33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent miniseries, January 14, 2008
This review is from: Jack the Ripper (1988) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Australia ] (DVD)
Chief Insp. Frederick Abberline (Michael Caine) heads up the London Police Force's investigative attempts to stop the activities of notorious serial killer Jack the Ripper, in Victorian London. He's assisted in this quest, by, among others, his partner Sgt. George Godley (Lewis Collins), society psychic Robert James Lees (Ken Bones) and artist ex-girlfriend Emma Prentiss (Jane Seymour).
A CBS/Thames Television co-production, way back in the day when there was no such thing as BBC America, HBO or Masterpiece Theater, this 1988 television miniseries is of unusually high standard: the acting's top-drawer, the production is detailed and lush, and the direction tense and exciting. Weighing in at a hefty 182 minutes, when viewed in DVD format, there's little repetition and next-to-no boring bits: for all the right reasons this is one eighties miniseries that's well-worth hunting down.
Caine and Collins have an excellent chemistry together as partner detectives, and Caine's performance in particular is whole and likeable. Jane Seymour's role isn't huge, nor does it do anything besides providing a backstory for Caine's haunted detective, but she plays it very well. Other cast nods must go to Ken Bones as the snivelling, bohemian Lees, Susan George's effective, endearing cameo as Kate Eddowes, and Ray McAnally as doctor/scientist Sir William Gull.
The production design is straightforward enough - Victorian London isn't a very difficult look to recreate - but there's plenty of attention to detail and lots of beautiful costume design on offer. Director David Wickes (who went on to direct some very successful Jekyll & Hyde and Frankenstein TV movies) does an excellent job of juxtaposing the reserved nature of the visuals with the violence and upheaval of London on the brink of near-anarchy, and there's a real sense of terror in the scenes where Jack the Ripper is at work.
It's not all good news, mind you - Armand Assante's Richard Mansfield is way too campy, Michael Gothard gives a lousy performance as George Lusk and some of the sub-plots get tied up too conveniently - there are a few parts where this otherwise-wonderful drama reminds us that we are indeed watching a TV miniseries.
But thankfully these moments are few and far between, and, for the most part, this "Jack The Ripper" is a highly polished, well-made and finely acted horror/drama. Also, unlike "From Hell", the conclusion is kept from the viewer until the final reels: it might not be the most historically accurate portrayal, but for entertainment value, there's no other rendition of this story that surpasses it.
Highly recommended.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
atmospheric and suspenseful!, September 11, 2007
This review is from: Jack the Ripper (1988) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Australia ] (DVD)
Michael Caine plays Inspector Abberline, in this moody and somewhat realistic 1988 made-for-TV film about the Jack The Ripper murders. Plus, this movie also features Armand Assante and Jane Seymour.
This has never seen the light of day on Region 1 DVD,but it really really should. C'mon, whoever owns this, get this released in the U.S! :)
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
May Actually Be Michael Caine's Best Movie!, March 5, 2006
First off, I did see Johnny Depp's "From Hell" (2002). While I did like that version, it concentrated more on horror than history. This version with Michael Caine is more historical. Obviously, no one will ever know the full truth behind Jack the Ripper. However, if the theories in Michael Caine's movie are true, they certainly explain many things. (Why Jack was never identified, why Jack was never caught in the act, why Jack did what he did, etc.) This movie is about 4 hours long, but it is NEVER BORING. Even with only 5 murders for a 4 hour movie, the suspense rarely drops. Interestingly, as in history, there are 5 murders. Yet, the blood and effects are really controlled. (Some directors seem to know that blood in itself is not a scary thing. Rather, the story that surrounds the murders is the more important element. Even more so, excess blood only makes things look unrealistic if not laughable.) Comic relief and misleads are well placed. Another thing I can say about this movie is that we get to know the misleads a bit, and at times even feel sorry for them. Interestingly, this movie cleverly avoids the simple formula of good guy versus bad guy. Scotland Yard and the local police are both trying to stop Jack the Ripper. But do they work together well? Certainly not often! I can't say too much without ruining the story. However, I can say in 4 hours or so, not one moment of the movie is wasted time. Perhaps some of you will feel that Jack the Ripper is the star of this movie. Alright. Maybe he is. But of Michael Caine as the Scotland Yard Inspector trying to put an end to Jack the Ripper's reign of terror, Caine's performance is nothing short of PHENOMENAL. Unlike the fake Hollywood heroes, Michael Caine as Inspector Fred Abberline portrays a realistic hero. He has faults. (He is an alcoholic.) He goes through frustration and rages. At times, he makes jokes. While attentive to his duties, he also has to deal with his ego. (He wants to beat the local cops to Jack the Ripper.) He makes mistakes. (He is brutal with innocent parties at times.) He goes through personal disappointments. (A shattered relationship.) But like a true Charles Dickens hero, he rises above his faults, eventually puts certain grudges behind him, and rises to the occasion of facing Jack the Ripper himself! This movie can make one wonder if Michael Caine deserves a place in history almost on the same level as Sir Laurence Olivier. Hopefully, this movie will be available on dvd and vhs soon. If you like Michael Caine in this, you may also wish to check him out as Alfred in the recent "Batman Begins." "Noises Off" shows a great comical side of Michael Caine. He was also an impressive Scrooge in "The Muppets' Christmas Carol." I'll conclude by saying that Johnny Depp's portrayal of Inspector Fred Abberline in "From Hell" is certainly worth looking at. But Michael Caine's movie is probably the more historically accurate.
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