Jack the Ripper (1988)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Too much of everything

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Superior to both the Kinski mass-gore version and the more recent Johnny Depp attempt, Michael Caine is wonderfully cast as the non conformist, alcoholic Inspector Abberline, a local hero whose unreliable nature is kept in check by his faithful Sergeant, George Godley (Collins, in his best role to date outside of "The Professionals"). The length of this mini-series shouldn't deter you; there's substantial content, and enough sub-plots to maintain the momentum.Of course the identity of the infamous Jack the Ripper is core to this rendition, and much of the narrative focuses on a discreet few suspects, who are variably implicated or exonerated as the investigation progresses. The supporting cast is an ideal mix of experience (McAnally, Seymour, Assante, Gothard and George) and new faces (Lysette Anthony and George Sweeney in particular). Sweeney's characterisation of the carriage-driver John Netley is chilling, while Ken Bones as the royal clairvoyant who "sees" the villain's two faces, adds a clever dimension that is perhaps both indicative of the historical context and yet, just as applicable in more contemporary manhunts of this ilk. Either or, it's a boon for this picture.The sequence of events is already known, and so details become the essence of the picture, with Abberline and Godley painstakingly deconstructing each new murder with clinical precision, but with 19th century know-how. Consequently, the victims continue to fall and pressure soon mounts on the administration to capture the predator, as social uprising begins to shake the aristocracy from its precarious perch. Without alluding to the identity of the culprit (according to this version), it's a very satisfying climax built on compounding suspense and perfect timing. The haunting score is excellent, so too the sets and costumes, and the dialogue is unpretentious and at times, highly amusing as intended.Overall, I found this epic (three hours) to be well paced, scary, intelligent and exciting to the last drop. In my opinion, the best Ripper translation to date. Highly recommended.

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.

Just great!This is the best TV-production I have ever seen.First time I saw it at the age of 8, it was awesome. But I could hardly remind.I have just known that it was a well done movie with a great Atmospher and thrilling suspense.I bought the film and my expectations were exceeded.A movie which can take it on with Jack the ripper is "The count of monte christo" with gerade depardieu. It's a trilogy which is also god work.

Beautifully filmed, lavish costumes and a first class cast. Quite simply (despite a few continuity errors) one of the best versions of the Jack the Ripper story. I taped this when shown in two parts on ITV back in 1988 and I have just purchased a rare widescreen copy of the print.Interestingly in the extras section on the DVD it has some footage of the original shoot on it with Barry Foster (Van Der Valk) as Inspector Abberline and Brian Capron (Grange Hill/Coronation St) as Sgt Godley - two excellent actors but the differences prior to American finance on the production is very notable.The sets were different and some of the dialogue poorly delivered even though it was raw footage I can only describe the original shoot as rather amateur with a "Television play" feel to it as opposed to the full dramatisation.The Caine/Collins version is superb even most of the supporting cast were well known actors. I never tire of watching it and Ray McAnally was brilliant in the role of Sir William Gull what a pity it was one of his last screen roles.