This is my favorite Jack the Ripper film which is not to say that’s it’s the best one, far from it, but it is an extremely well made low budget effort that benefits from strong performances and atmospheric cinematography. 1959 was a watershed year for British horror. The economic impact of Hammer Films was duly noted and a number of competitors arose from young upstarts like Sidney Hayers who did CIRCUS OF HORRORS to Michael Powell of RED SHOES fame whose PEEPING TOM wound up ruining his career.
Probably the most successful of these challengers were Robert S. Baker & Monty Berman who not only made this film but also BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE (1958) and the celebrated FLESH & THE FIENDS (1960). Both men produced these films with Baker directing and Berman photographing them. While they were successful and even notorious in their day, B & B eventually moved on to greener pastures with Roger Moore’s THE SAINT TV series.
In addition to the quality look of the film it also benefitted from a script by Hammer stalwart Jimmy Sangster who completely fictionalized the Ripper’s exploits and added an American detective to help put it over in the States. Although never intended to be an accurate depiction of the Ripper murders, the film works well as a historical murder mystery with an unforgettable payoff. Watching it again on this Italian DVD (where is the British one?), it features a beautiful 35 mm transfer of the original version, no American voiceovers, and a fine score by Stanley Black.
I was struck by how subversive the film is. Not only is JACK THE RIPPER rather graphic for its day but it is loaded with social commentary and a suprising amount of feminine pulchritude during the can-can scenes. The nastiness of mob violence is well portrayed with George Rose (who would play Burke in FLESH & THE FIENDS a year later) quite memorable as the mob leader. If you enjoy old school British horror and don’t mind black & white (except for the celebrated finale), then this movie is a must.
The Capsule Critic 