Matrixston
Wow! Such a good movie.
Grimossfer
Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%
Scarlet
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
SimonJack
The real identity of Jack the Ripper will probably never be known. The evidence is only circumstantial for the best of the many theories about who the mad killer of 1888 London was. Most of the theories could be discarded after thorough investigations. But, there is little likelihood that the world will ever know for sure the identity of the most notorious homicidal killer of all time. No eyewitness ever came forward. More than a century later there's little chance that any new evidence exists. And less chance even of finding it, if any does exist. So, the murder cases of Jack the Ripper will likely go unsolved forever. But that won't stop sleuths from investigating or the curious from speculating. And more movies may yet be made about the subject. This 1988 British movie is from a TV mini-series. It has a conclusion and unmasks Jack the Ripper for the slaying of five women from Aug. 31 to Nov. 9, 1888. The writers supposedly assembled the best and the latest evidence to arrive at their conclusion. The movie just touches on, but doesn't go deeply into the confusion that surely existed at the time over different players in the investigations. One wonders if a clue or two might not have been lost, misplaced or dismissed. In the confusion that surely existed with handling of the various cases between different units of the law, were all the clues, tips and pieces of evidence kept intact, shared among the law groups and passed on? Different people led various investigations from the London Metro police and from Scotland yard. This film's conclusion is as logical and probable as any. The details of the murders are portrayed accurately. Likewise some of the other situations of the time - notably, the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee. The movie combines some of the investigators into the one primary and longest investigator, Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline. Michael Caine plays that role superbly. All of the cast give top performances. The movie shows the extent to which London was all but mesmerized by the killings. It shows how frantic the efforts must have been by the law to find and bring the killer to justice. And, the film has excellent sets, costumes and other aspects that reflect the culture of the time. This is a nice historical film as well. Anyone curious about the legend should thoroughly enjoy this film. While history may never reveal the real identify of Jack the Ripper, it's highly probable that this film's conclusion is right. It's logical and fits with the conditions of the killings, the start and end of them, and the real people alive at that time.
hatlad
I remember watching this miniseries on TV in the late 1980s and being enthralled with it then. This is one of those movies/shows/whatever where IMHO everything just comes together perfectly - the casting, the dialogue, the costumes and sets, everything. It really helps one feel immersed in the settings and involved in the scenes like a bystander to the events.I remember that there were some alternate theories/endings shown on the last night of the miniseries. If I remember right, there was a panel of experts involved that postulated their theory as to who the killer was. Then they showed the other alternative endings wherein the other suspects were accused, etc. Anybody know if those alternate endings are available on the DVD?
brendan grehan
Last Friday June 20, Jack the ripper was free with the Irish Daily Mail.Not a bad DVD as a freebie and the transfer is spot on.I remember watching it on TV when it was first released. Yes Michael does ham it up but thats what he does. As a mini-series it has aged well, given that its 20 years old. On matters of the Ripper, "Murder By Decree" with Christopher Plummer as Holmes is the best of the bunch albeit that it is factional. The old deerstalker hat was never seen round whitechapel.Back to Jack the Ripper, the Jane Seymour character doesn't seem to serve any purpose apart from providing a love interest for Michael Caine. Lewis Collins is pretty good and Armand Assante is suitably bewitching as Mansfield the actor with his cape.
sirclive
Simply the best world-wide TV production ever. It's a SHAME there's no french version of this gem available on DVD. Why should I write ten lines of text about it, just get it and see by yourself : a splendid time is guaranteed for all ! I'd like to tell the IMDb crew that it's not easy for non-English speaking people to write 10-line commentaries, so they should be allowed to mail shorter texts ! Some might call it R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ! But I want to post this one, so I'll do what I am asked to : what do U think 'bout the following words : cats, dogs, chairs, beds, beards, heads, ears, legs, feet, arms, stomach, torso, music, book, trees, birds, walls, paper, pencil, cars, roads ... well, the ten lines are done, I think I can quit now.
