Jack the Ripper

This one may be the best dramatization of Jack The Ripper's crimes and of the researching' that were made. Since the case was never solved, the movie relies on the several hypothesis that were considered about the identity of the world's most famous serial killer. Believe me, they made a perfect script that keeps you on alert till the very last second. Although it was conceived as a TV mini-series you can watch it in one go (I mean, you'll WANT to watch it in one go). OK, the second time you watch it (when you already know who the killer is and stuff) obviously some thing won't get you by surprise, but the movie is good enough for being watched several times.

It was a TV production, but it is as good as if it was made for cinema: the setting is just wonderful and the cast is unbeatable (headed by master Michael Caine).

PS: It is pretty similar to "From hell", but much more addictive.

*My rate: 8/10

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.

Who cares if its deductions are accurate? Everyone's dead and we'll never know for certain. What matters is this story delivers you a culprit which owing to the official unsolved status, I didnt believe I would see until the last second. Very well done TV fare. If I have one criticism, it is the filming quality. On the interior and set shots, the camera work and lighting cast those pinkish hues off of phony scrubbed brickwork that betray a backlot and might confuse you into thinking you are watching an old Gunsmoke rerun. But rest assured, the story is powerful enough to make this quite insubstantial for a normal person. The performances are excellent. Michael Caine would be good doing tampon commercials, and the rest of the mostly English cast are all equally excellent. There are some truly frightening sequences. Asante's conversion into Mr. Hyde is the stuff nightmares are made of. The suspense at the climax deftly handled. Its quite long, and drags only a bit 3/4 through. But this is well worth anyone's time who has an interest in this most infamous of criminal investigations. Which puts it up just about everyone's alley doesnt it?

....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.

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.