Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Hands of the Ripper Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 14, 2021

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 has had a previous release on Blu-ray for the Region A market courtesy of Synapse Films. Those wanting a plot recap are encouraged to read Brian Orndorf's Hands of the Ripper Blu-ray review of that release. Brian's review is also a good resource for screenshot comparisons and lining up supplements between the two releases.

Hands of the Ripper Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

Hands of the Ripper Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary by Angharad Rees & critics Kim Newman & Stephen Jones


• Audio Commentary by Hammer historians Jonathan Rigby & Kevin Lyons (2021)


• The Devil's Bloody Plaything: Possessed by Hands of the Ripper (HD; 28:22) is a well done retrospective from Ballyhoo Motion Pictures with some good interviews and background information. This bears a 2013 copyright date.


• Flesh Blood (HD; 23:41) is a 2021 interview with director Peter Sasdy.


• U.S. Television Introduction (HD; 7:07) is a kind of patently odd audio supplement (playing to video of a reel to reel tape recorder spinning) of the soundtrack of a bookending segment added to ABC's original broadcast of the film. Evidently no video element is known to survive. The sound quality here is intermittently pretty iffy, and I found much of this hard to make out.


• Original U.K. Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:06)


• Original U.S. Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:57)


• TV Spots (HD; 00:59)


• Slaughter of Innocence: The Evolution of Hammer Gore (HD; 6:08) is an interesting slide show documenting various makeup and other special effects through the years.


• Hands of the Ripper Stills Gallery (HD; 5:43)


• Isolated Music and Effects Track is presented in LPCM 2.0 and can be accessed under the Setup Menu.

Hands of the Ripper Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.