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Jack The Ripper [1988] (Michael Caine)
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RRP: £5.99
Our Price: £17.00 (subject to change)
Rent day!
Review date: 2008-11-07 Rating: 10 out of 10
There are some niggles with this big budget mini-series from 1988, including a pointless love affair between Caine's Inspector Fred Abberline and Jane Seymour's Emma Prentiss. For one, she seems a couple of classes out his league and we get precious little detail about their background, why they are no longer together and why we should be bothered about the prospect of them getting re-acquainted. For a couple of scenes, Emma skirts with the main plot but it all seems very contrived. Added to this is the most bombastic music score,which is mostly wonderful but just a little too OTT in places. Then of course, being a trans-Atlantic production, we get an unusual glossing over of the realities of Whitechapel in 1888 that one suspects a British-only production would have highlighted. But hey, the Americans put in the cash and by God it shows - therefore, a little romanticizing about Victorian east end London isn't such a problem, even if the prostitutes look amazingly sober and well turned out!
Onto the good stuff. The cast are brilliant across the board and the production values are very high with superb design, lighting and some really unnerving and horrifying scenes (I watched this go out when I was 10-years-old and two decades later it still has the power to disturb in its own unique way). Caine is superb - wonderfully still, his watery eyes intense and his delivery beautifully understated without being dull. Lewis Collins shines as his partner, dispelling memories of the ludicrous escapades of 'The Professionals', while the likes of TP McKenna, Ray McAnally and Hugh Fraser put in some lovely turns too.
Despite claims that this is the real story, the production team take huge liberties and offer a revelation that isn't remotely accurate. However, the psychic visions of Robert Lees (Ken Bones) and the moment after David Ryall calls on one of the victims of the Ripper with a jolly "Rent day!" are unlikely to be forgotten in a hurry.
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Reviews
Best Jack the Ripper film
Review date: 2007-05-14 Rating: 10 out of 10
The best dramatisation of the notorious Jack the Ripper case based on historical data and facts.Wonderful acting by Michael Caine.
Overlooked but arguably the best Jack the Ripper movie
Review date: 2007-02-28 Rating: 10 out of 10
Jack the Ripper starring Michael Caine. I remember this movie as a TV mini-series which was broadcast on American television in the 1980's. I purchased this recent dvd release through Amazon.co.uk since it is not available for sale in North America as NTSC, region 1 dvd. Delivery from amazon.co.uk to Canada was extremely fast > I received the package within a few days after shipping from England. I own a Pioneer DV-588A dvd player and I had no problem with playback of this Region 0, PAL disc. This dvd is a simple presentation of the film. There are no extras and in my opinion this is not missed. The sound is two channel stereo but presented well (5.1 surround sound would have been unnecessary). The video is presented in widescreen format and the quality is very good (do not expect a pristine, flawless remastering). Missing are subtitles > which I believe should be standard on all dvd's for the hearing impaired. The film itself is well acted (Michael Caine is excellent) and I found it still (20 years after its initial release) a quite entertaining retelling of the Jack the Ripper story. There is obvious artistic license (as this is a film and not a documentary) but for the most part real case names, events and hypotheses were used. I liked this version quite a lot since the main focus is on actual investigation and its 'authentic' world of East London was facinating. Highly recommended for anybody interested in the Jack the Ripper case.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Michael Caine; Lewis Collins; Jane Seymour; Susan George; Lysette Anthony; Armand Assante; Ray McAnally
Creators:
Michael Caine; Lewis Collins; Jane Seymour; Susan George; Lysette Anthony; Armand Assante; Ray McAnally (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: Prism Leisure
Manufacturer: Prism Leisure
EAN: 5030697010636
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Full Screen, PAL,
Release date: 2007-02-19
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 190 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1988
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: English (Original Language)