7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
An infant girl, Anna, watches as her father, the infamous "Jack the Ripper," brutally murders her mother. Years later, young Anna is now under the care of a fake psychic and has been forced into prostitution. At the end of a seance one evening, a woman is mysteriously killed. Dr. John Pritchard suspects Anna is the murderer but cannot understand how she could do this unspeakable act. Using new Freudian psychoanalysis techniques, Pritchard experiments on Anna and discovers a shocking secret. The spirit of the "Ripper" is alive and well, and may be possessing his own daughter! Can this evil be stopped before it's too late?
Starring: Eric Porter, Angharad Rees, Jane Merrow, Derek Godfrey, Marjorie RhodesHorror | 100% |
Mystery | 9% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: LPCM 2.0 Mono
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (A, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Hammer Horror: Four Gothic Horror Films.
Chances are if you mention the phrase "classic Hammer horror" to the casual film fan, and perhaps especially to the genre aficionado, the
immediate
response might be focused on some of Hammer's now legendary output beginning in 1957 with The Curse of Frankenstein, and continuing at least through both some of the subsequent
Frankenstein
offerings, as well as 1958's Horror of Dracula,
and
its follow-ups, not to mention other properties Hammer either "updated" (The Mummy) or invented (Maniac
). Those follow-ups by themselves of course continued apace for several years, and that fact, when combined with the general perception
among some that Hammer's overall quality not necessarily confined to so-called "franchises" declined as the sixties wore on, is where things may
start to differ among respondents in terms
of when Hammer's "classic" period ended, if in fact it ended at all. In that regard, it can be interesting to watch this collection of productions from
the
seventies when, as one of the supplements included in this set overtly mentions, "Hammer wasn't Hammer anymore", at least in terms of some of
the erstwhile
resident
talent who had moved on to other places. It's also interesting to note that at the same time the back cover of the slip box housing the discs in this
set itself overtly
mentions a perceived "classic early '70s period", which may be a bit of PR hyperbole, but which may also invite approval from those who don't feel
Hammer's output in the seventies is automatically dismissable, even if the studio had become manifestly different from what it had been in prior
decades. Within
that
overall context, then, the four films offered in this collection are often quite interesting in their own regard, and
Imprint has supplied each of them with a really bounteous collection of bonus features.
Hands of the Ripper is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint and Via Vision Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.67:1. Interestingly, that's just a hair wider than Synapse's 1.66:1 release, though even comparing screenshots I think most would be hard pressed to identify any major framing differences. Once again based solely on screenshots, the color timing of this release looks to be very much in line with the Synapse release, though it does appear to my eyes that this transfer offers a somewhat grittier, more roughhewn, grain field, at least at times. Some of the film has been intentionally gauzily shot with what I assume were diffusion filters, but on the whole, detail levels are strong, offering nice support for the film's often opulent costumes and props. There are occasional passing moments where clarity falters, including some location outdoor work (see screenshot 7).
Hands of the Ripper features an LPCM 2.0 Mono track that is very much in line with the other audio offerings in this set. Support for dialogue and effects is consistent, and the film's segues between indoor and outdoor environments present no real hurdles to overcome. The film features an evocative score by Christopher Gunning, whom fans may recognize as being responsible for the memorable theme music (and other underscore) for the great David Suchet Poirot: The Complete Cases Collection. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, and I noticed no issues whatsoever with regard to damage, distortion or dropouts. Optional English subtitles are available.
I would highly recommend this film to fans who think that Hammer didn't have much to offer in the seventies, as Hands of the Ripper opens with a bang (and/or slash, as the case may be), and then continues to ply a very interesting path that combines elements of Hammer's traditional Gothic gore features with some of its more (relatively) nuanced psychological thrillers. Technical merits are generally solid, and Imprint has included some outstanding supplements. Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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