Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Jack the Ripper Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 3, 2021

Considering the fact that films that have had at least a tangential connection to Jack the Ripper have included everything from The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (and The Lodger) to Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde to The Ruling Class may help to explain at least in part why relatively lower profile films like the more prosaically titled Jack the Ripper might not be at the top of any discerning cineaste’s list of Ripper-centric material. That said, this particular iteration of the tale (or perhaps more appropriately iterations, given the two versions included on this Blu-ray disc) is rather surprisingly graphic and provocative for its production era of the late fifties. Joseph E. Levine must have seen something of exploitation value in this British enterprise, since he rejiggered it, including adding a completely new score, for American exhibition in 1960, though probably due at least in part to the lack of any identifiable Hollywood marquee stars, the film failed to connect with audiences here.

The narration Levine had added to the American version establishes the film's structure and ambience from the get go, as the recognizably stentorian tones of Paul Frees challenge the viewer to guess which character is going to end up being Jack the Ripper. The "whodunit" aspect of the film is actually not the source of much intrigue, especially for those familiar with at least some of the theories about the real Jack's background. That said, there are some effectively spooky moments scattered throughout the film, notably when various women are being stalked in the dark and foggy streets of Whitechapel.

Both a British investigator named O'Neill (Eddie Byrne) and an American compatriot named Sam Lowry (Lee Patterson) are on the case, and of course there's also an attractive woman in the story, Anne Ford (Betty McDowall), who unsurprisingly has some "damsel in distress" moments. Jack the Ripper can't quite escape its obviously very low budget (some of the supposedly "outside" scenes are almost comically set bound), but co- director Robert S. Baker, who is featured on the commentary included as a supplement, manages to invest the tale with some style, including lots of skewed framings during the murder scenes which Baker admits he ripped off from Sir Carol Reed's similar approach in The Third Man.

Jack the Ripper Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Jack the Ripper is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.67:1 (for the US version) and 1.34:1 (for the British version). If you look at screenshots 18 and 19, I've uploaded the text cards that appear before each presentation (in case it's not contextually obvious, screenshot 18 is from the British version and screenshot 19 is from the US version). There are some noticeable differences between the two presentations aside and apart from the aspect ratio changes, but in that particular regard, I've tried to provide a few comparison shots between the two versions so that those interested can see some of the framing variances. You can see these "pairs" in screenshot positions 2-3, 5-6, 7-8, 11-12 and 15-16. To my eyes, the US version is the better looking transfer, though it has its fair share of issues, including some pretty bad damage in the form of large (and occasionally long lasting) scratches, occasional missing frames and other nicks and blemishes that regularly dot the proceedings. That said, the US version has a somewhat darker look with more controlled contrast that probably helps establish the moody visuals a bit better. There's a brief color insert at the very end of the US version which looks pretty badly faded, so that what was probably supposed to mimic "Hammer red" blood looks a bit on the brown side. While the British version is ostensibly another progressive presentation, I'm wondering if due to the telecine workflow at some point there was an interlaced interstitial step, because there are what look like combing artifacts in abundance, to the point that occasional moments of movement can look like they were shot with jiggly cam. As can perhaps be made out in the screenshots of that version if looked at in full resolution, there are some rather odd anomalies that reminded me of some of VCI's less successful efforts, with what almost look like vertical lines running through the entirety of the frame. The British version is also a bit blanched looking when compared to at least the bulk of the US version.

Jack the Ripper Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Jack the Ripper features LPCM 2.0 Mono tracks for both versions. The biggest difference between the two is the underscore, with Levine swapping out the British version's perfectly fine Stanley Black score for a somewhat more propulsive, jazzy effort by the great Pete Rugolo and Jimmy McHugh. There is a bit of damage in both versions, with slight background hiss and occasional hiccups when, for example, frames are missing. Otherwise, though, fidelity is at least acceptable, and dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly. While optional English subtitles are available, they're only on the British version.

Jack the Ripper Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• British Version (1080p; 1:21:05) and US Version (1080p; 1:25:04) are included.


• Audio Commentary with Co-Director / Co-Producer / Co-Cinematographer Robert S. Baker, Screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, Assistant Director Peter Manley, and moderated by British Horror Historian Marcus Hearn is available on the British version. (The way the disc is authored, you can access the supplements under the main menus for either the British and US version, but if you've selected the US version and then click on the Commentary track, the disc simply changes to the British version.)


• Alternate Continental Takes (1080p; 10:56)


• Interview with Denis Merkle, Author of Jack the Ripper: The Murders and the Movies (1080p; 10:33) features the author speaking about the actual history and some of the cinematic adaptations.


• Gentleman Jack - The Whitchapel Murders Revisited (1080p; 13:31) is listed as The Real Jack the Ripper on the back cover of this release, and looks at the murders.


• Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 2:28)


• Poster and Still Gallery (1080i; 4:11)

Jack the Ripper Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Severin Films really went all out with various releases of Jack the Ripper, including a now sold out (but still findable if you're willing to spend some considerable scratch) Limited Edition that evidently featured a specially cobbled together third version of the film which incorporated some of the footage seen in the Alternate Continental Takes supplement included on this disc. Jack the Ripper is probably the very paradigm of a cult film, and considering the fact that one of the introductory text cards suggests all original elements of any version of the film appear to be lost, this release will no doubt satisfy the itch of some ardent collectors. Technical merits encounter some obstacles, but the supplementary package is very well done, for those who are considering a purchase.