Atmosphere. I need to start my review with that one word! Jack the Ripper was a made for TV mini series that aired 100 years after the original killing spree in Victorian London in 1888. What made this stand out when I first watched it back in the late 90s on a car-boot sale acquired VHS tape, was the atmosphere of old London portrayed in this film.
The script writing was fabulous, and gave the talented actors a chance to shine, and for the drama to play out over the full 3 hours run time.
We really get a sense of the era by watching this, and we feel for Caine as Detective Aberline in pursuit of the murderous ripper.
The film very cleverly makes Caine's character flawed and deeply troubled by making him an alcoholic, and making us wonder at first if he is up to the job of tracking down this maniac. I adore how there are so many suspects thrown at us, and some of these are written in a way that we think that they are red herrings, or perhaps not?
If you haven't already read the countless theories on who Jack the Ripper might be, then the suspect named in this film's conclusion may well surprise you.
However, if you do by now know who is who in the ever growing suspect list it won't add anything new or clever to it's conclusions. I might add that the only downside to this film is London's Whitechaple looks way too clean and smog free. Having said that, the sets and locations are all well done.
Review of Jack the Ripper
