Absolutely Brilliant!

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

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.

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

In ways pretty tame version of this often told story. A serial killer hides in the shadows of the cobble-stoned streets and alleys of London. The Whitechapel district seems to be vary comfortable for the killer, who brutally rips open women with the precision of a surgeon. Sam Lowry(Lee Patterson)is the American detective who joins Scotland Yard in their troubled search for the elusive ripper. The crisp black and white film is full of atmosphere and at times there is some disturbing images...not enough for me. Plus there is a good assortment of suspects.A very solid cast that also features: Eddie Byrne, Barbara Burke, Betty McDowell, Jack Allen, Garard Green, Ewon Solon and John Le Mesurier.

This movie would probably be more fun to watch in its original British presentation, before American distributor Joseph Levine got hold of it and added a gimmicky prologue and different music. The basic story holds up, and there are some effective performances by a typically solid English cast. Eddie Byrne is good as the no nonsense police inspector, and George Rose has a brief scene as the father of one of the victims.The scenes of the Ripper stalking his victims are suspenseful, and the murders more violent than any cinematic Ripper killings had been portrayed before. The settings are adequate at showing 1888 London's Whitechapel and the Victorian atmosphere is reasonably well shown. The one incredible flaw in the version most Americans have seen is the startling and totally inappropriate use of a modern jazz score to accompany the stalking and killing scenes. Every time we see the mysterious figure of a man in a cape and top hat, carrying the little black bag, emerging from a foggy alley to pursue a victim, our ears are suddenly assaulted with a blaring, brassy Fifties jazz theme that would have been appropriate to an episode of Peter Gunn or Mike Hammer, but is utterly out of place in the Victorian England of the story. It is such a jarring, incongruous effect, that it takes away from the otherwise effectively sinister visuals. Whoever thought this was a good idea and why is beyond me. Compare this misplaced music with the brilliantly ominous score by Hugo Friedhofer for The Lodger (1944) and you'll see what I mean.The movie is adequate , but there are far more compelling and better done Ripper films, for those interested in the grim history of Jack and his prostitute victims.