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Don't listen to the negative reviews

Best movie ever!

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

This made for television movie tells you everything you ever wanted to know about the famous, real-life case of Jack the Ripper, the murderer who slaughtered prostitutes in Victorian London and neatly removed their internal organs. The film concentrates on a detective's investigation into the murders and therefore cannot be missed by any self-respecting mystery fan, as it's an above average and taut thriller with lots of star performances and a nicely portrayed Victorian London, complete with pea-soup fog, cobbled streets, and lurking figures in black cloaks.The cast is populated by British actors and actresses, even though the film is an American production. Just about everybody you've ever seen in British television and film turns, there are just too many names to list: Ray McAnally, Michael Gothard, Susan George, Harry Andrews...the list goes on. It's Michael Caine, though, who steals the spotlight with his portrayal of a dogged detective (also an alcoholic, way before Bruce Willis or Arnold Schwarzenegger picked up the bottle in their films). Some people have called his performance hammy, well maybe it is, but it's entertaining anyway. I mean, who wants to watch subdued actors who don't give it all they've got? Unfortunately Jane Seymour turns up as the obligatory love interest, and the less said about her performance, the better. On the other hand, Ken Bones is a wonderfully neurotic clairvoyant, and Armand Assante does a wonderful transformation from Dr Jekyll into Mr Hyde before our very eyes with the aid of some prosthetics (and he isn't afraid to be ridiculed when it turns out he's bald). Assante's performance is nicely slimy.I would go so far to say that this could be a definitive portrayal of the Ripper murders. It's not perfect by any means, for a start there are too many red herrings and people get blamed for the murders just for the sheer sake of it. Also, the whole city of London is far too clean and respectable, nobody is smoking or taking drugs, difficult to believe but merely a product of the political correctness of our time (but altering an audience's perspective of the Victorian era just to comply with modern day issues? It's a fact that people smoked, there's no point trying to deny it and this omission just makes the producers look ridiculous).On the plus side there is oodles of suspense, plenty of atmosphere, and good and assured performances from a distinguished cast. The film may run for slightly too long (it goes on for about three and a half hours) but I can say that I didn't get bored while watching any of it, as Caine had me riveted throughout. The actual gore content is kept low, but a brief flash of a room where a prostitute has been dismembered and parts of her body are draped everywhere is very unsettling.

This is without doubt the best rendering of the story of Jack the Ripper on screen. Other attempts have been made since, and they have their qualities too. But this version gives a very accurate picture of London at the time, and very convincing characters, all the more so because their behavior does not remind the viewer of fashionable television clichés which turn up only too often in films where Hollywood interferes. 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 fascinating.The story recounts the murder of 5 prostitutes and the hunt for Jack the Ripper. It is not always factually accurate and does employ 'dramatic license' several times to appeal to audiences, but it is a great movie nonetheless. Director/Producer David Wickes and his crew did an excellent job on this film. The cinematography, realistic Victorian settings and costumes are excellent. This is an excellent production, long enough to split over two evenings, but short enough to watch in one go too (just over three hours). It is very realistic, but also very entertaining, which is what most films and series are for.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

This is the only film about Jack the Ripper which is actually worth looking at. It doesn't use guts or gore, it's just a great scary movie. It just goes to show that you can make an excellent creepy film without showing too much violence. But, having said this, it is also true that this movie would be nothing without the fantastic Michael Caine. However, this film does have one downside. It doesn't portray the murders anything like how they were committed by the real Ripper. But, to be honest, unless you're a devoted historian then it really doesn't matter. It starts well, ends well (even though the ending to this film differs GREATLY from what happened in real life), and there's more than enough throughout the film to keep you interested. If you've never seen this before, get down to Amazon immediately and buy a copy of the DVD without hesitation. You won't regret it!

When I first saw this telemovie back in the late 1980s, I found myself wondering if the film makers actually believed the theory they were peddling. The DVD commentary makes it clear that they take it very seriously indeed, which somehow reduces the impact of the piece.Taken as a blood and thunder melodrama, this is good fun. But as a recreation of London's East End in the 1880s, it leaves a great deal deal to be desired. The depiction of prostitution is particularly inaccurate. The Ripper's victims were not, on the whole, the good hearted floozies depicted here. They were alcoholic, washed out drabs, homeless and aimless. And the depiction of George Lusk as a left wing agitator is way off base.No matter, its diverting entertainment. But its only real historical value lies in its depiction of the hysteria that the Ripper murders engendered in the population. If you believe the denouement, and the explanation of the Ripper's identity, drop me a line. I'd like to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.