great sets that bring to life Victorian England (the exteriors were actually shot in Belper, Derbyshire), the costumes catch the eye and the cast are hugely effective. Particularly Caine (throwing himself into the role) and Assante (switching his character's emotional state regularly with consummate ease). We also get the chill factor too, something that's needed in a film of such dark thematics. As the street girls walk alone in dimly lit cobbled streets, the air of unease is palpable. Then a silhouette of the man with the hat, cloak and bag brings a cold shiver down the spine. Witness to the sequences involving the play Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, a nice put in to the plot by the writers, and one that provides genuinely creepy moments. It's a top film that has so much going for it.

There will be other Jack The Ripper film's no doubt, and for sure more books will arrive proclaiming this and that is true. But with this take, if you buy into the theory or not, is probably as good as it gets for detail and execution of the material. 9/10

Atmosphere. I need to start my review with that one word! Jack the Ripper was a made for TV mini series that aired 100 years after the original killing spree in Victorian London in 1888. What made this stand out when I first watched it back in the late 90s on a car-boot sale acquired VHS tape, was the atmosphere of old London portrayed in this film. The script writing was fabulous, and gave the talented actors a chance to shine, and for the drama to play out over the full 3 hours run time. We really get a sense of the era by watching this, and we feel for Caine as Detective Aberline in pursuit of the murderous ripper. The film very cleverly makes Caine's character flawed and deeply troubled by making him an alcoholic, and making us wonder at first if he is up to the job of tracking down this maniac. I adore how there are so many suspects thrown at us, and some of these are written in a way that we think that they are red herrings, or perhaps not? If you haven't already read the countless theories on who Jack the Ripper might be, then the suspect named in this film's conclusion may well surprise you. However, if you do by now know who is who in the ever growing suspect list it won't add anything new or clever to it's conclusions. I might add that the only downside to this film is London's Whitechaple looks way too clean and smog free. Having said that, the sets and locations are all well done.

....When it achieves such perfection :lavish costumes,splendid settings,excellent performances (a topflight cast,with a wonderful Caine as the lead ,the beautiful Jane Seymour and all the others providing adequate support).It really brings us back in Victorian London and the screenplay features very clever ideas such as the introduction of Stevenson's "Doctor Jekill and Mr Hyde" (the scene on the stage is mind-boggling).If the telly made such gems every week,nobody would go to the movie theaters anymore.