Leofwine_draca This faithful retelling of the Ripper story manages to evoke the reality of the period in which it is set better than any other Ripper film which has been made. The grimy streets of Whitechapel, the harsh candlelight, and the stark violence which seems to only be brimming at the surface of every person on the street (thugs don't think twice about attacking people with knives) really make this film feel like an authentic piece. The directors went on to cleverly and accurately evoke another period, that of 19th century Edinburgh, in their next film, THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS.The cast go through their paces with relish, and the only actor feeling out of place is the annoyingly American lead. The cockney accents are spot on, and it's fun to spot some British television actors dotted about in the cast (including John Le Mesurier). There are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing right to the end, where the murderer's unmasking is both unexpected and exciting. The famous finale involves the film flashing into colour to show some blood bubbling up from under floorboards as the murderer is crushed at the bottom of the lift shaft - not a nice way to go, it has to be said.The murder scenes are inventive and brutal, without actually being gory. The film plays on the viewer's imagination to depict the hideous acts, so you actually think you've seen a lot more than was shown. The way the killer asks every woman "Are you Mary Clarke?" in a growling, guttural voice is unnerving. Moments like the can-can dance help to add to the feel of the piece, and there is plenty of intrigue among the assorted characters, respectables and low-lifes, to enjoy. There's even a deformed, hunchbacked assistant thrown in for good measure - needless to say, he's an obvious red herring. JACK THE RIPPER is a well-made, well-acted film, solid viewing from what many people think of as the golden era of British horror.

Spikeopath The serial killer known as Jack the Ripper is loose in London, 1888. As the police frantically search for the maniac through the East End smog, a whole bunch of suspects hone into view...Murder by person or persons unknown.Surprisingly little known, this Jack the Ripper picture belies its obvious budget limitations to produce an atmospheric and suspenseful piece. This is not in any way an accurate account of the actual story, so interested newcomers should be aware of that fact. It is basically an interpretation of Jolly Jack, a serial killer mystery to be solved.There's plenty of cobbled streets and smog, dim gas lamps, top hats, tails and medical bags et al. The more severe parts of the story come with tilted camera perception, and the narrative embraces ladies of the night workings and vigilante justice. Which all builds to an absolute beaut of a finale.Well worth a look by fans of Ripper period fare. 7/10

GL84 During a rash of brutal murders, a Scotland Yard inspector asks a visiting American detective for help in quelling the public hysteria while the psycho remains at large and continues his rampage.This one here turned out to be a pretty uneven affair with some good and bad parts. one of the main problems with this one is the fact that instead of focusing on the savage killing and stalking, it concentrate more on the police investigation and them dealing with the locals, and that in turn leads to this one having a lot of scenes where the two policemen are either investigating a crime scene or breaking up a local mob brought on by the inability to catch the killer, which isn't all that fun. Also of note is the fact that it really doesn't focus on the investigation at all, tending to introduce them after the fact, not do much of anything there and show up elsewhere only to scoff and sneer at the locals for the lack of action in solving the crimes, leaving a lot of time to the women targets living their normal lives. when it does get to some good stuff, it's rather enjoyable with admittedly-brutal stalking scenes for the time-period, resulting in some pretty tense sequences. From the opening walk-through of the foggy streets all the way to the stalking of the dancer once she realizes her suitor's true intentions, it has a couple that make for a good time and the finale is also a lot of fun with a good bit of action and a fun resolution, making it the best part of the film. Overall, this one turned out pretty decent but disappointing.Today's Rating-Unrated/PG: Violence.

Maringo I wasn't intending on watching this film as it got a bad review in my TV guide. But when I saw John Le Mesurier (whom I most associate with the TV series "Dad's Army") becoming a prime suspect at the start of this Jack the Ripper themed whodunnit, then I just had to watch the rest.The film basically uses the Jack the Ripper case as a excuse for a whodunnit. Jack's identity is pretty easy to guess (not enough suspects!), but the motive for the killings takes a bit longer to figure out.The inclusion of an American policeman in the story does rather pander to an American audience, but it works quite well. I was cynically expecting him to solve the case before the London policeman and have a fight to the death with Jack at the the end of the film. But I was pleasantly surprised with the ending (it was vaguely reminiscent of the endings of a couple of Dario Argento's gialli).Overall it's not a great film, but if you're into whodunnits then it's worth checking out.