Jack the Ripper (1976)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Jesus Franco

Writer:

Jesus Franco (writer)

Release Date:

23 September 1976 (West Germany)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Close your eyes and whisper his name...

Plot:

A serial killer whose mother was a prostitute starts killing streetwalkers as a way of paying back his mother for her abuse.

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Doctor | Jack The Ripper | Undercover | Serial Killer

Cast

Klaus Kinski	...	Dr. Dennis Orloff / Jack the Ripper
Josephine Chaplin	...	Cynthia
Andreas Mannkopff	...	Inspektor Selby
Herbert Fux	...	Charlie, the Fisherman
Lina Romay	...	Marika
Nikola Weisse	...	Frieda
Ursula von Wiese	...	Miss Higgins (as Ursula v. Wiese)
Hans Gaugler	...	Blind man
Francine Custer	...	First victim
Olga Gebhard	...	Ms. Baxter
Angelika Arndts
Peter Nüsch	...	Sergeant Ruppert (as Peter Nuesch)
Regine Elsener
Esther Studer	...	Prostitute Jeanny, second victim
Lorli Bucher

Also Known As:

Der Dirnenmörder von London (West Germany) (cut version)

Runtime:

92 min | USA:82 min (cut version) | USA:87 min

Country:

Switzerland | West Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1979) | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Zürich, Kanton Zürich, Switzerland

Company:

Elite Film

Movie Connections:

Version of The Ripper (1997) (TV)

Klaus The Ripper

Jess Franco's "Jack The Ripper" of 1976 starring the great Klaus Kinski is not one of Franco's great movies, but certainly not one of his awful ones either. Completely historically inaccurate, but made in typical weird, sleazy and brutal Franco Style, this movie might disappoint people looking for a realistic cinematic illustration of the Jack The Ripper case, but it is certainly recommended to every fan of exploitation, especially to those familiar with Jess Franco's weird style of film-making. But even for those who are not into exploitative horror flicks, Kinski is always a good reason to watch a movie, and playing madmen was probably the greatest talent of this brilliant actor.

The movie's suspense is not built up by any mysteries, since it is clear from the first minute who Jack The Ripper is. Dr. Dennis Orloff (Kinski)is a charitable man, as he offers medical treatment to his poor clients although they are not able to pay him well. At night, however, the respectable doctor prowls London's streets, brutally murdering and mutilating young streetwalkers...

As I mentioned above, it is known from the first minute, that Dr. Orloff is Jack The Ripper. Suspense is still granted, by the movie's raw, sleazy atmosphere and its nastiness and brutality. I don't want to give any parts of the movie away, but I can assure that one can expect lots of sleaze as well as some extremely violent murders. Besides Kinski, who is a great enrichment to any movie, "Jack The Ripper" also features Josephine Chaplin, Lina Romay and the Austrian actor Herbert Fux, who recently passed away.

There may be better film adaptations of the Jack The Ripper Case, such as the Hughes Brothers' "From Hell" of 2001, but Jess Franco's "Jack The Ripper" is definitely the nastiest. The movie may be as historically inaccurate as it gets, but it is certainly a treat for fans of 70s European Horror exploitation. Recommended to fans of Jess Franco and/or Klaus Kinski, I personally had a great time! 6/10