Like the case with many of his films, it's not very clear to me what exactly Jess Franco intended to accomplish with his very personal interpretation of the notorious tale of London serial killer Jack The Ripper. This film is probably the least accurate re-telling of the facts and also the narrative style is rather unusual. Foremost, Franco's "Jack the Ripper" was entirely shot in Switzerland and, even though he really tried to imitate the dark and fog-enshrouded late-Victorian alleys and typically British working-class pubs, the settings simply aren't convincing. Never at one point you have the impression that the events takes place in England and so this production is already fatally implausible to begin with. The ripper's modus operandi for committing the murders and dumping the bodies is also different and completely fictionalized. Since when did Jackie-boy take the dead prostitutes home with him to perform autopsies or relied on his retarded housekeeper to dump the remainders in a river? To my recollection the victims' bodies never left the scene of the crime, as the Ripper wanted the authorities to find them instantly in order to raise fear and mayhem. Most of all, this is probably the only version of Jack the Ripper in which his identity gets revealed immediately and the plot even makes assumptions about what started his urge to kill & mutilate luscious women. Of course, if the DVD-cover proudly advertises Klaus Kinski's name and scary face, there isn't much mystery left regarding the culprit's identity. He's the creepy maniac responsibly, period. The most logical explanation is probably the correct one: Jess Franco had absolutely no intentions of making a complex and convoluted whodunit-thriller, but simply wanted a straightforward exploitation flick with sleaze and violence, and since Jack The Ripper is a topic that is guaranteed to raise giant profits at the box-office, he stole it. Good old Jess, always in the mood to shamelessly exploit moneymaking trends!
But it has to be said that "Jack The Ripper" easily ranks among Franco's most effective and memorable efforts! Mainly thanks to the presence of the incredibly charismatic and phenomenal Klaus Kinski (even when he's clearly uninterested in a role, he still delivers!), but also the actual film doesn't contain as many pointless & tedious scenes as usual in Franco's productions. The extended murder sequences, and particularly the aftermaths, are downright sickening and misogynistic, with graphic amputations and mutilations of intimate body parts. The make-up effects are realistic enough to upset your stomach, so gorehouds will definitely get a kick out of watching this film. The music by Walter Baumgartner adds some genuine suspense to the lackluster story and there occasionally even is some impressive camera-work to enjoy. Far from brilliant, but nevertheless interesting viewing for admirers of Jess Franco, Klaus Kinski, the sexy Lina Romey (in a small role as one of the victims) and "Ripperologists" in general.
But it has to be said that "Jack The Ripper" easily ranks among Franco's most effective and memorable efforts! Mainly thanks to the presence of the incredibly charismatic and phenomenal Klaus Kinski (even when he's clearly uninterested in a role, he still delivers!), but also the actual film doesn't contain as many pointless & tedious scenes as usual in Franco's productions. The extended murder sequences, and particularly the aftermaths, are downright sickening and misogynistic, with graphic amputations and mutilations of intimate body parts. The make-up effects are realistic enough to upset your stomach, so gorehouds will definitely get a kick out of watching this film. The music by Walter Baumgartner adds some genuine suspense to the lackluster story and there occasionally even is some impressive camera-work to enjoy. Far from brilliant, but nevertheless interesting viewing for admirers of Jess Franco, Klaus Kinski, the sexy Lina Romey (in a small role as one of the victims) and "Ripperologists" in general.